British Hunts: Damned If They Do and Damned If They Don’t

British hunts are damned and accused by hunt protesters whether the evidence is valid or not.

A dead fox was found in a hedge in the vicinity where the Ledbury foxhounds were hunting. A member of the hunt staff, who had a chance to handle the carcass before it was hustled off by hunt protesters, claims it was cold and had a gunshot wound.

Hours later, photos of the dead fox were posted on various social media strongly accusing the hunt for unlawfully killing it. The local hunt saboteurs association reported on the Ledbury Reporter’s website that the fox’s body had been taken away for a “post mortem.”

Hunt spokesman Donald Haden said the hunt conducts its activities within the law. “We are now into the lambing season,” said Haden, “and farmers quite understandably are not hesitant in shooting any foxes they see disturbing their sheep. We believe that in this particular case the fox had indeed been shot by a local farmer several hours or possibly days before and the dead carcass then thrown into the hedge.”

Click for Gary Bills-Geddes’s story in the Ledbury Reporter.