A video taken from nearly a half mile away purports to show a man digging out a fox, after which staff members of the Jedforest Foxhounds pursued it on horseback in contravention of Scotland’s Protection of Wild Mammals Act of 2002. Mounted hunt staff members John Clive Richardson and Johnny Riley stand trial accused of pursuing the fox with hounds after it had gone to ground, been located by terriers, dug out by the terrier man, and chased once again by hounds.

The accused men deny deliberately hunting a fox with hounds. The law requires that, once dug out, the fox must be immediately dispatched or killed by waiting guns. The video was filmed by an investigator from the League Against Cruel Sports and was shown in evidence at Jedburgh sheriff court.

The LACS investigator, Terence Hill, said, “There are far too many loopholes in the legislation just now. Flushing to guns is not happening. Traditional fox hunting is still going on.” The trial continues.

Click for Robert Fairburn’s complete article in The Times.

Posted March 19, 2017