'Ilegal hare hunt' claims probe in Pendle (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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'Ilegal hare hunt' claims probe in Pendle
11:10am Monday 7th November 2011 in News
'Ilegal hare hunt' claims probe in Pendle
A POLICE probe has been launched after complaints were made about a hunt illegally chasing a wild hare.
Officers are looking into claims a pack of hounds followed by around 20 hunters on horseback were chasing the animal across fields between Barnoldswick and West Marton on Saturday afternoon.
The hunters, dressed in red blazers, black jodhpurs and black safety helmets, were spotted by a number of animal lovers who said they were deeply shocked at what happened.
Pendle Forest and Craven Hunt master Tom Bannister said they had been in the area at the time but no hare had been discovered.
In 2005, the government passed the Hunting Act banning the hunting of foxes, hares, minks and deer with dogs.
Anyone found guilty of illegal hunting could face a fine of up to £5,000. However, hunts can still follow a scent while out riding, which is commonly known as a drag hunt.
Carole Mitchell, 51, of Ollet Hall Road, Darwen, was visiting her three pet sheep in Stock Road, near Barnoldswick when she saw the hunt.
She said: “It was absolutely awful. I locked myself in the car because I just couldn’t bear it.
“It is so shocking to watch. There was this horrific screaming and I couldn’t tell if it was the dogs or the hare.”
Fellow witness Michael Martin, 62, from Barnoldswick, said: “That poor hare must have been terrified. "I could see it running desperately for its life.
Pendle Forest and Craven Hunt confirmed it conducted a hunt with 20 people on horseback and 20 on foot between Barnoldswick and West Marton on Saturday between 11am and 2.30pm.
Mr Bannister said: “We were completely within the law.
“The law demands that even if the hounds were to find a hare we would have to pull them off, but we did not find a hare on Saturday.”
Comments(29)
BROCKSDAD
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12:01pm Mon 7 Nov 11
misssolihull
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12:06pm Mon 7 Nov 11
fabinribblevalley
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12:21pm Mon 7 Nov 11
fabinribblevalley
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12:24pm Mon 7 Nov 11
happycyclist wrote:They like most cyclist are breaking the law and should be punished as the law states.
Stop wasting police time with this sort of nonsense.
notchuffed
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2:29pm Mon 7 Nov 11
a) I'll bet a pound to a pinch of snuff these get investigated with more police and much more thoroughly than they do when looking for illegal immigrants!
b) Instead of the hunt chasing hares can't they be gainfully employed chasing after illegals?
c) If they catch any, the hunt's solution is far better than what happens if the so called Border Security Agents catch them.
d) As for the countryside abuse "Hare today and gone tomorrow"
BuckoTheMoose
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3:14pm Mon 7 Nov 11
Don't be such a drama queen! I bet you are one of those who think the meat they eat is born in shelf ready packaging. Silly woman!
golazzo
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3:30pm Mon 7 Nov 11
frank
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3:31pm Mon 7 Nov 11
ribblered
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3:34pm Mon 7 Nov 11
frank wrote:That is actually what they do Frank - a runner usually sets off ahead of the pack, dragging something which is 'scented' for the hounds to follow...hence the term 'drag hunt'
why don't they coat one of the hoorays in hare odour and let the dogs chase them instead?
frank
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4:57pm Mon 7 Nov 11
Dave139
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5:06pm Mon 7 Nov 11
Dave139
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5:06pm Mon 7 Nov 11
akon
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5:31pm Mon 7 Nov 11
Coeur de Lion
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5:41pm Mon 7 Nov 11
JTulloch
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5:50pm Mon 7 Nov 11
ste.g
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6:13pm Mon 7 Nov 11
JTulloch
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6:50pm Mon 7 Nov 11
happycyclist
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8:41pm Mon 7 Nov 11
fabinribblevalley wrote:zzzzzzz...
happycyclist wrote:They like most cyclist are breaking the law and should be punished as the law states.
Stop wasting police time with this sort of nonsense.
slimhotknave
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9:23pm Mon 7 Nov 11
Ted Maul
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9:38pm Mon 7 Nov 11
I always thought that these tally ho hunting types were a bunch of perves.
The dirty gets...
riversidefan
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11:42pm Mon 7 Nov 11
JTulloch wrote:No respect for the law eh? No wonder the country's in a mess.
Surely the police can find better things to do with their time. A hare would die faster at the hands of a hunt than your average lamb chop would at the abattoir. And it would certainly have a quicker cleaner death than if it were hit with an unclean shot and lay in the woods for a week dying. When the population needs to be controlled, dogs are the BEST medium for the job whether by hunt or course. You folks want to stop worrying about the poor terrified hare and let the police spend their time doing a real job.
riversidefan
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11:53pm Mon 7 Nov 11
Coeur de Lion wrote:A sexist hunt supporter, that's unusual!
Get a life love, go home and make your husbands tea.
JTulloch
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10:04am Tue 8 Nov 11
riversidefan wrote:Plenty of respect for the law. I just happen to think the law against hunting is a pile of rubbish. I also happen to think that hunting with dogs is a good thing, when done properly. As with every other group of people, there are some with no respect for animals or hunting or the law. I have a healthy respect for all three. And I think that police services could be better diverted to real crime.
JTulloch wrote:No respect for the law eh? No wonder the country's in a mess.
Surely the police can find better things to do with their time. A hare would die faster at the hands of a hunt than your average lamb chop would at the abattoir. And it would certainly have a quicker cleaner death than if it were hit with an unclean shot and lay in the woods for a week dying. When the population needs to be controlled, dogs are the BEST medium for the job whether by hunt or course. You folks want to stop worrying about the poor terrified hare and let the police spend their time doing a real job.
chris283
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11:37am Tue 8 Nov 11
ribblered
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12:04pm Tue 8 Nov 11
ribblered
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12:05pm Tue 8 Nov 11
Will - Ash
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5:03pm Tue 8 Nov 11
http://www.telegraph
.co.uk/news/uknews/1
472099/Hunt-ban-is-r
evenge-for-Thatchers
-defeat-of-the-miner
s-says-Labour-MP.htm
l
RachMll
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10:24pm Thu 10 Nov 11
happycyclist says...
11:16am Mon 7 Nov 11