Throughout the UK the illegal hunting of foxes continues unabated under the smokescreen of trail hunting often in connivance with local police forces who either seem ignorant of the law governing this or who actively participate, facilitate and support this criminality, often overseen by a hunt supporting Police and Crime Commissioner.

In recent days and weeks we have witnessed an escalation in violence and criminality by the South Dorset Hunt and their supporters including :

• On 20th December A 77 year old hunt monitor hospitalised after being attacked with iron bars by masked thugs whilst monitoring illegal fox hunting by the South Dorset Hunt. 
• Overnight on Boxing Day, 19 tyres were slashed on vehicles belonging to hunt saboteurs and hunt monitors.
• On 27th December a member of the public had their tyres slashed and was confronted by six masked men carrying knives as they had been watching the hunt set off. Armed police attended with evidently no arrests made.
• On 12th January a hunt monitor was hit with a steel ball bearing fired from a catapult. 'Fortunately' this hit the monitor in the back causing extensive bruising. If that had hit him in the head the results would likely have been very different. Armed police responded and failed to stop, search or arrest any of the South Dorset Hunt support present.
• On 12th January a hunt saboteur woke to find two mutilated foxes laid out in their garden.
• On 12th January the partner of a hunt saboteur received threatening phone calls during the night from hunt support.

The South Dorset Hunt is not the only illegal hunt active in Dorset but my contention is that these organised criminals, including support and hangers on who have existing criminal convictions, must feel particularly immune and emboldened towards any type of police action against them. Seemingly all hunts in Dorset arrogantly believe they are not subject to the laws that apply to the rest of us whilst Dorset police continually fail to respond, or take seriously the illegal hunting and killing of wildlife, violence, threats and intimidation of these hunts.

Of course the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Hunt, similarly organised criminals, have a serving Dorset police officer that hosts them. They will be the subject of a later post. For now a light needs to be shone on the South Dorset Hunt and the Dorset police with special attention given to the Dorset Police Rural Crime Team who it appears are in complete cahoots with the hunt.

Various posts, pics, information and contact details will be posted here and I please ask for a coordinated plan of action. If the police will not do the right thing then they will have to be shamed into doing so. Likewise South Dorset Hunt; our countryside does not belong to you. Our wildlife is not there for you to kill and we will never accept your violence, criminality or deviant behaviour whilst we have a breath in our bodies. Long run the fox.

Please if you wish to donate do not donate to this petition. Send a gratefully received donation towards the operational costs of those in the field risking their health, wellbeing and lives, in the face of unrelenting threats and violence, to save foxes from a monstrous death.

Please consider donating, these guys deserve a cup of tea surely! Funds go towards petrol costs, cameras for evidence gathering etc. Thank you for caring.

(pic above is one of two mutilated foxes left in hunt saboteurs garden on 12th January 2023)