Shropshire wildlife being chased by packs of hounds

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Hunts in Shropshire have been illegally chasing British wildlife, according to reports received by a leading animal welfare charity since November.

The League Against Cruel Sports has catalogued incidents including terrified foxes chased to exhaustion across the Shropshire countryside. Badger setts have also been blocked up near hunt meets to stop foxes taking refuge during the chase and horses and hounds trespassed in pursuit of wild animals.

The incidents in Shropshire form part of over 282 reports of suspected illegal hunting across the UK received by the League since the hunting season began on November 1.

Across the country 60 animals were witnessed being chased and killed, including 42 foxes and 4 hares which were torn apart by packs of hounds and 17 deer which were pursued for miles until exhausted and then shot.

Chris Luffingham, Director of Campaigns at the League Against Cruel Sports, said: “Despite hunting being banned in 2004, hunts are still sickeningly chasing and killing wildlife in Shropshire.

“These figures are sadly just the tip of the iceberg but they show that the hunts are breaking the law and killing foxes, hares and deer for their so called ‘sport’.

“The good news is that the new technology being adopted by the people monitoring hunts means it is becoming far more difficult for the hunts to get away with their illegal activity.”

Hunting with hounds was banned in 2004 but is still rife in the British countryside.

The figures come from reports by the public into the League’s Animal Crimewatch service, reports by monitoring and saboteur groups posted on Facebook, and from professional investigators employed by the League to monitor hunts.

In the UK, there are 271 hunts still in existence according to the Hunting Office which represents them.

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