This shocking footage shows a pack of hounds ripping a fox to shreds before a huntsman picks up the dead body and runs away.

The video starts with at least 30 dogs circling around something in a field.

It becomes clear they were mutilating a fox when a man wearing hunting clothes runs over and picks up the body.

He is seen shoving the animal into a blue plastic bag before running off at speed.

Police have confirmed they are investigating the footage but have made no arrests.

The moment was captured on Saturday in the village of Fifehead Magdalen, Dorset, by David Tibbles, an animal rights activist from a group called Wildlife Witness, which monitors hunts in the area.

He told Metro.co.uk: ‘We just happened to be driving down a country lane and saw the hounds and started filming from there.

‘They caught the fox somewhere near the road, and were breaking it up.

‘When the hunt staff turned up they started scrambling around, picking up the body parts.

‘I don’t think he knew we were filming at the point.

‘He was obviously pretty keen to pick it up and carry on as if no one had noticed.’

The hounds and huntsman are allegedly part of the north Dorset-based Portman Hunt, which dates back to 1857.

A Countryside Alliance (CA) spokesperson said the Portman Hunt operates legally within the confines of the Hunting Act, which was introduced nearly 15 years ago by Tony Blair’s Labour government in 2005.

They said they conduct trail-hunting and exempt hunting activities ‘which comply with the law’.

In a statement on behalf of the Portman Hunt, the CA spokesperson said: ‘Hunts are regularly subjected to spurious allegations about their conduct, usually without any evidence to substantiate these claims and often on social media where there is no editorial control about what is written.

‘If there is any evidence to suggest that the Portman Hunt was acting illegally on 28th December 2019, we strongly recommend that this evidence is taken to the police to be investigated through the proper channels rather than subjecting individuals and the hunts themselves to an unfair trial through the media.’

A Dorset Police spokesperson said: ‘Dorset Police received a report at 2.07pm on Saturday 28 December 2019 of a fox hunt taking place in the Marnhull and Fifehead Magdalen areas near Sturminster Newton.

‘The matter has been passed to local officers and enquiries into the incident are ongoing. No arrests have been made.

‘We wish to be clear that we will investigate any alleged breaches of the Hunting Act 2004 and other legislation and work closely with the Crown Prosecution Service to determine if a case could be taken to court.

‘Hunting mammals with dogs has been illegal since 2004. A few, very specific, exemptions apply.

‘We would urge anyone with clear evidence of such offending to please report it to us.

‘Anyone wishing to report a breach of the Hunting Act should contact Dorset Police at www.dorset.police.uk, via email [email protected] or by calling 101.

‘Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via www.crimestoppers-uk.org.’

Source:
courtesy of METRO

by Joe Roberts

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