Something a bit different from raptor persecution today, Chris Packham and Megan McCubbin are out with the Northants Hunt Sabs this morning, following the Cottesmore Hunt, LIVE on YouTube now:
Something a bit different from raptor persecution today, Chris Packham and Megan McCubbin are out with the Northants Hunt Sabs this morning, following the Cottesmore Hunt, LIVE on YouTube now:
Raptor Persecution UK 
Great Ruth. Good on ya Chris and Megan!
I’ve just sent a letter to my Police and Crime Commissioner asking why hunts seem to be exempted from having to devise road safety plans. Other events, like cycling and running races, have to meet up with the police, fire and St John’s type service providers to plan and agree safe routes, park up spots, emergency procedures etc etc.
I urge readers to do the same.
If trail hunts are genuinely following a pre-planned scent line, why are police not requesting meetings to discuss:
*safe park up spots for horse riding followers and the hound van to unload their animals and leave their animal carriers and associated vehicles;
*the suitability of proposed routes that the scent line will be laid (and therefore the route the hounds and mounted hunt followers will follow) (suitability in terms of distress or disturbance to residents, farm and domestic animals, sensitive wildlife areas and damage to footpaths, bridalways or private property etc);
*road traffic management measures to ensure car followers do not cause road hazards whilst parked up or driving along narrow roads;
*measures to ensure hounds and horses do not cross roads or, if they do, road users are alerted in advance of a possible road block and the likely time; and
*why are scent line routes not advertised in advance of the event being approved to allow people to object to the route if they have concerns.
Why the partisan approach to hunts?
“I’ve just sent a letter to my Police and Crime Commissioner asking why hunts seem to be exempted from having to devise road safety plans”
That is an excellent point. Well done!
“I urge readers to do the same.”
“I’ve just sent a letter to my Police and Crime Commissioner asking why hunts seem to be exempted from having to devise road safety plans…
I urge readers to do the same.”I thought this was such a good idea that I suggested it (copied it, in full) to the League Against Cruel Sports. I explained that I was unsure of the law. As always I received a full reply, which I would like to share:
“Thank you for getting in touch, and we appreciate your continued support.
We have already had supporters get in touch with the police with these questions, and as such have received the following replies.
It has been noted that the police are generally proactive in contacting hunts to offer to debrief activities, but these efforts are often refused. There is no obligation for the hunt to record details of any trail laying, and therefore they do not have to provide any details of the trail to law enforcement.
Unfortunately, as trail hunting often takes place on private land, the effect that the police can have is limited unless the law is being broken. Alongside illegal hunting, there are offences to consider should the hunt present issues on public highway, and these should be reported to the police directly, with supporting evidence provided where possible.
Additionally, the responses that we have received explain that due to the rural locations of the events, parking restrictions for example are particularly difficult to enforce.
We are absolutely happy for our supporters to contact their local police force with these questions. However, the benefit that this can have appears to be less so than writing to your local MP using the link below for example.
https://takeaction.league.org.uk/
I hope this answers your question, and please do not hesitate to get back in touch if there is anything that I can clarify.”
Yes, many thanks, Chris and Megan – and Ruth.
Also, Lizzybusy for these very pertinent points. I shall also contact my PCC – copy to MP.
I’m just puzzled why the (Paypal?) interface for getting a donation to HuntSabsLtd. cannot be processed without a telephone number. Card details provided. Address provided. That should be sufficient to get a payment done. (If it turns out to be fraudulent there’s always the card charge-back process).
there are much more important things to worry about than a few people chasing a fox
It’s illegal. Do you approve of illegal activities, then?
Yet it would seem that you have nothing more important to do than worry about people who are worrying about it? Otherwise you would just leave them to it and apply yourself to the doing of “much more important things”.
“there (sic) are much more important things to worry about than“
single instances of the following…
a child being murdered…
a pensioner being mugged…
a woman being raped…
a house being burgled…
a drunk driver mowing down a pedestrian…
So let’s just ignore these crimes as well, shall we?