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PROTECT OUR WILD ANIMALS
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WARNING: This site contains images of animals killed and mutilated by Hunts which you may find distressing
STOP PRESS See LATEST UK HUNTING NEWS for full articles on each item and for older stories
..... 14th May - CPS refuse to prosecute drunk
supporter who forced himself on female sabs On March 18th an apparently drunk Cotswold Vale
Farmers FH supporter forced his way into a vehicle occupied by two female sabs and, they say, molested them. Police were called
but did not attend the incident and now CPS have refused to charge him. Video here.
..... 14th May - Cattistock FH JM resigns as Wildlife Trust patron after badger cull protests
Lady Charlotte Townshend, mega-rich landowner and leading light of the Hunt for many years, has stepped down as a Patron of
Dorset Wildlife Trust. She had been criticised by anti badger-cull activists who believe she intends to allow her land to
be used as the bulk of a reserve cull zone.
..... 10th May - CA appeal for police to stop sabs concealing identities
in hunting field Sir Barney White-Spunner, CA CEO, has written to ACPO asking they instruct all
police to employ the law to stop sabs wearing balclavas etc. to conceal their identities. This follows two allegeded assaults
late last year by masked men, one at a meet in Yorkshie, the other on the High Peak Huntsman at kennels.
SIR
PATRICK STEWART BECOMES AN HONORARY ASSOCIATE OF POWA
 The renowned actor, who narrated the revised version of the anti-hunting film 'A Minority Pastime', provided this statement:-
"I am delighted to accept the invitation to become an Honorary Associate of Protect Our Wild Animals.
I am strongly opposed to the cruel and barbaric 'sport' of hunting wild animals with dogs and was delighted when this
was banned in England and Wales in 2004.
However, it appears that both the spirit and letter of the law
continue to be flouted by some organised Hunts. I fully endorse POWA's efforts to expose such activities and
in campaigning for the Hunting Act to be strengthened in order to make the law both more of a deterrent and easier to enforce."
EIGHT YEARS
ON, Hunts still routinely bend and break the spirit and letter of the Hunting Act, still chase and kill
wild animals for fun, still bring terror and havoc to our countryside - and almost always escape justice. The 'cynical
subertfuge' the Judge scorned in dismissing the Fernie hunters' Appeal is the norm not the exception.
It is a priority for POWA to support independent monitors, who bravely seek to expose Hunt wrong doing and the
weaknesses of the current legislation - at considerable expense and risk to themselves. POWA utterly opposes
any attempt to repeal the existing Hunting Act, but regards amendments to strengthen it as essential if the
obscenity of live quarry hunting with dogs for 'sport' is to be properly punished and prevented.
Fulsome congratulations to the incredibly dedicated team of hunt monitors [many of
whom are also POWA Associates] whose evidence, on December 17th 2012, led to the convictions of the Heythrop Hunt, a former
JM and its ex-Huntsman on 4 charges each of illegal hunting. They had taken similar evidence of illegal hunting by the Heythrop
and other local Hunts to the police 30 times before in recent years, and either been fobbed off each time or found the CPS
making excuses for not getting the cases to court. So, many thanks to the RSPCA, under their CEO Gavin Grant, for
their courage in taking on the prosecution of this rich and powerful Hunt and for the Society's unflinching
stance in response to the vitriol since heaped upon it by the pro-hunt lobby.
The monitors have also had to bear repeated
assaults, threats, harassment, vile abuse, obstruction and property damage from Heythrop riders and followers, 14 of
whom have been convicted or cautioned for such offences in the last six years. Monitoring is not just a very trying, emotionally
draining, time-consuming and dangerous business - it is expensive. POWA assists the monitors when it can, but has limited
resources itself. You can help enable the monitors carry on their work of exposing and bringing these flagrant animal
abusers to justice by giving to POWA, using the 'Donate' button [left].
Rescued by her 'Guardian angel' ! The moment a young vixen being attacked by the Old
Berks FH hounds is saved by a brave young female hunt monitor and POWA Associate, 14th November 2012
To see rescue video click here
MORE HUNT MONITORS WILL MEAN MORE HUNTERS IN COURT
The Heythrop FH - the P.M.'s own - are the latest to be
found guilty of illegal hunting, in what was the first ever prosecution of a Hunt as a Body Corporate, on 17/12/12. A former JM and
their ex-Huntsman also plead guilty, to four counts each, This followed convictions of the Senior JM and a terrierman of the Meynell and S.Staffs FH at Derby
Magistrates Court on 9/8/12. Several weeks earlier, two senior members of the Crawley & Horsham Hunt and their ex-Huntsman
were convicted for hunting foxes. In January 2011, the Huntsman and terrierman of the Fernie Hunt
were found guilty of illegal hunting, and their Appeal scornfully dismissed by the Judge in October.
These hunts have been successfully prosecuted and convicted because
of the hunt monitors, who have captured film of their illegal activities, footage which has provided the evidence needed to
bring these people to justice. It is very encouraging that, at last, the sterling efforts of the monitors are beginning to
show results in the Courts. But most hunts are never visited by monitors. More monitors would mean more convictions.
POWA strongly supports the work of the monitors, and we suggest that there are some
people who may now feel they want to join a monitoring group and keep up the momentum against the hunts. If you want to become
a monitor, or talk to a monitor for advice, please email POWA - via the contact button to the left of this article
- and we will refer your query to someone in your area.
"It was totally and utterly
barbaric and shocking." Mick Heath, the 'not anti-hunt' resident of Bradfield,
North Essex, after hounds of the Essex & Suffolk FH chased a fox into his garden, savaged it and the Whipper-in then beat
it to death with a blunt object, leaving blood stains on the patio - all in front of the whole family and a guest, on
10-12-11
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The Hunting
Bill gained Royal Assent on 18-11-2004
The Hunting Act 2004 came into
effect on 18-2-2005
Full text of the Hunting Act 2004 is HERE
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POWA's main role is to campaign for a complete,
effective and enforceable ban on the hunting of wild animals with dogs in England and Wales. After
ten overwhelming Commons' votes, over seven years, in favour of a complete ban on hunting, the will of the people and
their sovereign Parliament finally overcame decades of resistance and mendacious propaganda from the rich and powerful
bloodsports lobby and a largely compliant media - democracy indeed!
Regrettably,
POWA believes that the Hunting Act 2004 has manifest deficiencies which, in practice, make it of very limited utility
in preventing organised Hunts carrying on chasing and killing wild mammals for 'sport'. Hunts are able to do
this by exploiting the numerous loopholes and/or by pretending to be ‘trail hunting’ and ascribing any incident
involving wild mammals as 'accidents'. Monitoring reports countrywide appear to confirm that many, perhaps most hunts,
engage in such behaviour.
Nevertheless, the Act, so long and hard fought
for, is a lot better than nothing - and of huge symbolic importance. POWA therefore also campaigns against any attempt
to further weaken or repeal the Act and to ensure, as far as possible, that it is complied with in the hunting field and upheld
through the courts.
But - like its long-illegal fellow bloodsports,
cock and dog fighting, bull and badger baiting - the hunting of foxes, deer, hares and mink with packs of dogs must
be consigned to the history books in practice, not just in theory. |
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Below, see how
the hunters like to change the beautiful, sensitive, living creatures portrayed above - for 'sport'
The
Hunting Act has slowed but not stopped them.
Join POWA's campaign
to have the Act strengthened |
"WHEN CRIMINALS CIRCUMVENT THE LAW IT
SHOULD BE STRENGTHENED TO STOP
THEM
NOT REPEALED TO REWARD THEM" |
*Click HERE to read POWA's case to
strengthen the Hunting Act,
including our proposed changes
Read POWA's statement on the High Court Ruling in 2009 on the Hunting
Act
This confirmed that 'intent' to hunt a wild mammal must be proved
and that 'searching' is not 'hunting'. The CPS dropped nearly all their pending cases as the
evidential burden was now too great.
These cases included charges against the Huntsman of the Heythrop FH - the home
hunt of David Cameron, who has ridden with them in the past. It is widely supported by the famed 'Chipping Norton
set', including Rebekah Brooks and husband Charlie, who are known to be friends of the P.M.
Press Release
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Download a copy of the publication |
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LATEST POWA PRESS
LETTER
25th December 2012
POWA wrote to all press to complain about the media's usual chocolate
box reports of Boxing Day meets, especially in the light of the very recent Heythrop convictions and the mounting evidence
that their claims to be innocently 'trail hunting' are a sham.
See POWA press letters |
LATEST POWA PRESS RELEASE
19th December 2012
POWA Press Released to all
national, regional and some local papers and broadcasters, challenging the Prime Minister to condemn the repeated
law breaking of his favourite fox hunt. Also gave details of the numerous attacks of various kinds by Heythrop supporters
on the monitors who gathered the evidence that convicted the Hunt.
See POWA Press Releases |
| Stag
in Devon desperately fleeing from the hunt | 
| | Deer hunting continues using the 'Research' exemption in the Act |
POWA ♥ Hounds Off
Despite the Hunting Act, hunters
and their dogs are still running amok and intimidating law-abiding folk, trespassing on private property. New
site Hounds Off is encouraging a countrywide network of hunt-free zones, creating an ever-growing land area where wildlife
has sanctuary. Use Hounds Off to help you ban your homestead to hunters, wherever it is. Support Hounds Off on Facebook
Hounds Off has issued
a Progress Report
| Fox
hounds are rewarded - by a public road | 
| | Fox hunting is disguised as 'trail' hunting - chases & kills are always claimed to
be 'accidents' |
OVER 200 MPs SIGN!!!
Early Day Motion 116 - reaffirming support for the Hunting Act
- was signed by 209 MPs in the first session of the current Parliament. This is a very large number for an EDM. POWA thanks all those MPs for
their support. * Click here for info on EDM 116 - Hunting
Act 2004 |
| Hare
being coursed at the notorious Waterloo Cup | 
| | The Hunting Act has succeeded in stopping organised coursing events |
REQUIRED READING 'Bad Hare Days" by
John Fitzgerald, veteran anti-courser and founder of the Campaign to Abolish Cruel Sports, in Ireland. The book details
the long struggle to try to get hare coursing banned in the Republic - and its effect on the campaigners. Available
free to read/download here
The campaign eventually managed to get coursing greyhounds muzzled, but this is far from complete protection for
the hares against serious trauma and injury. The photo below shows a hare [top left] that has been batted up into the
air by one of the chasing dogs. |
| | Hare sent flying high into air by pursuing muzzled greyhounds |
| Beagler
cuts off hare's tail to reward his hounds | 
| | Hare hunting continues in the guise of rat or rabbit hunting |
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Protect Our
Wild Animals Limited is a Private Limited Company, registered in England & Wales, number 6687073, registered address 101
Ely Road, Llandaff, Cardiff, CF5 2BZ
Disclaimer:
Neither POWA nor the Webmaster necessarily endorse all the views expressed on this site or the views expressed
in links/downloads on this site. Responsibility cannot be accepted by POWA or the webmaster for statements made by contributors
for publication on this site or on those sites/downloads to which links are given.
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