About POWA & Monitors

POWA are members of the Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime (PAW), a multi-agency body comprising representatives of the organisations involved in wildlife law enforcement in the UK - see http://www.defra.gov.uk/paw/

POWA is fortunate to have amongst its Associates a diverse range of talents including a wildlife consultant, a wildlife rescuer & rehabilitator and a social researcher.

The Importance of Monitors  In the field POWA advocates the observance of hunts by use of video and stills cameras to record the cruelty and vandalism of hunting. The hunt ban has failed to prevent hunt havoc. It is not only the persecuted wild animals that suffer but rural residents, car and train travellers and farmers whose lives are disrupted by hunts trespassing on private land, roads and railways lines. Livestock and domestic animals are often put in danger by hunts that are regularly out of control. Monitors attend hunts across the country every week during the hunting season. They record the actions of these hunts with video and stills cameras to highlight the horrors of bloodsports. POWA campaigns for the protection of wildlife. It is committed to seeing the Hunting Act enforced and strengthened. Monitors who submit film to POWA work as independent individuals. Revealing and disturbing footage from monitors can be seen on You Tube. _________________________________________________

Fox Hunting - Alive & Well?    BBC 'Inside Out' Films Monitors at Work In March 2008, film-makers from the BBC program 'Inside Out' shadowed a team of experienced hunt monitors in the Cotswolds as they followed a number of different hunts.   But the most explosive footage they and the hunt monitors captured involved the Heythrop Hunt, which includes a large swathe of rural Gloucestershire in its territory.   Read about their experiences in an article on the BBC Inside Out web site by clicking here. _________________________________________

Monitors' Footage Prompts Receptions at Westminster A film entitled "Hunting Anarchy",  which has been produced by POWA using footage collected by Hunt Monitors, has been shown at two separate receptions at the House of Commons. The receptions were hosted by MP Ann Widdecombe.  She is calling for hunt monitors to be licensed by the Home Office so that they may collect footage of illegal hunting, protected from the harrassment and intimidation they are currently suffering.     Miss Widdecombe believes it should be made a criminal offence to obstruct monitors as they go about their lawful business. POWA spokesperson Penny Little said "We are very grateful to Miss Widdecombe for her tremendous support.     The first Reception, held at the end of October 2007, was attended by representatives of the Crown Prosecution Service, and also by high ranking police officers representing thirteen different forces across the country.     We know our film shocked our audiences, as it shows not only repeated sequences of hounds chasing foxes, but also numerous examples of the verbal and physical abuse meted out to monitors by hunt supporters.     Miss Widdecombe has helped us show that hunts cannot regard themselves as a special group that is above the law, and who can protect their illegal activities with violence and thuggery."