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13th March 2009
POWA Statement to the Press
This
press release is to clarify the role of POWA, Protect Our Wild Animals Limited, a political campaigning group that focuses
on lobbying Parliament and the Government in an effort to improve the laws designed to protect wild animals.
The
collation and presentation of lawfully obtained evidence to demonstrate the need for amendments to such legislation forms
a part of these campaigns.
The
Hunting Act 2004 is a case in point and there are a number of individuals throughout the UK who, independently, peaceably
and lawfully monitor the activities of hunts. These individuals are at liberty to offer their evidence to POWA for review
and possible use in the campaign to strengthen the Hunting Act.
POWA
has a policy not to comment on individuals or individual cases in order to protect their privacy.
POWA
liaises regularly with police forces throughout the country and has worked closely with a number of MP’s over many years
on all aspects of POWA’s campaigns.
POWA’s
current campaign to ‘Build on the Ban and Strengthen the Act’ supports Early Day Motion 122 – Hunting with
Dogs, tabled by John McDonnell MP, which calls for amendments to the Hunting Act to include a reckless behaviour clause. This
motion has been signed by 98 MP’s so far.
John B Campbell BVSc MRCVS
POWA Director
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Click here to read POWA's case for strengthening the Hunting Act including table of proposed amendments
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22nd December 2008 - POWA Press Release
Make the Hunting Act ‘Fit for Purpose’
The wildlife campaigning group POWA - Protect Our Wild Animals, has stepped up their campaign to ‘Build on the Ban - Strengthen the Act’ in support of MP John McDonnell’s Early Day Motion calling
for a reckless behaviour clause to be added to the Hunting Act 2004.
POWA
are delighted that 65 MP’s have shown their support for the *Motion overall in just six weeks. EDM 122 will stay
in place until next October so POWA are confident that these MP’s will be joined by many more when Parliament resumes
from the Xmas break on 12th January 2008.
POWA have produced a pack detailing their proposals
for a small number of straightforward amendments to the Hunting Act 2004 in support of MP John McDonnell’s Early Day
Motion and this pack is being sent to MP’s and other interested parties for their consideration. The pack can also be
viewed online at www.powa.org.uk .
Penny Little, spokesperson for Protect Our Wild Animals said “There
are two ways of looking at the situation surrounding the hunts. One is that trail hunting is a complete fiction used as a
cover for illegal foxhunting, with the alleged similarities to foxhunting due to the fact that it is foxhunting. Hunt monitors
are certain this is the case.
“The
other option is to see that the practices of “trail” hunting as described by the hunters themselves are so utterly
reckless that they are virtually certain to result in “accidents”, and lots of them.
“Either
way, it is time for MPs to revisit the Hunting Act, and make that small adjustment that would make the law fit for its purpose,
because at present the proscribed quarry species continue to be hunted exactly as before the ban.”
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*** Info ***
John McDonnell MP resubmitted his Early Day Motion for the new Parliamentary
Session
repeating the call for an amendment to the Hunting Act
to include a reckless behaviour clause
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4th November 2008, POWA Press Release (see Hunt Havoc page for additional stills)
MP
Backs Call to Toughen Law on Hunting
The campaign group POWA - Protect Our Wild Animals, has responded to the start of a
new hunting season by calling on MP’s and the Government to remember all of the cruel
and barbaric practices that the Hunting Act was meant to outlaw and show a renewed commitment to the hunt ban by addressing
the failings in the legislation.
Their campaign has won the immediate support of Labour MP John McDonnell
who is backing the call for the Government to act now to toughen the law against hunting.
John said “There is mounting evidence that hunts are avoiding the law and by
various devices continuing the barbaric practice of hunting foxes down to a bloody kill. The Government needs to act to prevent
this abuse of the spirit of the anti hunting legislation.”
Watch a short video compilation from the POWA DVD
'Hunting
Anarchy'
below
the case for strengthening the Hunting Act
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POWA – Protect Our Wild Animals has received hours
of footage from hunt monitors¹ and reports from country dwellers of what they regard as reckless and lawless behaviour by
the hunts ever since the Hunting Act became law four years ago.
Penny Little, spokesperson
for POWA said "When
the general public pressed their MPs to ban hunting, they did not want a ban
that would allow hunts to behave with such arrogance and deceit. They wanted the practice to be stopped,
with genuine drag hunting the only legal alternative.
Penny added “The practices of "trail"
hunting as described by the hunters themselves are so utterly reckless that they are virtually certain to result in “accidents”.
But this outrageous situation can be resolved by amending the Hunting Act to include a ‘reckless behaviour clause’
by making it an offence to ‘cause or permit a dog to hunt, attack,
injure or kill a wild mammal’. That removes the possibility of an accident being used as a defence,
and removes the need for intent to be proved in court.”
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Stills - click on photo to enlarge
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1st November 2008 - POWA Press Release
Remember, Remember the Fear of November
Another hunting season begins on the 1st November and the campaign
group POWA - Protect Our Wild Animals is urging MP’s and the
Government to remember all of the cruel and barbaric practices that the Hunting Act was meant
to outlaw.
Penny Little, spokesperson for
POWA said “It was an historic achievement when the Hunting Act reached
the statute books. But it is vital that we remember
the terror and torment suffered by wild animals hounded for so-called ‘sport’ and remember
that the aim of this legislation was to deter or punish this cruelty which continues despite the ban.”
POWA has received hours of footage from hunt monitors and reports from country
dwellers of what they regard as lawless behaviour by the hunts ever since the Hunting Act became law four years ago.
Helen Weeks, a hunt monitor,
said “Anyone who comes out with us will see that the only thing standing
between the hunted animal and the hounds are the monitors and their camcorders. They will see hunt supporters using intimidation
and violence to stop us from filming and they will see how many hunts are left to their own devices leaving our wildlife in
great peril. We urge the MP’s to remember why they voted for the ban and to remember the wild animals they hoped it would protect.”
POWA is calling on MP’s
and the Government to turn their attention back to this serious issue with a renewed commitment to address the failings in
the Hunting Act and to enforce the law.
Penny Little added "The Government could start by condemning the leader of the opposition, David Cameron, who has promised to reward law-breaking hunts by removing the Hunting Act. This is encouraging anarchy in the countryside, endangering hunt monitors and pouring
scorn on the judgement of the majority of people who support the ban."
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the case for strengthening the Hunting Act
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