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9:26am Thursday 29th November 2007
A WOMAN and her grandson have been left traumatised after a fox was torn to shreds by hunting hounds in their Worcestershire garden.
Elizabeth Cash was with her five-year-old grandson at her home in Upton Snodsbury when the hounds entered her garden.
"We were suddenly surrounded by a pack of very noisy and excited fox hounds tearing around our garden, trampling over flower beds, pushing through fencing and terrorising my grandson who was lost among the pack of hounds," she said.
The incident happened last Saturday when the pack was flushing out a fox, which the hunt later planned to kill using a bird of prey - a practice still legal in Britian.
But instead the hounds got hold of the fox and killed it, although the hunt has since said it was an accident.
"The hounds dragged it (the fox) out in our full view to be torn apart before our eyes," Mrs Cash said. "I felt physically sick and could do nothing apart from try to shield my small grandson from the horror he was witnessing. This to me is totally unacceptable."
Mrs Cash, who does not agree with hunting but says she respects other people's views, did not report the incident to the police but has written to the parish council.
She was later visited by the Master of the Hunt who apologised.
Joint master of the hunt for Croome and West Warwickshire Foxhounds, Robin Palmer, said: "Unfortunately the hounds found a fox and the huntsman tried to call them back but it resulted in this unfortunate incident. It was an accident."
Chairman of Upton Snodsbury Parish Council Terry Eagle said members would be discussing the incident at their next meeting in January.
Mike Foster, MP for Worcester, who initiated the fox hunting ban in a Private Members Bill in 1997, urged Mrs Cash to contact the police.
"What has happened is exactly what the whole process to stop it was about," he said. "It is to protect people from having to witness what she did. So if they have broken the law they can be procesecuted for it."
Penny Little, a spokesman for Protect our Wild Animals, called for the law to be tightened.
"Every time this happens it is said to be an accident," she said. "This is not acceptable and there needs to be a tightening of the law."
A police spokesman said officers would now investigate the matter by speaking to Mrs Cash.
he said: "Fox-hunting is illegal and we respond positively to reports that it is taking place, from whatever the source."
He added that anyone with information should contact 08457 444 888.
Alan2, Worcester says...
2:40pm Thu 29 Nov 07
fronkthegonk, says...
3:33pm Thu 29 Nov 07
fronkthegonk, says...
3:33pm Thu 29 Nov 07
Alan2, Worcester says...
8:28pm Thu 29 Nov 07
Alan2, Worcester says...
8:28pm Thu 29 Nov 07
Judi Hewitt, Rhyl says...
9:16am Fri 30 Nov 07
Judi Hewitt, Rhyl says...
9:16am Fri 30 Nov 07
Herne, England says...
2:10pm Fri 30 Nov 07
Herne, England says...
2:10pm Fri 30 Nov 07
Baldrick, says...
2:39pm Fri 30 Nov 07
Alan2 wrote:
This was an utter outrage as is Mrs. Cash's approach if she does not support this medieval, barbaric game. Mr. Foster should contact the Chief Constable (not the local hoi poloi) and demand that the offenders be prosecuted. There must have been more than one witness to this incident and it is the job of the Police to "investigate" thoroughly. This was a blatant offence albeit the reasons used in justification for the death of the animal are as to be expected from these barbarians and savages. Many of us will be watching the outcome of this Police investigation with a great deal of interest to ensure that there is no whitewash or sweeping under the carpet. We will see how good the investigative ability of the officer responsible is. WE ARE WATCHING AND WAITING.
and demand that the offenders be prosecuted. There must have been more than one witness to this incident and it is the job of the Police
to "investigate" thoroughly.
Baldrick, says...
2:39pm Fri 30 Nov 07
Alan2 wrote:
This was an utter outrage as is Mrs. Cash's approach if she does not support this medieval, barbaric game. Mr. Foster should contact the Chief Constable (not the local hoi poloi) and demand that the offenders be prosecuted. There must have been more than one witness to this incident and it is the job of the Police to "investigate" thoroughly. This was a blatant offence albeit the reasons used in justification for the death of the animal are as to be expected from these barbarians and savages. Many of us will be watching the outcome of this Police investigation with a great deal of interest to ensure that there is no whitewash or sweeping under the carpet. We will see how good the investigative ability of the officer responsible is. WE ARE WATCHING AND WAITING.
and demand that the offenders be prosecuted. There must have been more than one witness to this incident and it is the job of the Police
to "investigate" thoroughly.
Alan2, Worcester says...
4:57pm Fri 30 Nov 07
Alan2, Worcester says...
4:57pm Fri 30 Nov 07
Helen Gibbon, UK says...
5:04pm Fri 30 Nov 07
Helen Gibbon, UK says...
5:04pm Fri 30 Nov 07
Alan, says...
7:03pm Fri 30 Nov 07
Alan, says...
7:03pm Fri 30 Nov 07
johnnierebel, says...
7:10pm Fri 30 Nov 07
Joint master of the hunt for Croome and West Warwickshire Foxhounds, Robin Palmer, said: "Unfortunately the hounds found a fox and the huntsman tried to call them back but it resulted in this unfortunate incident. It was an accident."Just like it was an accident there happened to be a lot of chumps on horseback and various baying hounds.....
johnnierebel, says...
7:10pm Fri 30 Nov 07
Joint master of the hunt for Croome and West Warwickshire Foxhounds, Robin Palmer, said: "Unfortunately the hounds found a fox and the huntsman tried to call them back but it resulted in this unfortunate incident. It was an accident."Just like it was an accident there happened to be a lot of chumps on horseback and various baying hounds.....
Logik, worcester says...
11:43am Sat 1 Dec 07
Logik, worcester says...
11:43am Sat 1 Dec 07
Steve, Worcester says...
10:29am Mon 3 Dec 07
Alan2 wrote:I agree with everything you are saying alan! Anyone found to still be hunting should be punished to the full extent of the law.
This was an utter outrage as is Mrs. Cash's approach if she does not support this medieval, barbaric game.
Mr. Foster should contact the Chief Constable (not the local hoi poloi) and demand that the offenders be prosecuted. There must have been more than one witness to this incident and it is the job of the Police
to "investigate" thoroughly.
This was a blatant offence albeit the reasons used in justification for the death of the animal are as to be expected from these barbarians and savages.
Many of us will be watching the outcome of this Police investigation with a great deal of interest to ensure that there is no whitewash or sweeping under the carpet.
We will see how good the investigative ability of the officer responsible is. WE ARE WATCHING AND WAITING.
Steve, Worcester says...
10:29am Mon 3 Dec 07
Alan2 wrote:I agree with everything you are saying alan! Anyone found to still be hunting should be punished to the full extent of the law.
This was an utter outrage as is Mrs. Cash's approach if she does not support this medieval, barbaric game.
Mr. Foster should contact the Chief Constable (not the local hoi poloi) and demand that the offenders be prosecuted. There must have been more than one witness to this incident and it is the job of the Police
to "investigate" thoroughly.
This was a blatant offence albeit the reasons used in justification for the death of the animal are as to be expected from these barbarians and savages.
Many of us will be watching the outcome of this Police investigation with a great deal of interest to ensure that there is no whitewash or sweeping under the carpet.
We will see how good the investigative ability of the officer responsible is. WE ARE WATCHING AND WAITING.
Kate, Worcester says...
1:47pm Tue 4 Dec 07
Kate, Worcester says...
1:47pm Tue 4 Dec 07
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Alan2, Worcester says...
2:40pm Thu 29 Nov 07
Mr. Foster should contact the Chief Constable (not the local hoi poloi) and demand that the offenders be prosecuted. There must have been more than one witness to this incident and it is the job of the Police
to "investigate" thoroughly.
This was a blatant offence albeit the reasons used in justification for the death of the animal are as to be expected from these barbarians and savages.
Many of us will be watching the outcome of this Police investigation with a great deal of interest to ensure that there is no whitewash or sweeping under the carpet.
We will see how good the investigative ability of the officer responsible is. WE ARE WATCHING AND WAITING.