A family were left distraught after witnessing what they believe to be an illegal fox hunt near Okehampton recently.
Laura Reid was with her young children, aged five and 12, and mother when members of what they believe to be the Mid Devon Hunt ride across moorland near Belstone with hounds “going crazy” on the trail of something.
The incident happened on Saturday, November 16.
According to the witnesses, the foxhounds were seen running through impenetrable gorse, somewhere a trail couldn’t have been laid by a person, before surrounding a copse, all the time in full cry, the sound hounds make when chasing a fox.
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Laura said: “What we saw and heard was really disturbing. It was a live hunt going after a fox with its dogs going crazy. My mum was crying and my children were left upset all week.
“Dartmoor National Park was our happy place, where we could walk and enjoy nature, but we will never go again after seeing this really disturbing incident.”
Laura saw 30 hounds, around 18 people on horseback and several spectators watching through binoculars.
The League Against Cruel Sports is calling for stronger fox hunting laws and the Dartmoor National Park Authority to take steps to prevent incidents like this from happening again.
John Petrie, senior campaigns manager at the League Against Cruel Sports, said: “This shocking incident in which a family was left in tears is yet another example of a fox hunt behaving as they did before the ban and brazenly chasing foxes.
“The Government needs to strengthen fox hunting laws by banning the discredited excuse of so-called trail hunting used by hunts, removing the loopholes in the Hunting Act, and introducing custodial sentences for those caught breaking the law.
“Dartmoor National Park Authority should join other national parks across England and Wales in denying fox hunts access to their land.”
According to the League Against Cruel Sports, 526 incidents of suspected illegal fox hunting took place during the 2022-2023 season.
John added: “We need to give the police and courts the powers to stop fox hunting once and for all and to consign this brutal activity to the history books.”
A spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall Police said: “Police were called to reports of a fox being chased in the Meldon area, near Okehampton at around 2.40pm on Saturday, November 16. It was reported that it was being chased by people on horses with a number of dogs.
“Officers attended and engaged with members of the public in the area. At this time all enquiries have been exhausted but should further information be reported, it will be investigated.”
The Mid Devon Hunt have been approached for a comment but had not responded by the time of publication.
The public can phone the League Against Cruel Sports on 0300 444 1234, email [email protected] or WhatsApp at 0755 278 8247 to report similar incidents.