Axe Vale Dig-Out: Police Protect the Fox Hunters

Back in March, Devon County Hunt Sabs and Mendip Hunt Sabs intervened in a dig-out at an Axe Vale Harriers meet. As seen in the footage previously shared by the HSA, sabs had come across a gang of hunt terriermen who were digging into a badger sett.
Fox and terrier were eventually prised apart, and the fox was pulled out of the sett and flung into the air. The fox ran off, bearing visible injuries. The terrier was also badly injured and was hastily stuffed into a box on the quadbike before the masked-up terriermen drove off with no number plates visible on their quadbikes.
Sabs had called the police because of the ongoing wildlife crime and because the terriermen made several threats of violence. Two response officers arrived after the terriermen had scarpered. Sabs had gathered solid video evidence of multiple offences under the Hunting Act, Protection of Badgers Act, Animal Welfare Act and Public Order Act, including evidence that enabled the identification of the terriermen.
However, the case was recently dropped by Devon & Cornwall Police, citing ‘insufficient evidence’. We are therefore sharing footage of the conversation sabs had with police officers on the day to show you what witnesses and victims of crime have to deal with in Devon.
Read more: www.huntsabs.o...