Mafia-like behaviour of unruly hunting must come to an end

SIR, — I would like to thank the League Against Cruel Sports and Councillor Patrick Brown for drawing attention in last week’s Recorder to a major problem in our area, namely men hunting with dogs.

Many farmers are opposed to this cruel activity, but feel powerless to resist these trespassers and their dogs roaming through their fields. 

One of the main problems is that some farmers actually invite these people on to their land to chase and tear apart foxes, hares, rabbits and possibly badgers.

In doing so, they also do a disservice to their farming neighbours because it gives these men an excuse to hunt through neighbouring fields and harm their livestock, especially sheep. I have known sheep driven through fences by their dogs, young lambs killed, and pregnant ewes chased, resulting in complicated pregnancies and stillborn lambs.

These men act like a mafia, above the law, and wander the countryside with their dogs freely day and night killing wildlife, harming livestock and damaging property. It is useless to protest. 

They have threatened people on their own farms and I have heard of some actually visiting farmers at night and threatening to beat them up if they object.

Many farmers feel too intimidated and vulnerable to do anything about this problem for fear of reprisals. If this issue is not addressed by the authorities, I fear where the matter will end. Though I would like to address this issue openly, I feel I cannot because of the consequences to my safety and my property.

Yours etc,

CONCERNED COUNTRY

DWELLER,

(Name and address supplied).