Animal cruelty arrests in South Herefordshire Hunt investigation

The hunt kennels in Wormelow have been closed and all horses and hounds moved elsewhere!

Two people have been arrested on suspicion of animal cruelty in connection with an investigation into the South Herefordshire Hunt.

West Mercia Police is questioning a 37-year-old man and woman, aged 27, but has so far released no further details.

The hunt’s kennels in Wormelow, near Hereford, have been closed and all horses and hounds moved elsewhere.

A message on the hunt’s Facebook page says salaried staff have been suspended and an internal inquiry will begin.

Latest updates on hunt arrests

The gates at the kennels are shut and nobody was on site earlier. West Mercia Police says the investigation is continuing.

News Link:– http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-36497801

Tiger Kills Tribal Woman In Kanha Buffer Zone

TNN | Oct 28, 2014, 04.32 PM IST

BHOPAL: Three days after a tiger mauled a teacher to death in Katni district, another tiger killed a 22-year-old at Manjhipur village of Mandla district in buffer zone of Kanha National Park.

The woman went missing on Saturday and the body was found in a jungle the next day.

Rambai Dhurve, 22, a resident of Manjhipur village, went into jungle to collect wood along with other villagers, but she did not return, sources said. Next day, when villagers went to look for her into the forest, the body was found there.

“It is an unfortunate incident and a natural accident. Incidents like these have rarely been reported here. The girl went to collect wood and the carnivore was in the trench. The animal attacked her. It is nothing like animal specifically attacked a human being,” Kanha National Park director J S Chauhan told TOI.

“The entire area was searched using elephants on Monday to spot animal, but the big cat could not be trapped. Pugmarks were seen near river and it was quite possible that animal had escaped into the jungle. However, the area will be searched again on Tuesday,” he said.

News Link:-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Tiger-kills-tribal-woman-in-Kanha-buffer-zone/articleshow/44959639.cms?

Shocking photos show the moment a fox is dragged out of its hole by hunters and shot in front of children as young as FIVE

“THIS DESPICABLE HEINOUS CRIME MUST STOP….PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION BELOW. How can anyone say that chasing an animal with the intention to kill it is a normal act! These POS get a buzz out of chasing a small animal, purely to kill it…it’s the thrill of the chase; & they love it!!”

By LIZZIE EDMONDS – 27 January 2014

• Images, released by anti-hunt campaigners, show men setting dog on fox
• They then use spades to dig creature out of a hole before shooting it dead
• Critics have today condemned ‘cruel’ and ‘horrific’ incident 
• But Countryside Alliance say the men acted legally under Hunting Act

This is the moment a fox was dragged out of a hole and shot dead while children as young as five watched on.

The images, released by anti-hunt campaigners, show a group of terriermen setting their dog on the  creature.

The fox tries attempts to hide in a badger’s sett – but the three adults fire into the ground and use spades to dig it out.

These images show the moment a group of men unearthed and shot a fox as three young children watched on

A farmer who captured the killing on camera says the group then called over three children to show them the remains.

The men can then be seen walking away with two dead animals. It is unclear where and how the second fox was killed.

The shocking incident happened shortly after a hunt on December 28 by the Modbury Harriers, which rides in south Devon.

The League Against Cruel Sports has handed the photos over to the RSPCA and asked them to investigate it as a possible breach of the Hunting Act..

The law bans hunting foxes with a pack of hounds – however it doesn’t cover the use of dogs to flush out animals underground.

The farmer, who has asked not to be identified, said the fox was initially chased across the field by hounds.

The Countryside Alliance said there was ‘no question’ the behaviour was legal – describing the killing as ‘professional and humane’.

“Just read the above comment on the picture…how can any sane animal lover, who owns just a dog or cat; say this is normal!! I see no difference in this than I do inhumane POS chasing & killing elephants or rhino…they are all sentient beings FFS!!”

The huntsmen moved on but before it could climb out of the badger’s set three men with guns and spades arrived – with three children following close behind.

The farmer said: ‘I sat there in disbelief – how could those guys think any of what had played out was fit for young children to witness?

‘I watched in horror as a whole pack of hounds poured into our neighbour’s field then piled into our meadow.

‘They made that hideous blood-curdling squealing – known as ‘speaking’ – which means they are on the scent of a fox.

‘I saw a beautiful vixen flash across the meadow and disappear into an old badger sett on my neighbour’s farm.

‘At the top of the hill I saw a couple of guys carrying spades and a terrier on a lead. They were going to dig her out and kill her right then and there.

‘The men came down and filled in the exit holes to stop the fox escaping and then called the children over to watch as they dug out and killed the young vixen.’

Sick Neanderthals!!

The farmer said the three men came across a second badger inside the hole which they also shot dead as the children craned their necks to see what was happening.

He added: ‘This is the dirty underbelly of fox hunting, the bit they don’t like even their followers to see.

‘But I was disgusted to see the terriermen had brought three youngsters to watch – one was only about five years old.

The farmer, who keeps a flock of 140 breeding ewes and a few chickens, is strongly anti-hunting and has complained about huntsmen trespassing on his land.

oe Duckworth, chief executive of the League Against Cruel Sports (LACS), said: ‘This horrific incident of animal cruelty shows not only a total disregard for the dogs and foxes but also for the welfare of the children.’

The Countryside Alliance, however, said there was ‘no question’ the behaviour was legal – describing the killing as ‘professional and humane’.

Spokesman Tim Bonner said the outrage merely demonstrated that outsiders do not ‘understand the realities of the countryside and country life’.

Mr Bonner said he had spoken to the hunt, who told him the killing had been carried out as ‘pest control” with the permission of the landowner.

He said: ‘The children were not in the hole – they were close by – and as far as we are concerned it was a totally professional operation and nothing which should upset anyone.

‘They were using the terrier work exemption and properly, professionally and humanely managing the killing of those two foxes.

‘There would be plenty of children of that sort of age involved in pheasant shoots and ferreting.

‘The vast majority of children eat meat and at the end of the day it is a dead animal.’

The Hunting act:-

The Hunting Act came in to force in February 2005 and was passed under the 1997 Labour government. It bans hunting any wild mammal  – including foxes, deer and hares -with dogs in England and Wales.

Under the Act it is completely legal to ‘flush out’ – i.e. coax an animal from a hole or a sett – with dogs.

It is also legal to drag hunt with hounds. This is when the dogs are trained to follow an artificial scent and is now common practice across the country.

Hunting mammals with dogs was banned in Scotland two years earlier under the Protection of Wild Mammals Act 2002.

It is still legal to hunt in Northern Ireland.

Breaking the law is a summary offence. Those found guilty of doing so would be fined.

There were 181 convictions under the Hunting Act up to the end of 2010.

Petition Link:-http://www.yousign.org/en/justice-for-uk-fox

News Link:-http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2546867/Shocking-photos-moment-fox-dragged-hole-hunters-shot-children-young-FIVE.html

Baby Girl Is Mauled To Death By Pitbull: Neighbours Say They Warned Police Of The Danger As Couple Are Arrested

“How many times do we have to go over this; it’s the bloody owners that give this breed a bad rap! Irresponsible owner’s are one of the major causes for all the problems the breed faces today.  Pitbulls have long been selectively bred, over the years to be fighting machines, they are sturdy & strong with a powerful bite force; genetics & training play an important role in how the dog will respond to other dogs or humans. Pitbulls are not inherently aggressive to people; unless taught to be! 

 Some owners (Perhaps the boyfriend) just want a pitbull to use as a power status or for intimidating others; which is just an accident waiting to happen; and it did!  This tragedy could have been avoided had the owner been a responsible one & kept the dog under control; instead of it being allowed to roam freely around the house, whilst they watched TV? The mother must have been aware of the dogs temperamentt; why didn’t she insist the dog be put in a crate or a locked room; whenever the baby was around? No dog should be left unattended with children; especially babies!  The owner would have known, without doubt, what his dog was capable of doing; for that reason, I think they should both be held responsible for this terrible tragedy! R.I.P little one x 

By JAYA NARAIN and ROSIE TAYLOR and JAMES TOZER –PUBLISHED: 07:10, 11 February 2014 | UPDATED: 09:09, 12 February 2014

• 11-month-old Ava-Jayne Corless attacked by pet late last night
• Neighbours report seeing ‘vicious and terrifying’ pit bull type dog
• Victim’s mother and stepfather arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and bailed this morning
  
• Baby’s father pays tribute to ‘the most beautiful and adorable little girl’
• Lancashire Police say dog involved in the attack was a banned breed

A baby girl was mauled to death by a dog that neighbours had allegedly warned was dangerous.

Ava-Jayne Corless, who was just 11 months old, suffered horrific injuries when the American pitbull terrier attacked her while she slept.

Her mother, Chloe King, 20, and  boyfriend Lee Wright, 26, heard the commotion and rushed upstairs to rescue her from the jaws of the beast.

Paramedics were called and took Ava-Jayne to hospital where doctors were unable to save her life.

Victim: Ava-Jayne Corless, aged 11 months, has been mauled to death by a pet dog

Miss King and Mr Wright were questioned on suspicion of manslaughter and child neglect, and were today released on bail.

Lancashire Police said: ‘The two people arrested in connection with the death of Ava-Jayne Corless at Blackburn have both been released on bail pending further inquiries.’

Parents: Ava-Jayne pictured with her father Dean and mother Chloe, who are no longer together

A police spokesman said last night that the animal was banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act of 1991.

Senior officers have launched an investigation into reports that neighbours had called Lancashire Constabulary to complain about dangerous animals at the property in Blackburn.

Faisal Shahzad, 35, fled after two dogs broke through his garden fence. ‘I had to run quickly into the house and barricade the door because they were tearing after me,’ said the taxi driver.

‘I’ve got three children and they were all in the house absolutely terrified. The two dogs were scary. I called the police and they said something would be done and my neighbour also called the RSPCA.’ 

Another neighbour, 80-year-old Brian Harrison, said: ‘That dog was a nightmare for neighbours and people were worried about approaching it.

‘It’s an absolute tragedy that should never have happened. ‘Only last year it mauled to death a neighbour’s cat and nothing was done about it.’

Kyle Perry, 19, was chased down the street by the dog. ‘It was a big dog and it used to just bark and bark,’ he said. ‘I have been chased by it down the street. It was terrifying.’

Blackburn MP Jack Straw said: ‘What will it take to convince people not to keep dogs like this – and to get across to all dog-owners, of every breed of dog, that no dog should ever be left unsupervised with a baby?’

The incident happened at around 11pm on Monday while Miss King was visiting Mr Wright at his home 40 yards from hers.

The pair are understood to have put the baby to sleep in a bedroom and were watching television downstairs when they heard the attack begin. By the time they reached Ava-Jayne she had suffered catastrophic injuries. The dog was destroyed.

Chief Superintendent Chris Bithell said previous contact with neighbours would form part of the police investigation.

Last night,  police said the dog had been identified by experts as a pitbull. 
Owners cannot be prosecuted for dog attacks on private property until new legislation comes into force this spring.

Arrest: The victim’s stepfather Lee Wright is being questioned by police on suspicion of manslaughter

Tougher sentences will be introduced under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill.

Rachel Cunningham, of the Blue Cross animal charity, said: ‘We can only hope the Government’s planned changes to the bill will allow authorities to step in at the first sign of a dangerous dog and help prevent terrible events like this.’

Jennie Rudd, of animal welfare campaign group Naturewatch Foundation, said dog attacks were caused by irresponsible owners.

Danger: The dog was described as a ‘menace’ before the attack and previously killed a neighbour’s cat

She added: ‘If it has aggressive tendencies it is the owner’s responsibility to make sure it never gets near a child, and that it isn’t forced into situations where it feels it has to attack – because there is always a reason for a dog to bite.’

Last night Ava-Jayne’s father, Dean Corless, 24, said he was devastated by the tragedy: ‘I rushed to the hospital to see her straight away.

‘She was the most beautiful and adorable little girl, she was just the best. She was my  whole world. Her mum and I aren’t together any more, but I saw Ava-Jayne all the time. I will miss her every single day, I just don’t know what to do now.

‘It is just so tragic. I have my family around me now, but we are all devastated.’ The RSPCA confirmed the charity had been contacted after a dog at the address killed a neighbour’s cat. The death was treated as an accident with no action taken.

News Link:-http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2556514/Baby-girl-dies-attacked-mauled-dog.html