Police admit fears over enforcing hunting ban (From Gazette & Herald)

Police admit fears over enforcing hunting ban

A SENIOR police officer has asked for advice from a hunting organisation, admitting that officers will find it difficult to distinguish between legal and illegal hunting when the ban comes into force next month.

In a letter to the Masters of Foxhounds Association (MFHA), Assistant Chief Constable Nigel Yeo, who is responsible for advising police forces on implementing the Hunting Act when it comes into force on February 18, asked if there was "any guidance I can give to police officers on how to identify the difference between (drag hunts and trail hunts which will remain legal) and fox hunting."

In reply, Alistair Jackson of the MFHA, explained the difficulties even for experienced observers of hunting, saying that he "would consider it almost impossible for anyone to know if a pack of hounds was hunting a fox or a drag. I do not envy your job."

Catherine Webster, secretary of the Glaisdale Hunt, said: "I quite agree. At first sight, it will be very difficult to distinguish between what is legal and what isn't. I know most of the hunts will hunt legally, within the law, because that's what we've got to do until legal challenges have been made, and then hopefully we'll win and the ban will be lifted. I think there's a lot more important crimes in the country that (the police) need to sort out."

Mrs Webster said it was crucial to the hounds' health that they had regular exercise. She said: "The hunts have got hounds to look after; they need exercise and can't be locked up for days on end. If they don't get exercise their temperament is that they will start to fight within the pack. They need exercise to keep them sane."

Darren Hughes, spokesman for the Countryside Alliance, said: "We have consistently warned the Government that the Hunting Act is bad legislation and that it would be practically un-enforceable. If senior police officers can't differentiate between legal and illegal hunting, how on earth is a village bobby going to be able to tell when hunts meet as normal on February 19?

"It is preposterous that the Government (is) forcing already overstretched police forces to waste extremely valuable resources implementing this ridiculous law."

Updated: 12:36 Wednesday, January 12, 2005