‘Dr Brian May, founder of the Save Me Trust, recently attended a “clean boot hunt” in Wales and saw first hand the use of bloodhounds, trained not on fox urine but on human scent. The bloodhound pack have been retrained – they do not kill foxes “accidentally”, because they have not been trained on fox scent and are not brutalised by the kennel master to attack foxes. In ‘clean-boot’ the hounds follow the scent of a running man, and are rewarded with praise and treats when they catch the runner.’ (Save Me Trust)
I was hired to come along and document the day, here are my favourite images from the hunt:
Dr Brian May, founder of Save Me said: “ It’s clear now that the ban on Fox-Hunting is here to stay, and rightly so, of course. The British public, as represented by their currently elected MPs, will not tolerate a backward step into the old barbaric ways. So now, as a benefit of the Hunting Ban, we are seeing the best of traditional country activities reborn as a healthy and honest pursuit – a ‘sport’ in the true sense of the word. Compassionate Riders are the future – men and women who enjoy developing their riding skills without the stain of blood on their hands.”
Anne Brummer , CEO Save Me Trust said : “It’s great to see this cross country sport moving away from the barbaric fox hunting. Much like clay pigeon shooting, people are turning to the humane alternatives. It’s inconceivable that we would of attended a hunt a few years ago. We have found that ex-fox hunters do not want the cruelty. One female long term supporter of fox hunting told us she was sicken when she watched a fox thrown to the hounds. We have evolved beyond savaging foxes with dogs. As a very primitive form of pest control, it has always been ineffective. This year, we saw the Conservative party have a record number of MP’s who now spoke out against fox hunting who had previously supported the repeal. The overwhelming calls from the public during the recent attempt by Simon Hart MP to repeal the ban were deafening. Fox hunting, along with badger baiting, cock fighting and bear baiting, should remain in the past. Long live drag hunting .”
BEN PIPE PHOTOGRAPHY 