A FERMANAGH fox hunt was interrupted last week by animal rights activists who sabotaged the weekly outing.
On Saturday, January 27 the group Hunt Saboteurs NI, who campaign against hunting which remains legal in the North unlike the rest of the UK, travelled to the county where they followed the weekly hunt by Fermanagh Harriers, which last week began in Scotstown. The group said they believed their visit resulted in local wildlife being saved, and said they even rescued one of the hunt hounds that was stuck in a gate.
One of those who took part in the sabotage told the Herald this was their first time disrupting a hunt in Fermanagh, but it wouldn’t be their last.
“They covered so much ground, across rivers and fields, but we’ve learned a lot from that Saturday for the next time we go down,” he said.
Overall, the hunt Saboteur said they generally received great support from the public, but he added many people didn’t actually realise hunting remains legal here, and that it takes place on a weekly basis from October to March.
“Whenever it was banned in England back in 2004, it was banned in Scotland in 2002, the powers at that stage were moved across to Stormont and it was shelved,” he said.
“The difference between here and England is you can hunt stags here, you can hunt foxes here, there are absolutely no laws whatsoever.”
With regard to the common argument the hunt helps farmers protect their stock from fox attacks, the saboteur said: “Do they think these guys who hunt on horses in one particular area once a week, that’s going to actually solve the issue?
“It’s not. They just need to protect their livestock better.”
He added: “It’s just an excuse, there’s absolutely no justification for it. It doesn’t solve anything.”
The Herald attempted to contact the Fermanagh Harriers hunt leader regarding this issue, however no one was available for comment.
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