Hare Preservation Trust

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Bulletin 92. 16th July 2010

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Enforcement of Hares Preservation Act

Following an alert of a pub in East Yorkshire selling pies containing hare during the 1 March - 31 July prohibited period we had an excellent response from David Jenkins, Force Deputy Director (Wildlife Crime) of Humberside Police. The incident eventually proved to be a genuine oversight on the part of the pub concerned. Speaking of his other work on wildlife protection David said: "Humberside Police now run a very proactive response to all poaching, particularly day time hare coursing and we are already in preparation for the next "season" which is not too far away! Our new Poaching Policy will be in place along with improved training for staff. Force Wildlife Crime co-ordinators will be meeting later this month and we intend to co-ordinate a Regional response to targeting offenders who cross County borders. This region will include every Force north of Lincs, Derbyshire up to Scotland. We also operate very closely with Farmwatch members and run a fast text messaging system to alert all members to offenders vehicles. This has proved to be extremely effective. We also take positive action against offenders."

Leveret upsets domestic chores!

Linda Fisher e-mailed us recently to say she has a leveret in her garden which has made its form against one of the trees and seems to be around for most of the day. Linda said: "I don't know much about hares but am amazed that this leveret sleeps in the same place every day. It means that mowing the lawn and hanging washing out is severely restricted - but worth it."

Police success against hare coursing

PC Paul Marina, who works in the North Herts rural area has reduced coursing incidents by 70 per cent since 2003. PC Marina, who has worked for the police for 27 years and is considered one of the country's top hare coursing authorities, has a 100 per cent conviction rate once the illegal coursers are prosecuted in court. He said: "We operate a zero tolerance policy. "When I started, there were around 120 incidents related to hare coursing every year. Last year there were 24. Last year, out of 26 call-outs, we arrested 13 people, of which, 12 were convicted or cautioned in connection with hare coursing." It is heartening to hear of this success against a barbaric pastime which Harold Wilson attempted to ban in 1969 and 1975 with support from no less a Conservative than Margaret Thatcher on both occasions.

More snaring incidents

A missing dog was found alive recently after surviving three weeks trapped by her neck in a crude wire snare in Abbottsford, East London. The "miracle" golden retriever, Rosebud, is thought to have survived by drinking dew from the leaves of plants around her. Also, a badger found wounded in a snare in the Scottish borders has been treated for its injuries at the Royal Dick Veterinary Hospital in Edinburgh and released back into the wild by the Scottish SPCA. These shocking incidents show, yet again, the indiscriminate nature and cruelty of snares and they must be banned.

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
Edmund Burke (1729-1797)