Illegal hare coursing, a bloodsport involving hunting hares with greyhounds, is escalating in violence and organization, according to farmers and reports from law enforcement. Incidents include groups damaging property, confronting landowners, and leaving behind carcasses of hunted animals. Farmers describe the practice as increasingly terrifying and disruptive to rural life.
One Cambridgeshire farmer, Mathew Latta, recounted an incident where a convoy of more than a dozen 4x4 vehicles drove onto his property, tearing up crops and damaging his gates. Over 70 individuals, some dressed in military fatigues and balaclavas, emerged from the vehicles to conduct a hunt with dogs, while Latta and his family were trapped inside their home. The event, which lasted over three hours, concluded with the group dispersing and leaving behind damaged vehicles, including one burnt-out wreck. Latta reported that police did not arrive during the incident.
Mathew Latta stated the event was "100% a properly organised coursing event, with competitors and competitive dogs. People watching the course - and watching and betting on that sport. It was quite terrifying."
This incident is part of a broader pattern. British police have received nearly 9,000 reports of illegal hare coursing in recent years. Farmers report these groups often operate in organized gangs, sometimes resorting to violence and intimidation. The hunts can cause significant damage to farmland, with vehicles driving over crops and through fences. In some instances, offenders have been known to rob petrol stations and force other cars off the road.
Reports suggest that dead animals are often dumped in public places. CCTV footage has captured individuals discarding dead hares and rabbits outside village shops. The illegal activity is associated with gambling, with participants and spectators reportedly placing bets on the outcome of the hunts.
Hare coursing was banned in England and Wales in 2004 under the Hunting Act. Despite the ban, organized groups continue to operate, often traveling across the country to find suitable hunting grounds. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) has reported an increase in calls related to illegal coursing, with thousands of incidents investigated annually. The organization notes that such events often involve cruelty to animals, both the hares being hunted and the dogs participating in the chases.
The clandestine nature of these operations, often occurring on remote farmland and at night, makes them difficult for law enforcement to track and prosecute. Farmers frequently bear the brunt of the disruption and damage, struggling to protect their property and livestock from intrusions associated with these illegal hunts. In some cases, damaged farm gates are cut open with angle grinders, and vehicles are driven at high speeds across fields, causing extensive damage to crops and soil structure.
These illegal activities not only cause property damage and distress to landowners but also raise concerns about animal welfare and public safety in rural communities. The increasing boldness and organization of those involved suggest a persistent challenge for authorities seeking to enforce the ban on hare coursing.