18 July 2014

Please note: this news article is in our archive. Articles were correct at time of publication, but should not be relied on for accuracy after the passage of time.

HARE Coursing is an illegal blood sport but there are still people willing to risk a £5,000 fine to watch hares being set upon by dogs.

And as fields are harvested and cleared in the coming weeks, incidents of hare coursing are likely to increase.

The warning comes from Farm Watch who are working to eliminate the cruel sport.

Participants with dogs will typically gather at dawn or dusk and then spread out across newly cleared fields when the dogs will be released to chase the hares.

The most obvious sign is a group of vehicles parked in a rural area perhaps by a gateway to farmland, on a grass verge, on a farm track or bridle path.

These will usually be estate cars, four wheel drives or vans and may contain evidence of dogs inside – such as muddy paw prints and dog hair.

Hare coursers often travel in convoy with transit vans at the front and rear containing minders and the cars in between containing the employers.

Coursers are criminals and give no consideration to landowners’ property and crops. They often have a sophisticated information network and knowledge of rural areas and they invariably know about vulnerable properties in the area, short cuts, and escape routes.

Violent confrontations can occur when participants are approached by landowners or their employees and this means that rural communities can feel very intimidated by hare coursers in their area.

So if you suspect an event is taking place we would advise you not to approach the participants but contact the Police immediately.