Hare coursing reports nears 50 in one week

Lincolnshire Police rural and wildlife officer PC Nick Willey next to a vehicle crushed after it was seized by police because of its involvement in hare coursing. Photo by Tim Wilson.

Figures from Lincolnshire Police for Operation Galileo, the anti-hare coursing initiative first set up in 2012, showed there were 46 reports of the activity across the county.

Police also confirmed that 11 people had been reported for offences, two vehicles were seized and another 11 people were told to leave Lincolnshire.

The figures came at the end of a week-long campaign by police to raise awareness and public knowledge of wildlife crime.

A Lincolnshire Police spokesman said: “Certain forms of the hunting of wild mammals with dogs are illegal as a result of the Hunting Act 2004.

“It is now against the law to hunt for a wild mammal with a dog unless the hunting is exempt, while the hunting of rats and rabbits is also now illegal unless carried out by the landowner or with his written permission.

“But there are various activities that may appear to be hunting which are in fact not breaching the Hunting Act 2004, including trail hunting, hound exercising and flushing to guns.

“Where a domestic dog causes damage by killing or injuring livestock, the keeper of the dog is liable for such damage under the Animals Act 1971.”

“It is therefore important to keep your dog under control on a lead and away from livestock and to respect public access in the countryside.”

If you suspect that illegal hunting with dogs is happening, please call 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

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