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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Timtrent (talk | contribs) at 15:05, 22 September 2015 (Submitting (AFCH 0.9)). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

  • Comment: Note to reviewers: - although this article appears on the list at Wikipedia:Long-term abuse/Orangemoody/Articles, the present draft existed before OM "adopted" it and asked its author for money, and should therefore be considered on its own merits. JohnCD (talk) 22:27, 6 September 2015 (UTC)
  • Comment: Even with the references you have found this draft will not fly. Even if you do not intend it to be PR for your cause it still reads like it. You need to take several paces back and consider what makes an article acceptable here.
    Start by reading User:Timtrent/A good article and the pages it links to. There's a lot of reading, but do that anyway. At the same time search Wikipedia to see if there is an article already where you can add material rather than start a new article. Conceivably this may be Fox_hunting#United_Kingdom. Use care when adding material. It must comply with all of our rules, and you must obey the community's consensus.
    If you are unsure of the current consensus, use the article's talk page to ask about it, suggesting the changes you would like to make, and asking for views. Fiddle Faddle 15:59, 11 August 2014 (UTC)
  • Comment: This appears to be a soapbox for your cause rather than an encyclopaedic article. As such it will never be accepted. It needs a fundamental revision and heavy editing to make the grade. We require references from significant coverage about the entity, and independent of it, and in WP:RS please. See WP:42. Having found those, rewrite your draft based on what they say. WIkipedia is not and may not ever be a vehicle for the promotion of good causes Fiddle Faddle 11:11, 10 August 2014 (UTC)

Hunt Monitoring is an activity undertaken by individual Hunt Monitors who want to see The UK Parliament's[1] Hunting Act [2] upheld and endeavour to bring to justice those who do not hunt within the law.[3]

The Hunting Act, banning the hunting of wild mammals with dogs namely foxes, deer, hare and mink, in England and Wales, became law in February 2005. This ban was achieved through the work of many campaigners over almost a century. In recent times, the work of hunt monitors became central to their campaign,[4] as hunt monitors use video cameras to record hunting activity. Recorded evidence of hunting with dogs, collected by hunt monitors, was shown in the media and to Members of Parliament, and contributed to evidence used to secure passage of The Hunting Bill through The UK House of Commons [3].

Before the ban came into force, around 50,000 hunters signed "The Hunting Declaration",[5] pledging that they would break any such law, should it come on to The Statute Book. Local newspapers were invited to hunting rallies, in order to publicize the signing of The Declaration.

While tackling illegal hare coursing fairly consistently, the police and Crown Prosecution Services have seemed reluctant to act against organized hunts. However, several years after The Act became law, some well-known, organized hunts have been taken to court and convicted of illegal hunting.

Two Meynell and South Staffordshire hunters were found guilty of illegal hunting,[6] with their hunt master and terrierman both convicted at Derby Magistrates' Court, in August 2012. In May 2012, three members of [The Crawley and Horsham Hunt] were found guilty of illegal hunting[7] and in 2011, the Huntsman and terrierman of The Fernie Hunt were found guilty[8] of digging a fox out of a sett.

In December 2012, The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA)[4] took out a private prosecution, using evidence collected by independent hunt monitors,[9] against Heythrop Hunt Limited. This was a landmark case, as it was the first time that a hunt was prosecuted as a corporate body. The Heythrop Hunt, its Huntsman and its Senior Master all pleaded guilty to four charges of illegally hunting a fox.[10]

A major reason why some hunts have been prosecuted and convicted successfully is because of the availability of compelling evidence, gathered by hunt monitors, whose footage of certain, organized hunts' illegal activities has provided important evidence, needed to bring illegal hunters to justice.

The work of hunt monitors has been recognized by Ann Widdecombe, a former Conservative Minister and MP, in her column in The Daily Express.[11]

Hunt monitors are routinely subjected to threats, assault,[12] damage to their cars,[13] cameras and radios, as well as verbal abuse, obstruction and intimidation.[14] On 13 February 2013, Chris Williamson MP secured a debate in The UK Parliament to highlight "... this antisocial and criminal behaviour ..."[15] against hunt monitors.

On 22 March 2007, Ms Widdecombe instigated an Adjournment Debate [5][16] in The UK Parliament, where she raised, in The House of Commons, an issue of enforcement of The Hunting Act 2004. Ms Widdecombe explained to The House the roles of Hunt Monitors[17] and the problems which they encounter. She paid tribute to Hunt Monitors, saying "… because some of them are extremely brave …"[18]

Later that year, on 31 October 2007, Ann Widdecombe MP, held a reception in Parliament,[19] where she showed film to those present, who included representatives of 11 police forces, The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and Members of Parliament, demonstrating that the hunting law was being broken, up and down the country. Ms Widdecombe pointed out that the only people monitoring these activities were groups of Hunt Monitors.

In 2014, The RSPCA commissioned an independent review [20] In the review, Stephen Wooler CB, refers several times to Hunt Monitors, e.g., "... The volume of footage available (taken by hunt monitors) leaves the objective viewer in no doubt on the balance of probabilities that it is ‘business as usual’ for many hunts because enforcement is so difficult."

Although monitors are employed by organizations and charities, such as The League Against Cruel Sports (LACS) [21] and The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) [22] they are mostly independent individuals, who are unpaid and self-funded, but do accept donations given to them through social media sites such as GoFundMe and Facebook.

References

  1. ^ UK Parliament's
  2. ^ Hunting Act
  3. ^ "Out with the hunt monitors". BBC.
  4. ^ Patrick Sawer (14 Mar 2009). "Bitter battle between hunts and anti-hunt lobby". Telegraph. Retrieved 2014-08-12.
  5. ^ "Hunt supporters defiant over ban". BBC News. 2003-11-02. Retrieved 2014-08-12.
  6. ^ "Two found guilty of illegally hunting foxes with dogs".
  7. ^ "Three Sussex hunters guilty of illegal fox hunting".
  8. ^ "Two Fernie Hunt employees are found guilty..." Leicester Mercury.
  9. ^ "Heythrop Hunt members admit illegal fox hunting". Bbc.co.uk. 2012-12-17. Retrieved 2014-08-12.
  10. ^ Caroline Davies (17 December 2012). "David Cameron's local hunt convicted after RSPCA prosecution". Guardian.
  11. ^ Widdecombe, Ann (2011-08-31). "Monitors help keep hunt legal". Daily Express. Retrieved 2014-08-12.
  12. ^ "Barged aside". Oxford Mail. 17 January 2007. Retrieved 2014-08-12.
  13. ^ "Hunt member slashed tyre on protester's car". Oxford Mail. 2012-09-15. Retrieved 2014-08-12.
  14. ^ Hughes, Tim (2007-02-22). "'Hunt man tried to run me down'". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 2014-08-12.
  15. ^ "Policing of Viol ence at Hunts". They Work For You.com. {{cite web}}: line feed character in |title= at position 17 (help)
  16. ^ "Adjournment Debate". UK Parliament.
  17. ^ "Parliamentary Business". UK Parliament.
  18. ^ "Part of the debate – in The House of Commons". TheyWorkForYou.com.
  19. ^ "The law applies to everyone". The Guardian. 6 November 2007.
  20. ^ RSPCA commissioned an independent review [1] of its prosecution activity.
  21. ^ The League Against Cruel Sports (LACS)
  22. ^ The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) [2],

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