Blood on their hands as Heythrop Hunt kills fox in garden

A pack of hounds from the Heythrop Hunt rampaged through a private garden and killed a fox on Wednesday 11 March 2026. Blood stains remained on a resident’s lawn in Condicote after approximately 30 hounds chased the terrified animal through the village.

Footage taken by Three Counties Hunt Saboteurs shows the pack running wild on driveways and through gardens in the scenic village. Hounds appear with blood on their coats whilst drinking from plant pots and buckets.

The hunt staff allegedly entered the property without permission to remove the poor creature’s body. Joint masters Ollie Dale and Vanessa Chanter were filmed attempting to remove a camerawoman from the garden. The hunt broke the garden fence during the altercation.

Another member of the hunt, Josh Tierney, was seen with bloodstains on his trousers after removing the body of the poor fox away from the crime scene. Whilst the homeowner allowed activists to film the site, the hunt forcibly escorted them out once the owner went inside.

Systematically wreaking havoc in the countryside

This incident is just part of a wider pattern of hunting-induced havoc across the UK. The League Against Cruel Sports recorded 1,117 reports of hunt havoc during the 2024/25 season. These reports include (PAGE 5):

• 319 incidents of trespass on private property.
• 423 incidents of out of control or lost hounds.
• 367 reports of road havoc caused by the hunt.

Rowan Hughes, a spokesperson for the Hunt Saboteurs Association said this shows why hunting needs a total ban. Hughes stated that hunts have no respect for private property and ‘shout trespass’ only when they are being exposed.

Broken fences, trashed properties, ruined lawns and injured animals are one side of the hunt that these ruthless riders are desperate to hide. The law is catching up with them, and public hostility toward the hunt has never been higher. At this critical moment, we must call them to account for every small infraction.

A history of the Heythrop Hunt controversy

The Heythrop Hunt are no strangers to controversy or press attention. In February 2026, Channel 4 News released footage of the hunt dumping dead chickens in woodlands. Activists claim this “feeding station” was used to lure foxes into areas so they can be hunted in the future. In the 24/25 season, monitors recorded 332 cases ((PAGE 8)) of hunt trespass nationally. So it isn’t just when these wankers are actively hunting, it’s also to lay the dirty groundwork to draw in their innocent prey.

The HSA reported that covert cameras captured the terrierman of the Heythrop Hunt. He was recorded dumping black bin-bags full of dead chickens between June and August 2025.

By October, the same cameras picked up the hunt pursuing the very foxes they had drawn in. This premeditated approach contradicts the claim that the hunts are simply following a pre-laid ‘trail. Unless these fucking dickheads are actively laying trails through peoples’ gardens, we can see the obvious lie.

Heythrop Hunt — Closing the trail hunting loopholes

Gloucestershire Police received a report of the kill but, as per usual, officers did not attend the scene. Police have not charged any members of the hunt at this stage.

In January 2025, this same hunt apologised after hounds ran through an industrial estate. The chairman previously told Bourton Parish Council that such incidents were “isolated”. But how can that be the case when once again we are seeing private property being used as the hunt’s personal playground?

Three Counties Hunt Sabs filmed this new footage after the Labour Party announced the plans to ban trail hunting. This reform was part of the Animal Welfare Strategy for England announcement on Monday 22 December 2025. A spokesperson for Three Counties Hunt Sabs noted that the kill happened whilst vixens are pregnant. And this is happening within half a mile of where staff dumped the chicken corpses.

The spokesperson urged the government to close the loopholes in the Hunting Act 2004. And urgently. This latest incident in Condicote suggests that trail hunting remains a smokescreen and is nothing but a thin veil to hide the hunt’s illegal activity.

The human cost of hunt trespass

The owner of the garden in Condicote was visibly shocked by the ruthless intrusion. He gave the hunt sabs permission to film the evidence before re-entering his property. Yet once the owner was out of sight, the hunt members used force against the activists. Despite them having no permission to be on the private land.

This lack of respect for residents is a common theme in rural communities. The League Against Cruel Sports reported that 76% of the public support strengthening the ban. Yet the current legislation allows hunts to claim they are following a scent trail. However, in a case like this when a fox is killed in a garden, that excuse becomes impossible to justify.

We reached out to Simon Russell, chair of the HSA who said:

“The current Hunting Act 2004 has so many holes, you could drive a van through it. Although Hunt Sabs have achieved more hunting convictions than any other organisation, the 99% of times we see illegal hunting, there is no chance of a conviction. The government needs to do a lot more than just ban trail hunting, which seems to be its only focus.”

So as the Labour Party moves towards a total ban, incidents like this should be increasing public pressure. The sight of blood-stained trousers and dead foxes in gardens is a stark reminder of the reality of a government and a police force that don’t give a fuck.

Featured Image via The Three Counties Hunt Sabs