Help the Hunt Sabs stop secret summer mink murder on our rivers

Illegal mink and otter hunts are quietly decimating our river ecosystems all over the UK. And I cannot believe I just had to write that. Secretive, twisted bloodsport groups are currently exploiting the summer months to dodge public scrutiny. The Hunt Saboteurs Association (HSA) is issuing an urgent appeal to all of us to help expose and stop these disgusting underground networks. So, the Canary is calling on our readers to help the Hunt Sabs.

Terrorising our waterways

The summer hunting season runs from April to October, and it sees hunters taking to our waterways. Too impatient to wait until winter for the fox and hare hunts, these bloodthirsty toffs are now murdering otters and mink. Groups like the Three Counties Mink Hounds and the Northern Counties Mink Hunt are now out to massacre our semi-aquatic and frankly adorable wildlife. And they’re doing it along vulnerable riverbanks.

On foot, hunters are releasing up to 20 hounds onto our waterways. These usually consist of foxhounds and shaggy otterhounds to track scents. When an unsuspecting otter or mink is cornered, the pack chases it across land and water until it is ripped apart.

The violence is absolutely vile. It usually escalates when the poor fuzzy mammal tries to find safety. If a mink or otter manages to get to safety underground, that’s when the real disgusting stuff happens. Hunt terriermen then deploy terriers, spades and drainage rods to dig out the poor creature. And if it manages to climb a tree, hunters will use poles to violently shake it so it falls into the slavering jaws of the hounds. And then it’s ripped apart.

And it’s illegal. But this isn’t just about that. This is a full on assault on the fragile ecosystems of our riversides, where these stunning native animals breed. This is where the Hunt Sabs come in.

Secret networks of criminality

Thankfully, mink hunting is in decline. This disgusting bloodsport had its peak with over 20 packs in the 1980s. Now, only around half a dozen of them remain across the UK. But it’s because of this decline that these few remaining packs have become incredibly secretive. They’re relying on a tiny, very tight knit circle of supporters to keep this vile sport alive. Huntsmen now lean on extreme secrecy to try to avoid direct action from the HSA.

To try to avoid detection, these packs have now abandoned their jumped-up public meets. To avoid confrontation, they alter dates and times for meeting. Huntsmen now gather on field corners and whisper in country pubs to plan their assaults.

When challenged by members of the public, hunters lie. They hide their murder, claim they’re just exercising the hounds, or hunting rats. Hunt sabs report this is nothing but an excuse. It’s a smokescreen to hide their illegal hunts. Drone operations from Hunt Sabs rumbled the Dove Valley Mink Hounds near Ramsey Brook. This quick response forced the hunt to abandon their meet and head back to the kennels.

Please help the Hunt Sabs to sound the alarm

Because these criminals operate in tiny circles and across huge rural stretches, the HSA needs our help. The public can look for specific warning signs and raise the alarm. If you’re out enjoying a nice walk in the country please keep an eye out for these rich weirdos. If you see groups with big wooden sticks (otter poles), or groups of suspicious vehicles near rivers, please take action. Same with if you hear a hunting horn or a pack of hounds.

The Hunt Sabs treats all tip-offs with 100% confidentiality. So if you hear any gossip in a pub, see social media posts or see suspicious activity, give them a call. Their direct tip off line is 07443 148426.

Please, help them to save minks and otters this summer.

Featured images via the Hunt Sabs Association & Pinterest