Leading farming, animal welfare and countryside organisations, alongside rural Police and Crime Commissioners, have urged the Government to revise ‘inadequate’ legislation that is hindering attempts to tackle the devastating impact of illegal hare coursing on the British countryside.
In a letter to the Secretary of State for Defra and the Home Office, the coalitionhas called for the 1831 Game Act to be amendedto give enhanced powers to the police and criminal justice system, including:
- Giving the police and courts full seizure and forfeiture powers for dogs and vehicles
- Removing the existing limits on the penalties that can be imposed, which is currently a maximum £1000 fine.
- Enabling police to recover kenneling costs from offenders
It is also asking for better information and guidance for magistrates and prosecutors and support for a more effective approach from the police, building on the success of initiatives such as Operation Galileo, which has seen hare coursing incidents in Lincolnshire reduce from nearly 1579 in 16/17 to 686 in 18/19.
In a joint statement, the coalition said: “There is no doubt that hare coursing is as prevalent as ever and having huge impacts on rural communities. Whether it is farmers being intimidated and threatened by coursers, the damage their vehicles cause to our iconic landscape or the cruelty this inflicts on our native wildlife, the impacts on the British countryside from illegal hare coursing are huge.
“Despite success in some parts of the country, we are still seeing increased incidents of hare coursing overall.
“It is clear to us, our members and the police that relying on legislation that is nearly 200 years old is simply inadequate and in need of urgent reform. That’s why we are asking the Government to support simple changes to the Game Act that would give police the powers they need to properly tackle this crime and deter criminals with a sentence that fits the crime.
“As a coalition, we will continue to raise this issue with Government at the highest level and ensure they recognise the importance of tackling rural crimes to rural communities up and down the country.”
