A NEW website has been launched to expose what anti-hunting campaign group Protect the Wild calls ‘the shocking reality behind trail hunting’.

Protect the Wild said its ‘Hunt Havoc’ site would reveal the ‘true cost of hunting on wildlife, communities, and the countryside’.

The group wants to ‘pull back the curtain’ on one of Britain’s most controversial rural practices, trail hunting, which is legal in the UK as it mimics the hunting of foxes by following a pre-laid scent.

Taunton Vale Harriers, which carries out trail hunting locally, has hit the headlines twice in recent months after being reported to police for incidents with its hounds, first in Oake and then in Lydeard St Lawrence.

Protect the Wild said its website, www.hunthavoc.info, would bring together first-hand accounts, ‘shocking video evidence’, and more than 1,350 logged incidents from across the UK of ‘hunt havoc’.

A previous meet of the Taunton Vale Harriers.
A meet of the Taunton Vale Harriers. ( )

It said the site was updated quarterly, and was already proving a vital resource for the public, journalists, and lawmakers.

The group’s hunting lead Charlotte Smith said: “We have had enough of the lies.

“The public has a right to know what is really happening when hunts go out.

“Hounds are being put at risk, wildlife is being slaughtered, and rural communities are being harassed, all under the false pretence of ‘trail hunting’.

“This is not just about foxes.

“It is about the abuse of power, the erosion of our laws, and the havoc hunts cause in the countryside.”

Ms Smith said the ‘Hunt Havoc’ site was built with support from local communities, saboteurs, and monitors who had witnessed damage first-hand.

Taunton Vale Harriers will again hold a Boxing Day meet in Wiveliscombe this year.
Taunton Vale Harriers holds a Boxing Day meet each year in Wiveliscombe. PHOTO: Taunton Vale Harriers.

The website includes a ‘Contact Your MP’ tool, empowering users to demand immediate action to strengthen the Hunting Act and ‘end the trail hunting loophole once and for all’.

Ms Smith said: “Importantly, this year will see a public consultation on hunting in England and Wales, a pivotal political moment that could shape the future of the countryside for generations.

“As this long-overdue review takes place, HuntHavoc.info provides the clearest evidence yet of why reform is urgently needed.

“With hunting under fresh political scrutiny, the website arrives at exactly the right time to influence policy and expose the reality behind the countryside’s most destructive tradition.

“Whether you are a seasoned campaigner or a rural resident who has simply had enough, ‘Hunt Havoc’ gives you the tools to say ‘this must stop’.

“As pressure mounts on politicians and public support for a full ban grows, ‘Hunt Havoc’ is set to become a central force in the fight to protect wildlife, uphold the law, and reclaim the countryside from ‘hunt havoc’.

“Now, we need them to act.”

Protect the Wild is a non-profit organisation empowering people to protect British wildlife through supporting front-line groups, providing people with information, and campaigning hard for legislative change.

It aims to end hunting, shooting, and badger persecution in the UK.

The website offers a searchable, public database of hunt-related incidents, including trespass, out of control hounds, traffic hazards, illegal quad bike use, and violence and intimidation.