A FOX hunter has outraged animal rights campaigners after he was filmed with a fox tail in his hand, gloating: “You can’t save them all.”
The video is believed to have been filmed on Saturday at Kinnaird Castle, Angus, by hunt saboteurs.
Fife and Central Scotland Hunt Sabs posted the video to their Facebook page on Monday, claiming the rider “taunts hunt saboteurs with a severed fox tail”.
They added: “As he rides past, he says: ‘Can’t save them all, can you?’
“This is the face of fox hunting in Scotland: a smirking, gloating huntsman holding the tail of a fox, openly provoking protesters.
“If this was about “pest control” as they claim, then why the sheer elation surrounding animal death? The excitement? The pantomime? This isn’t about pest control or whatever flimsy argument they use to justify hunting in 2019, it’s tradition and fun for them – end of story.”
The video shows the saboteurs walking down a dirt track whilst a man wearing a bright red coat approaches them on horseback.
The fox hunter is surrounded by dogs whilst another rider and a two men on a quad bike can be seen behind him.
As the fox hunter trotts passed the saboteurs he can be seen grasping on to a severed fox tail.
He then looks down the camera and says “can’t save them all can you.”
The fox hunter then trots away with a smirk as he is followed by his hunting dogs, the other rider and the two men on the quad bike who also appear to grin at the saboteurs.
The video has angered many people who follow the saboteurs’ work.
Josephine Dickson said: “Very sick. Thank you guys for your awesome work.”
Dennis Wilton added: “More pressure on the Scottish Government to stop all hunting with horses and dogs. Pest control doesn’t need either. Some humans never fail to sicken.”
Irene Egan said: “They may get away with it because it’s a wealthy man sick sport. They are spineless and weak and they have to kill animals to feel good. I pity their wives and family. Something seriously missing and damaged in those evil people.
Andy Taylor wrote: “It’s pathetic and sums them up – nasty horrible sad little people who love causing pain and distress to everything – the joke is that they think they’re superior to everyone and everything without actually realising that they’re the slimiest most ignorant and lowest form of life on Earth!”
Gary Wimbush added: “The only vermin I can see are riding horses.”
Fox hunting is covered by the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act 2002 where it states “A person who deliberately hunts a wild mammal with a dog commits an offence.”
However, an exception to this offence is where permission is granted by the land owner or lawful occupier for someone to use a dog that is under control to stalk a wild mammal, or flush it from cover for the purpose of controlling the number of a pest species amongst other reasons.
