EGGESFORD HUNT ATTACK CAT, DAMAGE PROPERTY AND STAB SAB’S TYRE
Most of our sabs were at work today, but when we heard the Eggesford and some of their cronies from the Lamerton Hunt were causing havoc in people’s gardens on the edge of Down St Mary at their traditional Zeal Monachorum New Year’s meet, we mobilised a small team of sabs to head out at short notice.
Within a couple of hours of leaving their meet, Eggesford’s hounds had invaded several gardens on the edge of the village and attacked a cat. One landowner came outside to find hounds streaming into his yard in cry, causing damage to his hedge, his gate and one of his parked cars. Then he noticed that one of the hounds had his cat in its mouth! Quick action from the landowner saved his cat’s life, and it does not bear thinking about what would have happened if he had not been there… After all, it’s only a few days on since the High Peak Hunt killed someone else’s cat.
Meanwhile, several quadbike riders with the hunt were parked outside this man’s gate, doing nothing. They did not intervene to gather the hounds. They did not help the man save his cat. Nor did they apologise for the hunt’s behaviour. The hunt’s arrogance and total lack of consideration for the rural community was reinforced by one of the riders who told another village resident that the hunt had “carte blanche to go wherever they like”. Much of the incident was captured on CCTV at this man’s home and has been reported to the police.
The hunt carried on running riot across land south of the village before heading west back in direction of Zeal Monachorum. Near the quarry south of Zeal, hounds were heard in full cry on the scent of a fox and hunt riders including school teacher Jessica Trerise rode their horses at our two foot sabs to prevent them from getting close. Shortly after, our driver’s car was surrounded and one of her back tyres was stabbed by a hunt follower. Foot sabs attempted to keep pace with the hunt as it started snowing, while our driver got her car mobile again. We caught up with the hunt as they were heading back to the meet.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our followers for their ongoing support, and to wish you all a much happier 2021.