News round-up (12th May 2021)
Jonathan Seed’s speedy ways are catching up with him; badger baiter attack; new welfare laws for animals
It’s been a rollercoaster of emotions over the past week or so, and with the local council and Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) elections that took place on 6th May, it seems apparent that the Tories can quite literally be responsible for over 150,000 deaths, be at the heart of corruption scandals, implement draconian laws, and still get voted in.
Police and Crime Commissioner Elections
Politics and activism go hand in hand, and for those with an interest in wildlife, the PCC elections on 6th May, have been something that has been keenly observed; with the pro-hunt lobby actively trying to get as much leverage as possible after a year of own goals, all eyes have been on candidates with fox-hunting connections and interests.
The anti-hunting community in Wiltshire didn’t have to look far, with ex-fox hunt master and Conservative party member, Jonathon Seed, in the running as a PCC candidate for Wiltshire and Swindon.
Seed’s profile on his Wiltshire Councillor website, stated he is “deeply involved in the local rural community and rural affairs”, but failed to mention his real interest in rural affairs - hunting. In a 1999 Royal Artillery Hunt Newsletter, huntsman Seed stated the ‘best day’ of the season occurred when a ‘strong fox’ was chased over eleven miles by hounds. In 2013, not long after he’d been elected as a Wiltshire councillor, Seed was in court and pleaded guilty to interfering with a badger sett whilst out hunting.
Wiltshire Hunt Sabs posted on 2nd May, an extract from an article about the Bromham pigs, whereby Seed shot dozens of healthy pigs, in front of each other, with a shotgun - “I have been trained in the humane destruction of animals”. As Wiltshire Hunt Sabs pointed out:
There aren’t any prizes for guessing why a non-farming Huntmaster would need to be trained in “humane” animal destruction. Hunt hounds are rarely ever rehomed when they are not suitable for hunting. They are normally shot at the kennels, this is normally carried out by the hunt, blasted by a shotgun to the head.
However, despite multiple campaigns with ‘Pixies’ cleaning up the countryside, results on 8th May showed Seed had received 47% of the votes in the first round of voting and was subsequently declared victorious after a second count.
However, on 9th May, Seed pulled out after a historic driving conviction was unearthed, which by law means he is disqualified from holding the office of Police and Crime Commissioner. Seed released a statement declaring he had withdrawn himself, whilst other sources stated the Conservative Party has barred him.
On the 11th May, Thames Valley Police stated they have launched an investigation into the 2021 Wiltshire and Swindon PCC election, with a re-run of the election estimated to cost taxpayers nearly £1.5 million.
The Hunt Saboteurs Association (HSA) is campaigning for Seed and the Wiltshire Tories to pay for the next election themselves. In an updated statement published on 11th May, the HSA said, “We believe this is electoral fraud, and fraud to the tune of 1.5 million pounds would get anyone else put in prison.”
To find out more, check out Wiltshire Hunt Sabs, Bath Hunt Sabs or the HSA website to support the #SeedShouldPay campaign.
Over in Cheshire on 8th May, Labour candidate David Keane lost his Police and Crime Commissioner role to Conservative party member, and incumbent, John Dwyer, with Dwyer getting 44.4% of the vote share.
Dwyer, whilst denying all Hunt connections, is rumoured to be supported by Vote OK, a group that campaigns for pro-hunting MPs and candidates to be elected. Cheshire Hunt Saboteurs posted that Dwyer “has the Cheshire Hounds’ Hunt Secretary, Peter Jones, listed amongst his Facebook friends.”
Anti-hunt residents of Cheshire will be keeping a very close eye on Dwyer and continuing to hold his role as PCC and Cheshire Police to account, although with a finger in every pro-hunt pie, who knows what Dwyer will be letting slide.
Badger baiting
On 28th April, a Manchester Hunt Sab was brutally attacked by badger baiters whilst out checking on setts. Needing over 40 stitches, the sab was battered and left for dead after interrupting the group, who were armed with shovels, in Little Lever, Bolton.
Nationals soon ran the story, with readers horrified by the sab’s experience, with comments on social media describing the attackers as “psychopaths” amidst multiple calls for the perpetrators to face harsh punishments.
On the 30th April, a statement by Lee Moon of the HSA was picked up by the Independent. Moon said:
We get used to violence from animal abusers but the savagery of this attack has shocked us. These baiters clearly intended to kill this brave man and he’s extremely lucky to survive… Badger baiters are notoriously violent - they really are the lowest of the low.
On 10th May, Greater Manchester Police put out an appeal on social media for witnesses and information leading to arrests. Any information should be directed to GMP on 0161 856 5757 quoting incident 2864 of 28/04/21. As yet, no arrests have been made.
However, there’s not much that keeps a sab out of the field for long, and the day after it had happened, 29th April, it was reported that the sab was recovering well and had been back out checking setts, despite his horrific injuries.
The fundraiser set up to support the unnamed sab whilst he was recovering reached £20,305 within 10 days of it going live.
Animal Welfare Act
On 29th April it was reported that the Animal Welfare Act has received Royal Assent and is due to come into law on 29th June. In the Queen’s Speech on 11th May, the Queen officially opened Parliament and marked the formal start of the parliamentary year. The details of the Animal Welfare Act are:
The Act itself commits to the following:
Recognising animal sentience - the capacity of animals to have feelings, including pain and suffering.
Ending the export of live animals for fattening and slaughter and taking "further steps" to limit foie gras trade.
Bringing in "more effective powers" to tackle livestock worrying as part of its Kept Animals Bill.
Also using the bill to stop people keeping primates as pets, improving standards in zoos and "cracking down" on puppy smuggling.
Bringing in mandatory cat microchipping and improving the current databases.
Essentially, the Act ensures:
Battery cages for laying hens will be banned.
Sow stalls will be banned.
Veal crates will be banned.
CCTV will be installed in all slaughterhouses in England.
The export of live animals for fattening and slaughter will be also be banned.
Maximum sentences for anyone breaking the Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act 2021 will increase from six months to five years.
Green Party MP, Caroline Lucas has long campaigned for animal sentience to be recognised, saying,
They have the capacity to feel pain, hunger, heat, and cold; and that they are aware of what is happening to them
Ospreys nesting platform felled by chainsaw
Back in August last year, there were reports that a filming crew were disturbing resident ospreys in North Wales, during filming of the reality show The Bridge. Cheshire Hunt Saboteurs were part of a group who held a peaceful protest against programme-makers Channel 4 and the landowners’ Welsh Water.
Ospreys are notoriously timid birds and the two adults hadn’t nested at this site in 10 years. On 3rd September, there were reports that the two adults and their chick had abandoned their nest when subjected to flares and drones during filming.
North Wales Wildlife Trust issued a statement saying it was aware of the issues surrounding filming, stating,
We are aware of reports of the filming activities at Llyn Brenig and the potential disturbance to the ospreys. We are urgently, and independently, making enquiries.
On the North Wales Wildlife Trust’s website, they concluded that the opsreys appeared not to be using their nest any more and the birds leaving the nest was due to their natural migratory behaviour rather than noise disturbance.
However, on 29th April, the returned osprey pair had laid their first egg of the season on their nesting platform on Llyn Brenig. By 30th April, it was reported by Brenig Osprey Project that someone had taken a chainsaw to the osprey nesting platform and felled it, and was a “horrific act of vandalism”
Later reports on 1st May, showed footage of the platform being cut down with a chainsaw, with North Wales Police Rural Crime Team stating it suspected the culprits had "possibly arrived by boat to chainsaw the platform" on the lake.
Ospreys and their eggs are protected under the Wildlife & Countryside Act, which makes it an offence to interfere with them or their nest.
On 5th May, the Brenig Osprey Project said the osprey pair were still on site, and “pair-bonded, fishing, showing territorial behaviour and generally indicating that they’d like to stay at Llyn Brenig.”
Want to support The Citro? Click here to contribute.
Headline image via
Manchester Hunt Sabs