Cat mauled by fox-hunting hounds

Retired Killer: Fox Hound, Beaufort Hunt at Tetbury

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Cornish hunt master found guilty after cat mauled to death by hounds.

Sadly, reports of hounds out of control and killing any animal they come across, simply reflects the brutal nature of fox hunting.

The hunt master of the Western Hunt was found guilty this week at Truro Magistrates Court after a cat was mauled to death by his pack of hounds in Cornwall earlier this year.

John Lanyon Sampson, aged 55, of St Buryan was found guilty of being the owner/person in charge of dogs dangerously out of control in a private or public place.

He was fined £480 and ordered to pay £350 compensation to Carly Jose, the cat’s owner, £775 court costs and a £48 victim surcharge.

Sickening

Martin Sims, director of investigations at the League Against Cruel Sports, said: “This sickening incident illustrates the havoc fox hunts are having on local communities and domestic animals and wildlife across the UK.

“Enough is enough. It’s time the Government and landowners acted and consigned the barbaric world of fox hunting to the history books.”

The incident involved a 14-year-old rescue cat called Mini who was attacked outside her owner’s home on a housing estate in Cornwall.

After the mauling the cat was thrown over the fence at the side of the cat owner’s home in Madron, near Penzance, an incident which was witnessed and videoed by a neighbour.

Disgusting

The cat’s owner, Carly Jose, said her children “cried themselves to sleep” after the incident.

She added: “Nothing will bring Mini back or take away the trauma Mini and we have been through."

A member of the hunt turned up afterwards offering money, but Carly refused saying that it was “absolutely disgusting.”

Martin added: “Our thoughts are with Carly and her children. Sadly, reports of hounds out of control and killing any animal they come across, simply reflects the brutal nature of fox hunting.”

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Ruby Harbour is the editorial assistant at The Ecologist. This article is based on a press release from the League Against Cruel Sports.

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