A large group of stag hunters have been condemned for breaching of pandemic rules after around 130 individuals met up this week.
The congregation, which included spectators and followers, has been criticised for the flagrant disregard for COVID-19 rules as they met up for the horseback hunt – many of them without masks or adhering to social distancing.
Paul Tillsley, a member of the League Against Cruel Sports, witnessed the Devon and Somerset Staghounds gather as part of its controversial seasonal hunt; around 30 on horses, with 70 cars and a number of quad bikes.
Despite the breaking of pandemic protocol, the group has recently claimed the £10,000 government grant for affected businesses, as well as a £50,000 loan generated by taxpayer schemes to help those affected by the ongoing health crisis.
The hunt took place on Thursday, September 17, with Tillsley describing two large groups meeting up and mingling without any concern for social distancing. ‘It makes a mockery of the sacrifices people are making around the country to limit gatherings and stop the spread of the disease,’ he claimed.
He continued:
A large number of them were elderly, so vulnerable to coronavirus. It’s ridiculous – we can’t meet more than six people in our gardens but if you’re on horseback hunting it’s fine.
I only saw one person with a mask on. Yet you go to the high street and everyone in shops wears masks. These people were undermining all that.
The Devon and Somerset Staghounds venture out between the months of August and April, three times a week, to hunt. And it’s surprisingly easy to do, with Tillsley saying, ‘Stag hunters are at the top of the social hierarchy on Exmoor. And they don’t need a licence because they don’t use land owned by the National Trust – they rely on farmers to give them permission.’
This particular hunt ended prematurely when one of its participants unfortunately fell and broke their pelvis.
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Source link : https://www.unilad.co.uk/animals/outrage-as-more-than-100-people-meet-up-for-stag-hunt-in
