League releases shocking pre-ban hunting film on eighth anniversary of Hunting Act
The League Against Cruel Sports is today releasing a new film to highlight the cruelty associated with hunting to coincide with the eight year anniversary of the historic Hunting Act 2004.
In what the charity are calling ‘their most shocking film to date’, Don’t Turn the Clock back to Cruelty, shows the brutal reality of hunting with dogs before the passing of the Act on 18th February 2005.
The Leading anti-hunting charity, decided that it was time to release the film after the Secretary of State, Owen Patterson, made it clear that he and pro hunt MPs would be working behind the scenes to repeal the Act, to bring back hare coursing and fox, deer, mink and hare hunting, which were all banned by the Act.
Spilt into six main sections, the film depicts what happens in each of these activities, including how these wild animals are hunted, chased to exhaustion before being caught and how they are ragged to death by baying hounds.
In several parts of the film the viewer will witness the extreme determination by the hunts to get their trophy kill, including the digging up of foxes seeking refuge underground and hounds swimming after and surrounding an exhausted stag forced to enter a river in an attempt to escape. The film highlights the full extent of the cruelty behind hunting, also showing how hunt hounds and horses are victimised.
Joe Duckworth, the League Against Cruel Sports' Chief Executive explains: “There are no words strong enough to describe the bloodthirsty out and out cruelty exposed in this film. While we do not want to upset viewers, we feel it is important that the public see for themselves what turning the clock back to a time of legalised cruelty would look like.”
The Hunting Act took over eighty years of campaigning by the League and other animal welfare organisations to secure. Eight years on from the Act being passed and 237 prosecutions later, the League is today celebrating the success of the important piece of wildlife legislation by raising awareness of what would happen if the Act were to be repealed.
Joe Duckworth concludes: “Sadly, the Hunting Act has never been so at risk. The Secretary of State has openly voiced his determination to see these barbaric blood sports return. So, while we celebrate the Act’s eighth anniversary, we are calling on the public and MPs alike to watch our film today so we can all remember why the Act is so vital. We must keep this cruelty history for good.”
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ENDS
Notes to Editors
Watch the film, Don’t Turn the Clock back to Cruelty, here https://vimeo.com/59663521
Please contact the League’s Press Office on 01483 524250 (24hrs) with any queries, dvd, film or interview requests. Alternatively please email press@league.org.uk or visit www.league.org.uk
About the League Against Cruel Sports
The League Against Cruel Sports is a registered charity that brings together people who care about animals. Like the majority of the public, we believe that cruelty to animals in the name of sport has no place in modern society. Registered charity number 1095234. Find out more about our work at www.league.org.uk/.