You helped expose a brutal dog fighting ring
Your support has helped uncover a brutal international dog fighting ring forcing animals to fight, often to the death.
The League’s intelligence team, funded by you and headed by former counter terrorism police officer Russ Middleton, worked in partnership with the BBC and the USPCA in Northern Ireland, to expose one of the largest dog fighting rings in Europe.
Barbaric dog fighting has been illegal in the UK since 1835 but is still going on, hidden from the public view, but with your help we are determined to end it.
Russ discovered a dog fighting forum online from which he could capture the shocking details of the dogs, kennels and descriptions shared of the barbaric fights including whether a dog had died in the fight.
He was also able to use reports coming into the supporter funded Animal Crimewatch service to map out the global scale of the ring.
From initial reports of a dog fighting kennel in Northern Ireland, the exposé widened out from Antrim to Amsterdam.
Police forces in the relevant countries were provided with details and a BBC reporter went undercover to infiltrate the ring.
The resulting BBC programme Spotlight aired in Northern Ireland initially but was picked up by BBC Two and aired across the UK late last month.
You can watch this compelling BBC programme here.
Your voice is being heard in parliament
Thanks to your longstanding support, the League Against Cruel Sports is able to keep in touch with this country’s key politicians to highlight the plight of animals.
Last month saw a parliamentary reception take place at the Houses of Parliament attended by MPs, Peers, donors, journalists and friends from organisations we are working in partnership with.
The event was titled ‘Fixing a broken Hunting Act’ and highlighted the need to strengthen hunting laws to stop the horrifying scale of illegal fox hunting still taking place in our countryside.
The government has pledged to launch a consultation to ban trail hunting – the discredited excuse used by hunts as a smokescreen to conceal the chasing and killing of foxes – before the end of the year.
The League supports the government on this vital issue but wants it to go further and ban all the loopholes in the law and introduce custodial sentences for those hunts that break the law.
In testament to the impact you are helping us to make, the government’s animal welfare minister Baroness Sue Hayman spoke at the event, confirming that trail hunting would be banned before the next general election.
Animal Welfare Minister Baroness Sue Hayman
Although she didn’t give an exact date for the consultation, it looks likely that we will see progress around Christmas or very early in the New Year.
We’re close to achieving our aim but we’re not yet there. But it looks likely, that thanks to you, we may have paved the way for a wonderful Christmas present for you and the wildlife you love.
Volunteering makes a huge difference to animals
The League announced at its parliamentary event the appointment of a new Chair of Trustees, a voluntary position that is vital in ensuring the charity delivers on its mission to protect animals from being persecuted in the name of sport.
David Fielding, MBE, brings a wealth of experience in both business and charity governance, plus a love of conservation, animal welfare, nature and wetlands.
Emma Slawinksi, the League’s chief executive, said:
“We are delighted that David has joined the League at what is a very exciting time for our charity, as we embark on a new five-year strategy to secure protections for all animals harmed through cruel ‘sports’.
“I know the League will only benefit from David’s leadership, which as well as solid business and charity experience includes a passion for protecting wildlife and the environment.”
"You all want the best for wildlife and proper protections put in place for them. David, backed by the dedicated staff and volunteers at the League, will help this to happen."
"Together we will consign animal cruelty to the history books."
