21st February 2025
An animal campaigner has filmed herself saving the life of a fox being chased by hounds through an Oxfordshire wood last week.
Lynn Sawyer, a former fox hunter herself but now a member of the Three Counties Hunt Saboteurs, stepped in and used her expertise in hunt staff commands, to call the hounds off during the Heythrop Hunt.
The footage appears to shows a fox running through Moors Wood in Steeple Barton, followed seconds later by a pack of hounds in full cry, the noise they make when on the scent of a fox.
It is at this point that Ms Sawyer intervened.
She said: “It was another day in the office for me. I see this all the time but I was just glad I was in the right place at the right time to save this fox.
“The hunts are carrying on as they did before the ban – nothing has changed except they now try to hide their chasing and killing of foxes from the public.”
The footage has been disputed by the Heythrop Hunt which argues no illegal activity took place.
Emily Lawrence, campaigns manager for national animal welfare charity the League Against Cruel Sports, said: “This incident highlights how the excuse being used by hunts that they are following pre-laid trails is a smokescreen to conceal their continued pursuit and killing of foxes from the public, police and courts.
“We need the government to commit to a timetable of when they will ban so-called trail hunting, remove the exemptions in the law being exploited by hunts and introduce custodial sentences for those that break the law. The time for change is now.”
The incident, which took place on Thursday, February 13, has been reported to Thames Valley Police.
Ms Lawrence added: “We sadly get hundreds of reports every year of foxes being chased and we suspect this is just the tip of the iceberg, but for once, thanks to the bravery of Lynn, the fox escaped being torn apart.
“Let’s consign this brutal blood sport to the history books.”
A spokesperson for the Heythrop Hunt said: “The Heythrop Hunt conducts lawful trail hunting activities to comply with the Hunting Act yet it is routinely followed by anti-hunting activists that make spurious allegations using heavily edited footage to suit their animal rights agenda.
“The video clearly shows various species of wildlife – including deer – being disturbed and moving around in the countryside while hounds are in the area, which would not be unexpected, but there is no evidence to suggest that any illegal activity has taken place.
“The hunt has, however, got serious concerns about the unknown substance being sprayed onto the land by this activist which could potentially affect the respiratory system of the hounds or other wildlife and we urge them to resist from interfering with the hounds by using such substances in this way.”
It comes after hounds were filmed running through a private garden and orchard co-owned by former Labour Party leader Ed Miliband MP in Claydon near Bicester this month.
https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/24951909.oxfordshire-woman-films-appearing-save-fox-hounds/
Well done to Lynn Sawyer as for the Heythrop Hunt they are liars and cheats like the rest of the hunting scum no one should ever believe a word they say.
Wonderful Woman!!!!