PROTECT THE WILD—SILENT KILLING OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES USING POISON

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more From hedgehogs to buzzards, Britain's wildlife is being quietly killed by rodenticide poisons Rodenticides aren't just a threat to rats and mice. Countless non-target animals are silently killed every year too. ELIZA EGRET AND TOM ANDERSON JUN 22 READ IN APP This is the second in a series of articles highlighting the need to ban rodenticides in the UK. Last week, we explored how UK councils are failing in their legal obligations to avoid causing unnecessary suffering. You can read the article here. In the coming weeks we will outline how poisons affect the water system too, and we will examine how humane alternatives can be used to control rodent populations. We will be making the case for local councils and private users to radically change their approaches to wildlife control in our communities. Rodenticides cause a slow, agonising death to rats and mice. But how many people know about the other silent victims of the poisons deployed by both local authorities and private users like farmers and gamekeepers? Companion animals, birds of prey, hedgehogs, foxes, badgers, bees and grey squirrels are being harmed or killed in the UK by Second Generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides (SGARs). We break down the available figures below. Countless other non-target animals suffer or die from consuming rodenticide without the ‘pest’ controllers, local authorities or the general public ever noticing. How does rodenticide harm non-target animals? There are two ways that non-target animals are killed by rodenticides: through primary poisoning, where an animal directly eats the bait, or through secondary poisoning, where an animal eats a creature which itself has eaten the bait. The suffering of a target species and the poisoning of non-target predators are not accidental outcomes. They are in the very design of SGARs. After eating a rodenticide bait, the animal may continue to consume more of the poison, unaware of its toxicity. The compounds accumulate in the body’s tissues, steadily preventing the capacity to clot blood, until the animal eventually dies from internal bleeding. This prolonged and agonising death is not an acceptable way to treat any animal, yet councils, pest-controllers, farmers and gamekeepers directly cause this suffering. The risk to predators through secondary poisoning is huge. For days after consuming the first bait, an animal remains alive, becoming more catchable as she becomes lethargic. A predator who then catches her ingests the same poison. Brodifacoum is one of the most potent and persistent SGARs available, and its use is growing as rodents develop resistance to other anticoagulants. Once ingested through secondary poisoning, it can remain in a predator’s body for more than 100 days. Every other poisoned animal consumed by the predator adds to the accumulating dose, meaning that the predator does not need to swallow a single large dose to be killed; the animal simply needs to keep eating. Ineffective attempt at regulation Secondary poisoning has been so prolific that in 2015 the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) forced the pest control industry and the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide use (CRRU) to create new Code of Best Practice guidelines, as part of the Rodenticide Stewardship Scheme. However, a decade after its creation, the Rodenticide Stewardship Scheme has largely failed to deliver on its promise of meaningfully reducing wildlife exposure to SGAR residues. This failure can be clearly seen in the escalating number of non-target animals poisoned since the scheme’s inception. UK lagging behind in terms of legislation On a European level, rodenticides have been included on the European Union’s (EU) list of regulated biocidal products since the early 2000s. The EU regulations regarding the use of these products became more stringent with the introduction of the Biocidal Products Regulation (EU) No 528/2012 in 2013. The EU does allow the continued use of rodenticides, but only on a conditional basis. Namely, that rodenticides are used as a last resort. This has led both the Netherlands and Switzerland to ban the use of anticoagulant rodenticides for private users and adopt an Integrated Pest Management approach which prioritises preventative solutions and only uses rodenticides as a last resort. In the Netherlands, cholecalciferol-based rodenticides were banned too, and strict controls were placed on ‘pest’ control contractors. In the case of Switzerland, the legislative moves came after the publication of a Swiss study of deaths of non-target wildlife in 2022, which documented the effects on songbirds, foxes, birds of prey, hedgehogs, otters and fish. The report indicated “widespread contamination of the aquatic and terrestrial environment” by rodenticide poisons. Unsurprisingly, considering Brexit, the UK is lagging behind in terms of recognising the scale of the problem and protecting British wildlife. In 2024, in response to the alarming rise in the numbers of non-target wildlife killed, the use of SGARs in open areas such as fields was banned. However, rodenticides, including the highly-toxic brodifacoum, can still be used around buildings. The new regulations are likely to do little to protect non-target species falling victim to rodenticide poisoning. The animals killed Birds of Prey In November 2024, Wild Justice published a report titled Collateral Damage: The Rodenticide Stewardship Scheme – is it working?. The group used Freedom of Information requests to obtain laboratory test results submitted to the Health and Safety Executive’s Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme (WIIS). The WIIS is a UK government monitoring programme that investigates the deaths of wildlife suspected to have been caused by pesticide poisoning. Wild Justice analysed the test results on the bodies of 366 buzzards and 173 red kites submitted in England between 2005 and 2022. Shockingly most of the buzzards and red kites WIIS analysed had traces of SGARS in their livers. Wild Justice also found that since the introduction of the Rodenticide Stewardship Scheme, the concentration of SGARs found in examined birds has been increasing, not decreasing. Wild Justice pointed out that - together with birds of prey being unintended victims of public ‘pest’ control schemes - SGARs were being used by farmers and gamekeepers to illegally kill them. This strengthens the case for a ban on the use of rodenticides as, if possession was illegal, it would be much more difficult to use them to illegally kill protected birds. Foxes A 2025 report published by the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, titled SGARs in Mammals and Predatory Birds, also analysed data from the WIIS. The report shows that the red fox is one of the most heavily contaminated mammals of all the species studied, with a mean liver SGAR concentration of 993 ng/g. This is far higher than any of the predatory birds and roughly five times higher than the badger. Of the 127 foxes tested between 2006 and 2021, contamination levels increased significantly over the monitoring period. The proportion of foxes with detectable SGAR residues rose sharply from 75% before 2015 to 93% after the regulatory change, meaning that since 2016, 93% of the foxes tested have been found to carry rodenticide in their livers. Notably, this includes a significant rise in bromadiolone and brodifacoum. These findings show that neither the regulatory framework nor the CRRU’s industry-led stewardship regime has succeeded in protecting foxes from increasing contamination. Foxes are scavengers, and the urban habitats they live in are likely to provide greater opportunity to encounter SGAR-contaminated rodents or their carcasses, potentially combined with a higher prevalence of rodenticide-resistant rats that require repeated or stronger treatment. Hedgehogs Despite being a beloved and increasingly threatened species, the hedgehog fares poorly in the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology report’s analysis, although the data is limited. Of the 11 hedgehogs tested by WIIS between 2007 and 2021, 55% were found to carry detectable SGAR residues in their livers, with a mean concentration of 12.5 ng/g. The sample size is extremely small and the findings should be treated with caution. Nevertheless, the fact that over half of the hedgehogs tested showed detectable contamination is concerning, particularly given that hedgehogs are already under severe pressure from habitat loss, road deaths and declining invertebrate populations. It is also telling that the WIIS data for hedgehogs is so sparse, and likely reflects how rarely poisoned hedgehogs are found and submitted for testing rather than any genuine rarity of exposure. Badgers Of the 55 badgers tested by WIIS in England and Wales between 2006 and 2021, just over half (56%) showed detectable SGAR residues before 2015, rising to 71% after the regulation change. More striking is the picture for brodifacoum specifically: detectable residues were found in just 18% of badgers before 2015, rising sharply to 62% afterwards, a statistically significant increase. Mean liver SGAR concentration across the whole period was 186 ng/g, though some individuals showed extremely high concentrations, with a maximum of 2,843 ng/g recorded. The significant upward trend in brodifacoum residues is consistent with the pattern seen across most other species in the report, pointing again to brodifacoum as the compound of greatest and growing concern. Grey squirrels The grey squirrel data in the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology report is striking but must be treated with considerable caution given the very small sample size. Of the 16 grey squirrel cadavers tested by the WIIS in England and Wales between 2006 and 2021, 56% showed SGAR residues below the limit of quantification, suggesting low or no detectable exposure. However, four individuals (25% of the sample) showed extremely high liver SGAR concentrations ranging between 811 and 6,500 ng/g, pulling the mean up to 1,175 ng/g - the highest mean of any species in the study. What the grey squirrel figures illustrate most clearly is not a reliable picture of population-level exposure, but the potential for catastrophic individual-level poisoning when a squirrel does encounter rodenticide-contaminated food. Companion animals Annual reports from the Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS) provide a detailed picture of animal poisoning cases in the UK, and show how companion animals are affected by SGARs. The 2025 report draws on data from 32,000 cases during the year. Anticoagulant rodenticides were the third most common agent across all species in 2025, accounting for 2.9% of all agents recorded, behind only chocolate and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). This ranking is described by the report as unchanged from previous years, indicating that SGAR poisoning is a persistent and recurring concern in UK veterinary practice. In dogs specifically, anticoagulant rodenticides were again the third most common enquiry, making up 5.9% of all dog-related agent enquiries. The most frequently recorded individual compounds in dogs were brodifacoum (559 cases), difenacoum (424 cases) and bromadiolone (278 cases). Data from the WIIS, analysed by Protect the Wild, also documents several reported cases of poisoning of dogs with rodenticides. These incidents are directly linked to local authority and contractors laying poisons. SGARs also appeared in enquiries relating to rabbits (4.7% of rabbit cases), birds (17.9% of bird cases) horses and donkeys (19.4% of equine cases), indicating that exposure is not limited to domestic pets but extends across a wide range of animals. Next week, Protect the Wild will take a look at the effect of SGARs on our seas and rivers as well as on fish, otters and seabirds. Our demand: An immediate end to rodenticide use Protect the Wild is demanding a complete and immediate ban on the use of rodenticide baits. Rodenticides are killing non-target wildlife: Poison bait placed outside does not and cannot discriminate between target and non-target species. Killing protected wildlife is a crime. Rodenticides are causing unnecessary suffering: The slow, agonising death inflicted by SGARs – which cause internal bleeding over many days – may itself constitute an offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, which prohibits the causing of unnecessary suffering to animals. We are already obliged to do better: Existing legislation, as well as the pest control industry’s guidelines, require that preventative methods such as rodent proofing and prevention measures are exhausted before any rodenticide is used. The routine use of poison bait as a first resort is likely unlawful. Humane solutions are not complicated and there are companies out there who follow an ethical approach to managing wildlife in public areas. Check out Humane Wildlife Solutions, for example. As animal rights advocates, we urgently need to step up efforts to stop the silent killing of our wildlife by SGARs and other poisons. We need to make our case loudly and set out the alternatives clearly. The routine use of lethal poisons causes immeasurable suffering and it needs to stop. SHARE LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2026 Protect the Wild Protect the Wild, 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden, London, W2CH 9JQ Unsubscribe Start writing

PROTECT THE WILD - THEIR FOURTH MONTHLY UPDATE OF ‘EYE ON THE WILD’

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more Eye on the Wild - Your weekly roundup of British wildlife news Eye on the Wild #4 ELIZA EGRET JUN 21 READ IN APP Welcome to the fourth edition of Eye on the Wild, our new weekly roundup designed to keep you up to date with the latest stories concerning British wildlife. Each week, we’ll share important news, updates and stories from across the UK, including issues, species, and campaigns that may not always make the headlines. We’ll also highlight ways you can help and take action for wildlife. If you have a story you think we should cover, email us at contact@protectthewild.org.uk Natural history will soon be a GCSE subject! The government has announced news that natural history is one step closer to being taught in classrooms. One of the core aims of the GCSE is for students to acquire deep knowledge of the species and habitats that make up the natural world in the UK. The GCSE will include at least 20 hours of fieldwork, and pupils will develop hands-on research skills through documenting field evidence, using classification systems and analysing data. Pupils will learn the effect of destructive human activities on wildlife and habitats, and learn how to protect them. The government frames the new GCSE around advantages for the British workforce, stating that the GCSE will “grow next generation of green careers”. But at Protect the Wild, we believe the real value is simpler: children who grow up knowing nature, and therefore wanting to be proper custodians of it. If you’re a teacher, parent or pupil, the government wants your say on what’s in the curriculum. The consultation runs until 4 September. Make your voice heard and help shape a generation of young conservationists. Fill in the consultation Hazel dormice have been released into woodland More than 40 hazel dormice have been released into ancient woodland in Leicestershire. This was the second release of the dormice onto the Bradgate Park Trust estate, as part of a national reintroduction programme by the People's Trust for Endangered Species. UK populations have decreased by 70% since 2000. They are now locally extinct in 20 English counties. Loss of woodland and hedgerows, changes to traditional land management, and the effects of climate change, are all contributing to the hazel dormouse's decline. Dormice sleep through most of the day and come alive at night, climbing trees in search of hazelnuts, berries and insects. They spend five months of the year hibernating, and they even snore! Each release is a small but vital step in reversing the hazel dormouse's decline before it's too late. Dog guardians are responsible for the decline of Little Tern numbers at a key breeding colony People with dogs must act more responsibly as Little Tern numbers have fallen steeply at a key UK seabird colony. Populations have decreased by 50% at Seaton Carew near Hartlepool. Just 55 nesting pairs have been recorded, half the number volunteers had hoped for. In May, Tees Valley Wildlife Trust volunteer wardens recorded 427 cases where dogs were inside the exclusion zone. In June, there were 93 cases on one day alone. Even brief disturbances can cause adult birds to abandon their nests, leaving eggs and chicks vulnerable. Little Terns migrate thousands of miles from West Africa each spring to nest on UK beaches. Their numbers have fallen 39% since the 1980s due to habitat loss, disturbance and predation. Hartlepool Borough Council stated that dog guardians should: respect the dog exclusion zone, keep dogs on leads near the nesting area, respect the fencing and warning signage, give wildlife plenty of space. Of course, this advice applies at all beaches that are used as nesting sites in the UK. A top private school hunt has been caught illegally killing a hare with children present On 4 June, Stowe School huntsman Philip Kennedy pleaded guilty to hunting a wild mammal with dogs. A member of the public's drone footage caught the hunt in the act on 13 November 2025. Kennedy shook hands with hunt members while his hounds mauled the hare. He was fined a pitiful £258 and ordered to pay £585 court costs and a £103 victim surcharge. The hare’s life was practically worthless in the eyes of the law. Stowe School in Buckinghamshire is one of Britain's most exclusive boarding schools. In his role as huntsman, Kennedy was listed as part of the Games department on the Stowe School website. Just after he was convicted, the school removed the listing. Schools like Stowe, Eton College and Radley College are grooming the next generation of hunters and indoctrinating children into a world of violence. Kennedy's conviction follows a familiar pattern. It’s a token punishment that changes nothing for him or the hunt. The Hunt Saboteurs Association has released footage of the gruesome reality of stag hunting On 11 June, the HSA released footage of the Devon & Somerset Stag Hounds terrorising a hind, with hunt master Steve Coates in shot. You can view the video here. The HSA stated: “Her back leg is visibly broken or dislocated and is hanging uselessly as she cowers in deep water, desperately trying to hide against the bank. Two hounds are deliberately allowed to torment her at close range while she stands spent, trembling, and in total physical collapse – the so-called “at bay” moment so beloved of the stag hunters.” Stag hunting is possibly the UK’s most gruesome blood sport. Hunters use a variety of transport methods to murder deer, including quad bikes, motorbikes and on horseback. It is near-impossible for a stag to escape. When he is exhausted from an hours-long chase, he collapses. He is then shot by a gun-carrier, his throat is slit, and his body is divided up as different trophy parts. The HSA video is yet more proof that whoever is Prime Minister - Starmer or Burnham - they need to immediately act to protect wildlife from lunatics like those in the Devon and Somerset Stag Hounds. Dorset and Somerset Bassets huntsman has been convicted of illegal hunting On 18 June, huntsman Charlie Ford was convicted of hunting a hare. Ford was in charge of the pack and made no attempt to stop or recall the dogs from the hare. The incident took place in Bagber, Dorset, on 13 October 2024. This hunt, which routinely breaks the law as it terrorises hares, is owned by famous racehorse trainer Colin Tizzard. Ford was fined a measly £648, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £259, as well as court costs of £650. Meanwhile, three members of the notorious Beaufort Hunt have been charged under the Hunting Act this week, after killing a fox on 20 December 2025. Charges and convictions damage hunt reputations. But reputational damage isn’t enough. Labour has the power to ban hunting for good, if it has the political will to do so. SHARE LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2026 Protect the Wild Protect the Wild, 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden, London, W2CH 9JQ Unsubscribe Start writing

PROTECT THE WILD STEALS THE NEWS IN MAKERFIELD ALONGSIDE ANDY BURNHAM

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more Millions saw our message: PROTECT BRITISH WILDLIFE JUN 19 READ IN APP In the early hours of this morning, I found myself standing on a stage beside Andy Burnham, one of the most influential politicians in Britain and a man many believe could one day become Prime Minister. Millions of people watching national television coverage saw one clear message: Protect British Wildlife. There was no escaping it. I stood as a candidate in the Makerfield by-election for one reason: to force British wildlife into a political conversation that too often ignores it. While the broadcasters l cut away from my impromptu speech (watch below), they could not avoid the message itself. Standing directly beside the winning candidate, with cameras broadcasting across the country, I was able to put the plight of British wildlife front and centre. And that matters. Because despite promises of change, wildlife continue to be pushed to the bottom of the political agenda. A Government Failing Wildlife The current Government came into office promising a better future for animals. Yet since taking power, we have seen a series of deeply disappointing reversals. Plans to ban trophy hunting imports have been abandoned. Promised action on foie gras imports has disappeared. Badger culling continued for two years and despite now having ended there, the Govt has still not ruled out the possibility of it coming back. Meanwhile, wildlife protections continue to be weakened in favour of development, and species across Britain remain in decline. Now the Government has just finished consulting on the future of hunting. That is welcome. But consultation alone is not enough. There is still no clear commitment to removing all of the loopholes and exemptions in the 2004 Hunting Act that allow hunts to continue operating. There is still no timetable for legislation. And there remains genuine concern that reforms could fall short of what animals desperately need. Taking the Message Directly to Andy Burnham Before the count, I had the opportunity to speak directly with Andy Burnham. I told him plainly that his party has failed British wildlife. I explained that since coming into power, the Government has U-turned on key animal protection promises while making life easier for developers and harder for wildlife. I urged him that if he is serious about becoming Prime Minister in the future, he must show leadership on issues that matter to millions of people who care about animals. That means finally ending fox hunting for good. It means committing to a complete end to the badger cull. And it means recognising that British wildlife cannot continue to be treated as an afterthought. Interestingly, when I asked for a photograph with Andy before the results were declared while holding a sign reading “Protect British Wildlife”, his team declined the request. Perhaps not the most encouraging start for a politician with national ambitions. To his credit, Andy listened to what I had to say. And he pointed out that he had voted to ban fox hunting during his time as an MP, and said he heard my concerns and appreciated me raising them. Fortunately, once the results were announced, there was no avoiding the message. Standing directly beside Andy on the stage, with cameras and photographers capturing the moment from every angle, the words “Protect British Wildlife” were broadcast and photographed nationwide. We won’t stop fighting. Thank you for your incredible support as always, onwards and upwards! Donate to Protect the Wild SHARE LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2026 Protect the Wild Protect the Wild, 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden, London, W2CH 9JQ Unsubscribe Start writing

FRIENDS OF THE EARTH - SUPPORT THEM

View in browser Dear John, Since my email last week, over 30,000 of you have signed our petition calling on the UK government to stop its needless attacks on nature. Now, with Andy Burnham’s election win in Makerfield, the potential Labour leadership race is heating up — so this is our moment to demand a change of direction and an end to the bat-bashing. Let’s push for a future where wildlife thrives and ecosystems recover. Future generations are counting on us. I'LL SIGN THE PETITION I’ve pasted my original email below for more info. Best wishes, Sienna Dear John, UK food production could one day collapse because of biodiversity loss, according to the Joint Intelligence Committee [1]. Put simply, without thriving wildlife and ecosystems, worldwide and at home, the UK won’t be able to feed itself. And yet the UK government continues to blame the environmental protections we all rely on for the country’s economic woes. But with a Labour leadership battle on the horizon, now is the time to demand an end to the government’s needless attacks on nature. I'LL SIGN THE PETITION From the loss of pollinators like bees and butterflies, to the dangers of depleted soils, drought and floods, the Joint Intelligence Committee pinpointed biodiversity loss as one of the biggest threats to domestic food production. It should be obvious – strong ecosystems and biodiversity make the UK more resilient. So why does the government pretend nature is a threat to development [2]? It’s the exact opposite. Research shows that protecting nature is even a vote winner. So with turmoil at the top of government, now’s the time to tell politicians to change course. And turn things around for the sake of future generations. I'LL SIGN THE PETITION Thriving nature means a thriving UK. Let’s make it happen. Sienna, Campaigner, Friends of the Earth NOTES: [1] Nature security assessment on global biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and national security, Gov.uk. [2] Government rolls back nature protections to boost housing, BBC News. About us Supporter promise Privacy policy Contact us DONATE This email was sent to spanishjohnedwards@gmail.com Want to change how you receive these emails? Unsubscribe from this list We send communications to our supporters who have opted in to receive emails from us. Friends of the Earth Limited. Reg. No. 01012357. Incorporated in England and Wales. Registered office: Friends of the Earth The Printworks 139 Clapham Road London, SW9 0HP United Kingdom Copyright © Friends of the Earth Limited

PROTECT THE WILD - LABOUR MP DEFENDS THE GUGA HUNT BUT GETS HIS FACTS WRONG - FUNNY BUT SAD

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more Labour MP Loses his Temper at Guga Hunt Protestors He accused us of “attention-seeking” “virtue-signalling” behaviour and of having a “saviour-complex” DEVON DOCHERTY JUN 18 READ IN APP We appear to have pissed off a Labour MP. Allow us to explain why we're not sorry. Torcuil Crichton, Labour MP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar (the Western Isles in Scotland), accused us and other anti-Guga hunt campaigners of “attention-seeking” “virtue-signalling” behaviour and of having a “saviour-complex” for trying to stop the annual killing of Gannet chicks by hunters in his constituency. END THE GUGA HUNT It seems Mr Crichton simply could not accept that there are people in the world who have a problem with 10 men sailing to a protected native seabird colony, bashing Gannet chicks to death in front of their parents, and selling the carcasses for a profit. Torcuil released a new public statement, where he said the campaign to end the Guga hunt was “fuelled by a lack of real purpose in life”. He even went on to insult our infamous Gannet suit: ”The ‘Goo-ga’ campaign does fall into the virtue-signalling camp of activism and to prove their commitment someone undertook a sweat-drenched election campaign in a penguin suit (he didn’t look anything like a gannet) and was willing to put others at risk by climbing onto the roof of a public building.” We suggest Mr Crichton might want to take a trip to Specsavers if he thought our tailor-made Gannet costume was a penguin. Unfortunately, a man so busy looking down his nose at wildlife campaigners appears to have lost sight of the people he was elected to represent - many of whom oppose the Guga hunt, but are afraid to speak out because of exactly the kind of dismissive, belittling rhetoric his statement exemplifies. We have personally been in touch with people from the Islands who vehemently disagree with the hunt, but fear ostracisation from the community if they speak out. And when their elected MP is publicly mocking and ridiculing those who oppose the hunt, is it any wonder? Mr Crichton’s statement also suggests he may have confused our founder, Rob, standing as a giant Gannet in the Scottish Parliament election with the activist who climbed onto the roof of NatureScot’s offices in a direct action protest. The latter was an action carried out by a completely separate campaign group, Abolish the Guga Hunt. For someone so keen to lecture others on the issue, Torcuil seems surprisingly unfamiliar with even the most basic facts. Then again, this is the same man who mistook a Gannet for a penguin. He went on to defend the hunt by saying: “The guga harvest is an essential part of the history, culture and identity of Ness. It is conducted with due reverence to sustainability and importantly to what it means to the continuation of the living tradition of the islands.” Tradition, culture, identity…these are the exact same arguments Labour rightly rejected when they banned fox hunting. And now they claim Labour is “the only party that can be trusted on animal welfare”. I don’t think that claim can accommodate a practice that even the SSPCA opposes on welfare grounds. So Mr Crichton would be wise to look at the history and stated values of his own party. He is right about one thing though - the Guga hunt is part of the history of Ness. But that is exactly where it should stay, because the mass slaughter of native wildlife clearly has no place in Scotland’s future. No amount of huffing, puffing or parliamentary pearl-clutching will change that. If Torcuil's tirade tells us anything, it's that this campaign is getting noticed. And if that worries him, wait until he sees how many more people sign the petition after we send this email. Button below. DO US PROUD! SHARE LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2026 Protect the Wild Protect the Wild, 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden, London, W2CH 9JQ Unsubscribe Start writing

STOWE BEAGLES - THEY MUST BE ON THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM AT PRIVATE SCHOOL

View this email in your browser Hi, Supporter Sick Private School Hunt Guilty of Killing Hare The huntsman of a boarding school beagle pack pleaded guilty to illegal hunting last week, after shocking drone footage caught them killing a hare and then congratulating each other. Philip Kennedy shakes hands to congratulate another hunt member - believed to be a school boy - as they stand over the scene of the kill Phillip Kennedy, 48, kennel huntsman of the Stowe Beagles - the hunt of the prestigious Buckinghamshire private school of the same name - pleaded guilty to the illegal hunting of a wild mammal with dogs contrary to the Hunting Act 2005 at Northampton Magistrates Court on Thursday 4th June. Drone footage of the incident shows a hare being chased by the pack across a field, as hunt members watch on, before the hare is caught and killed by beagles on a fence line. The hare is pursued across a field by the pack of beagles before being caught and killed on a fence line. Hunt members can be seen watching the chase from the field side Within moments of the kill, three hunt members - some believed to be schoolboys - reach the scene and immediately shake hands to congratulate each other. Shortly afterwards, more hunt members arrive and the celebrations are repeated as the pack of beagles ‘break up’ the killed hare. The incident happened on land belonging to Crockwell Farm, a wedding venue and B&B near Eydon in Northamptonshire, on 13th November 2025 after the hunt met there. Philip Kennedy and other hunt members again congratulate each other with celebratory hand shakes as the pack pull apart the killed hare Kennedy, listed on the Stowe School’s website with the ‘Stowe Beagles’ position in the ‘Games Department,’ was fined a pathetic £258, with a victim surcharge of £103 and CPS costs of £585. Stowe is one of a number of exclusive schools and colleges that has its own pack of beagles, offering hunting as part of their extra curricular activities. Students take on active positions in the hunt such as hunting hounds, whipping-in or taking positions on the hunt mastership. A Hunt Saboteurs Association spokesperson said, “Once again, we have another court case and more footage shining a light on the illegal activities of hunts today, this time a hare killing beagle pack." “The sick celebrations of these hunters lay bare their intent. But what makes this case even more shocking is the fact that school children were not only present and participating, but that the illegal activity was organised and facilitated by their school!” “This isn’t just an illegal hunting and animal cruelty issue - it’s a safeguarding issue.” “We need to see urgent action by the Government, bringing forward a real ban on hunting with hounds, and for school hunts such as the Stowe Beagles to be shut down with immediate effect.” Over the last twenty years, the hunters have proved themselves to be absolutely determined to carry on hunting. To stop them we need a ban on trail hunting - together with our other recommendations - to produce a watertight ban that even the extremist hunters cannot overcome. You can complete the trail hunting consultation here Complete the Trail Hunting Consultation Join the Hunt Saboteurs Association! Support our vital work by becoming a member. Join The HSA Spread the word! Please share our news Share via email Facebook icon Instagram icon Twitter icon Logo Copyright (C) 2026 Hunt Saboteurs Association. All rights reserved. You were subscribed to the newsletter from Hunt Saboteurs Association. Our mailing address is: BM HSA, London, WC1N 3XX, U.K. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe

THE SHOOTING INDUSTRY DOES NOT WANT US TO KNOW ABOUT THIS - BEAK GUARDS ARE NOT NATURAL

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more The shooting industry doesn't want you to see this PROTECT THE WILD JUN 9 READ IN APP Many of our readers have been in touch to ask about the strange plastic devices visible on the beaks of birds in some of the images we’ve used with previous articles. Many of us won’t have seen these things before, but what you are seeing are called beak guards — or “bits” — and in the next few articles we will explain why they are used and how they are fitted. We think you will be shocked. We were. Beak guards, also known as “bits,” are small plastic devices clipped through a bird’s nostrils to prevent the beak from closing fully. Plastic spectacles - rigid plastic blinders fitted over a male pheasant’s eyes to block his forward vision - are sometimes used alongside them: if they cannot see another pheasant directly in front of them, the thinking of the farm operator goes, they are significantly less likely to attack or chase each other. Become a Game Changer Become a Game Changer Neither the poultry nor the shooting industry promotes these devices as standard husbandry. Quite the opposite. Industry guidance is explicit: beak guards and bits are temporary management aids, to be used only as a last resort when all other interventions have failed. In fact, guidance makes clear that they should never be the default response to aggression. Environmental changes - more space, improved lighting, better enrichment, reduced stocking density - must be attempted first. This is the exact quote from the government’s ‘Code of practice for the welfare of gamebirds reared for sporting purposes’ (the highlighting is ours): 5.1 The use of management devices or practices that do not allow birds to fully express their range of normal behaviours should not be considered as routine and keepers should work towards the ideal of management systems that do not require these devices. Such devices and practices include mutilations such as beak trimming, procedures to prevent or limit flight such as brailing (placing a band on a wing to prevent extension of the wing), trimming of non-sensitive flight feathers and the use of bits, spectacles and hoods to prevent feather pecking, egg eating or aggression. “Should not be considered as routine.” Heart of England, the pheasant and partridge breeding farm where an undercover investigator worked for a month, did not treat bits as a last resort. Our investigators found that fitting them WAS entirely routine. At Heart of England, bird after bird was fitted with a plastic beak guard. Not some birds. Not birds showing extreme aggression. Almost all of them. Even sick birds. Even hen pheasants nearly blind with Mycoplasma. Can you imagine the suffering of the birds in the images below? The ‘life’ these poor birds were ‘living’. No, we can’t either… Become a Game Changer Regardless of whether individual animals had shown any aggressive behaviour at all, they were fitted with guards. This is not a welfare intervention. This is a production system that has accepted - and planned for - a level of animal suffering so routine that mutilating every bird’s face has simply become part of the process. It also tells us that the people running this farm knew, or should have known, that their conditions were causing birds to attack one another. Aggression, feather pecking, even cannibalism - the behaviours that bits are designed to suppress - do not emerge in well-managed, low-stress environments. They are the product of confinement, overcrowding, boredom and fear. These are stress responses. They are what happens when social animals with strong instincts to roam, forage, dustbathe and escape are denied all of those things. When ‘enrichment’ is a wooden board, and birds are stacked on top of each other in ‘colony cages’. It tells you everything you need to know about what life is like inside facilities like these - and why birds like pheasants have no place in a cage. Rather than address those root causes, Heart of England reached for the plastic clip. It is a revealing choice. The farm’s answer to the problem of birds living in conditions that drive them to harm one another was not to change the conditions. It was to change the birds. To physically prevent them from acting on impulses that their environment was producing in the first place. This is the logic of the factory farm. When animals behave like animals, don’t fix the system: fix the animal. How typical of an industry that complacently congratulates itself on its ‘welfare standards’ while cramming birds in bare cages for months then selling them to shoots for hobbyists to blow out of the air. The implications go far beyond one farm, though. Pheasants are not domesticated animals. They are legally classified as wild birds in the UK, and the industry that breeds them commercially trades heavily on that identity. These are “wild” birds, we are told, released to live freely and naturally. But the image of the wild pheasant sits in sharp contradiction with the reality of a shed full of birds with plastic clips on their faces, unable to peck, unable to behave normally, trapped in conditions so inadequate that without physical restraint they would tear each other apart. There is no humane version of this system. The need for universal bitting is not a management failure at Heart of England specifically - it is proof of a structural impossibility. Pheasants are wild birds. Cage them in large numbers, deny them the space and stimulation their nature demands, and conflict is not a risk to be managed. It is a certainty. The bit is not the solution to that problem. It is the admission that the problem cannot be solved. In our next article, we will show you what the fitting of these devices actually looks like. Birds grabbed, held upside down in ‘bunches’, carried to a table or upturned crates full of scared pheasants, and pinned down while a plastic clip is forced through their nostrils. You can see the terror in their eyes. The footage is difficult to watch. You may want to look away. We are asking you not to. We are asking you to stay with it, to witness what these birds - and millions like them in breeding farms across the country - endured every single day without choice, without relief, and without anyone to speak for them - until now. The birds couldn’t turn away. Neither should we. Images and video recorded by our undercover investigator at Heart of England in 2025. We are working to END BIRD SHOOTING. This suffering has to stop. Please share this article. Share our socials. Follow us for updates. End Bird Shooting Over the coming months our campaign will look at the shooting industry at every level. We will highlight the suppliers — the farms, hatcheries, importers and breeders producing tens of millions of birds under conditions that would provoke public outcry if applied to any other animal. We will expose the providers — the estates and syndicates that take those factory-farmed birds and sell the experience of killing them as leisure. And we will look at the clients — the paying guns who are fully aware of the wildlife crime, the trapping of native predators, and the mass suffering involved, and who have decided that none of it is reason enough to stay away. This industry survives because suppliers supply, providers provide, and clients pay. We intend to examine them all. We are working to END BIRD SHOOTING. This suffering has to stop. Please share this article. Share our socials. Follow us for updates. Join the movement. Become a Game Changer. We are at the beginning of something. Months of undercover work. Hundreds of hours of footage. Farms across the UK exposed. And we are only just getting started. But investigations alone do not end industries. People do. We are asking you to become a Game Changer. To stand with us as we take this fight forward, week by week, piece by piece, until the public, the media and the politicians can no longer look away. The first 500 people to sign up will receive a limited edition pin badge. This is the beginning. Be part of it. Become a Game Changer SHARE LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2026 Protect the Wild Protect the Wild, 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden, London, W2CH 9JQ Unsubscribe Start writing