Police Step Up Fight Against Hare Coursers

Chasing hares with dogs was banned in 2005 but the blood sport has seen a rise in the number of people taking part, police say. Once the dogs have caught sight of the hare, they're released from their leashes, and give chase. The wild animal might turn a few times in the field as it's pursued - this is often what the men are betting on - but the blood sport usually ends in a kill. Hare coursing has been illegal for more than a decade now, but as another 'season' comes to an end, police across eastern England have faced an increase in cases.

Lincolnshire police say they've dealt with reports almost every day this winter, with the men they've arrested coming from across the UK.
"They come from as far afield as Wales, County Durham, Manchester, Kent, and Sussex" explains Chief Inspector Jim Tyner.
"The flat land brings them here, the lack of hedgerows means you get a long view of when dogs are chasing hares."
Huge sums of money are bet on the blood sport - anecdotal reports suggest as much as £20,000 can change hands during sessions of coursing.

If police suspect the groups of men are involved in coursing, they have powers to seize dogs and cars. This, coupled with the money at play, can lead to threats and intimidation against those who get in coursers' way
Farmer Mark Leggott, whose fields are the perfect terrain for coursing, says it's caused him immense stress.


http://news.sky.com/story/1645653/police-step-up-fight-against-hare-coursers