Hunt hound killed on main road between Kettering and Northampton

A passing motorist took this picture of the hound at the side of the busy road.

Police were called to the busy road, at the stretch between Sywell and Hannington, just before 2pm after the hound was fatally hit by a car.

Traffic was stopped and images taken by people at the scene show the dead hound, with another appearing to show a hunt whipper dragging the dog by its legs.

It’s believed that the hunting hounds were part of the Pytchley Hunt, based in Brixworth. Hunt master Stuart Morris, who leads the hunt on Mondays, has been contacted for a comment.

A police spokesman said: “Someone called us to say traffic had stopped because there was a dead dog in the road.

“Information has been sent to the rural crime team who will be looking into it.”

In December, a hunt hound was killed after being hit by a car on the A14 near Thrapston.

The Northants Hunt Saboteurs, who try to thwart hunts, said no saboteurs were present.

The hunt was trail hunting, a form of hunting created after the fox hunting ban was introduced in England and Wales in 2004.

It purports to mimic fox hunting but by following a fox urine scent laid before the hunt begins rather than targeting wildlife.

Animal welfare campaigners monitoring the activities of fox hunts claim that trail hunting is actually a deception used by hunts to fool the public and cover up their illegal hunting activities.

Campaigners say that if hounds were loose on a busy road it throws claims of trail hunting into doubt.

Chris Luffingham, director of campaigns at the League Against Cruel Sports, said: “Why were hunting hounds loose on a busy A road if they were following a trail laid by the hunt?

“Despite hunting being banned 14 years ago, very little has changed with hunts still chasing foxes.

“On this occasion, they spilled out on to a busy main road with tragic consequences.

“Hunts are still causing havoc in the British countryside and are routinely being witnessed on busy roads, on railway lines and in people’s gardens – how can this be so if they are following a trail?”

The League Against Cruel Sports says it received 197 reports of suspected illegal hunting activity across the UK since the beginning of the hunting season on November 1.

There have been 23 separate reports of foxes being killed although the League says it suspects this is the tip of the iceberg.