Hunt kills family fox, given €2500 fine by Gardaí
An unregistered fox hunt who killed a beloved family fox has been fined €2500 euro for breaking Covid19 level 5 restrictions this morning in south Castlecomer, Kilkenny.
Leinster Hunt Saboteurs were called at 11:02am by a local in the area south of Castlecomer who wishes to not be named. The anonymous local expressed that the hounds were in her garden and a fox had ran up her road. Leinster Hunt Saboteurs then advised the woman and her partner to film the hunters and call the Gardaí.
Our source said she witnessed her fox friend running up the middle of her road looking exhausted, several seconds later around 20 hounds were seen running and howling after the fox.
“They were a fox I fed every second night… I saw the hounds running after the fox… we could hear it all… they were in my garden” - anonymous local
An unnamed male Gardaí was called on the area and was claimed to issue a €2500 euro Covid fine to the several hunting men. The Garda then confirmed to our source the hunters had killed her beloved family fox. The hunt quickly vacated the area, however, our source stated the hunters circled back around, driving past her house and pointed at her house in a threatening manner. Leinster Hunt Saboteurs stated they heard what could have been the sound of the horn over the phone and that the sound of the hounds howling was “clear and very loud” while on the call. Castlecomer Garda Station declined to comment on the matter.
The various vehicle registrations of the hunt vehicles included Wexford, Kildare and Dublin as shown in the video captured by our source and her family. We have had dozens of reports throughout level 5 lockdown of hunts breaking covid restrictions to kill foxes and hares.
The nearest registered hunt in the area of Castlecomer is “Kilkenny Hunt”, however, they are 26km away so it is highly likely this pack was an unregistered pack. There is around 130 registered hunting packs and equally as many unregistered hunting packs in Ireland.
One of several men fined by Gardaí for breaching Covid restrictions