Hare coursing: how to correctly report criminal activity

With spring on its way and snowdrops beginning to bloom, last year’s harvest seems a distant memory. However, that marked the start of a season that many landowners dread and one that lasts until this year’s crop has gained enough height to mask the black tipped ears of the brown hare.

Hare coursing is the pursuit of hares with dogs. Dogs are used to chase the hare across fields with the winner of the course being the dog that catches and kills the hare, as bets are placed. Hare coursing is illegal and was banned under the Hunting Act 2004 and in most instances is linked to serious organised crime, generating huge sums of money with gangs live streaming the activity around the world.

Not only does coursing impact wildlife, but the damage to gates, growing crops, fences, hedges and the safety, security and mental health of those impacted is not to be underestimated. Coursers pay no regard to physical barriers, often ramming gates or driving through hedgerows in stolen vehicles to gain access to suitable land.

Rural police forces are improving their success in tackling hare coursing through officer and call handler education, and by running strategic operations (such as Operation Galileo) often joining up to run cross-county border operations with neighbouring forces. This is particularly useful where criminals have become adept at moving to neighbouring counties when prevention tightens in one area. Use of Criminal Behaviour Orders, driving bans and disqualifications from keeping animals all help to disrupt coursing activity, along with seizure of dogs, equipment and vehicles.

There are few truly effective deterrents, and when coursing is taking place, police advice is to never put yourself at risk or confront those involved. There have been some recent instances in the south of England that resulted in brutal attacks and so this advice should be taken extremely seriously. However, community awareness and education is critical. Village WhatsApp groups, Farm Watch or Disc alerts all allow immediate reporting of anything that “just doesn’t look right” and all reports help to build a case and locate those involved.

To improve awareness, the CLA can provide members with signs that prompt anyone witnessing coursing to call 999 – quoting Operation Galileo, to quickly identify the crime. If possible, when calling, as much information should be provided as possible, including:

• Are the suspect/s alone or in a group?
• Do they have dogs or firearms with them?
• What type of dogs?
• Where are they going - direction of travel if leaving/just left?
• Where have they been?
• What do they look like?
• How many vehicles, what are the number plates and vehicle models or any distinctive damage/marks visible?
• Any damage caused to fence/gates/fields?
• Name of landowner
• Has there been any intimidation of the landowner, farmer, agent?

If you have the What3Words app, you can also use this to provide location data to the police call handler. Find out more about What3Words here.

Each CLA regional office now has a supply of hare coursing awareness signs that any affected member can request. Please contact your regional team if you would like some sent out to you.

The CLA is often approached for regional case studies by media contacts and if you are happy to share your experiences of rural crime including fly tipping, coursing, livestock worrying, machinery theft, fish poaching etc, please also let the regional teams know.