Target: Tim Smith, Chief Constable, Kent, United Kingdom
Goal: Identify and prosecute those responsible for chasing and killing 22 hares with sighthounds, and dismantle organized hare-coursing operations linked to illegal gambling.
Twenty-two dead hares were discovered deliberately laid out in rows across an agricultural field. Veterinary examination determined that the animals had been chased down and mauled to death by sighthounds. Several of the dead hares were nursing mothers, leaving dependent young in surrounding fields vulnerable to starvation.
No suspect has been identified. Rural communities report a broader surge in illegal hare coursing, in which dogs are used to pursue and kill wild hares while participants record the hunts. Farming and gamekeeping groups say organized groups also use these events for illegal gambling and frequently enter private farmland at night in off-road vehicles.
This was not the loss of a single animal. Twenty-two hares were killed in one incident, while dependent young may suffer further deaths after losing their mothers. Kent Police should examine trail-camera recordings, vehicle sightings, mobile and digital evidence obtained lawfully, witness reports, and information concerning online gambling activity. Identify those responsible, disrupt the wider coursing network, and prosecute every offender supported by the evidence.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Chief Constable Smith,
A farmer discovered 22 dead hares arranged in rows across a field. Veterinary examination determined that the animals had been chased and mauled by sighthounds. Several were nursing mothers, leaving dependent young without their mothers and at serious risk of starvation.
No suspect has yet been identified. Please ensure specialized rural crime officers pursue all available evidence, including trail cameras, suspicious vehicle movements, witness information, online recordings, and any lawful evidence connecting organized coursing with gambling activity.
Find the people responsible for these killings and dismantle any wider organized operation supported by the investigation. If the evidence establishes hare coursing, wildlife offenses, illegal gambling, trespass, or related crimes, prosecute those responsible and seek meaningful penalties. Rural wildlife and communities should not be left vulnerable to repeated organized killing.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Natural England
