On 13th November 2021, a fox was illegally hunted and killed on land owned by Richard Drax, MP. This was the second fox to die on Mr Drax's land that day.

On 18th October 2022, Mark Pearson, Joint Master of the South Dorset Hunt, was convicted of offences under the Hunting Act 2004. Mr Pearson was in charge of the hounds that killed the fox on Mr Drax's land on 13th December. 

Section 3 of the Hunting Act states:
“A person commits an offence if he knowingly permits land which belongs to him to be entered or used in the course of the commission of an offence under Section 1." 

Section 1 of the Hunting Act states:
"A person commits an offence if he hunts a wild mammal with a dog.” 

The South Dorset Hunt claim to be "trail hunting", but it is clear that the activities of the hunt pose a regular risk to foxes living on land belonging to Mr Drax. 

Mr Drax is the largest single landowner in Dorset. Given the conviction, Action Against Foxhunting (AAF) and Weymouth Animal Rights (WAR) are asking him if he will withdraw his permission from the South Dorset Hunt and stop them from using his land to hunt.

No MP (past or present) should have any association with a convicted person, or indeed with an activity as controversial as fox hunting. 

This petition was started by Action Against Foxhunting (AAF)  and Weymouth Animal Rights (WAR). 

FOR MORE DETAILS, CLICK HERE:

https://www.actionagainstfoxhunting.org/richard-drax-stop-allowing-the-hunts-to-use-your-land/