Shot in the head because she wanted to play - the story of Scamp
The hound who seems to be drugged before being shot was just a youngster. Called ‘puppy’ by the hunt staff whenever they called the pack of young dogs in from the exercise field. She had been nicknamed ‘Scamp’ by the HIT investigation who waded through the weeks of footage, due to her naughty, playful nature and her reluctance to leave the exercise field and go back to the kennels.
Scamp was presumably drugged to keep her still and docile while they killed her, due to her habit of running off to play. Even while drugged she tried her hardest to get away from her executioner before her legs gave out and she fell to the ground. She tried again, made her way to the gate, tried to get back to the safety of her pack. But there was no escape.
Whenever her small pack was left out in the field, Scamp always tended to be the one who refused to go back in. The one who ran and dodged about. The one who had to be chased by the hunt staff, often for 10-15 minutes, before she was caught and dragged in, or ran in with her tail between her legs.
Why was she so reluctant to go back in? Was she just having too much fun running around the field, or was there a darker reason, something more disturbing going on?
On one occasion a hunt staff member can be heard angrily saying “It’s always the same f*****g one” as he tramps around after her. Days later they shot her in the head.
Scamp just wanted to run and play. Her only crime was to be an exuberant young dog. She did not deserve the fate she got. She did not deserve to die. Her tail still wagging for over a minute after she was shot.
Scamp has been punished for simply wanting to run and play, with your support we will ensure that Scamps death is not in vain, and we will fight to ensure that wild foxes have the freedom and protection to ‘run and play’ without fear of persecution.
Help us end hunting. Donate or adopt a fox in memory of Scamp and fund more investigations like this one so we can end this vile pastime for good.
Thank you.