Crime Minister Victoria Atkins and cross-party MPs showed their support for the CLA’s campaign to stamp out hare coursing at an event in Westminster yesterday.

The Home Office Minister heard first-hand from CLA members about the impact hare coursing has on rural businesses and communities.

Hare coursing is where dogs are used to chase, catch and kill hares with betting on the outcome; it was outlawed by the 2004 Hunting Act and takes place illegally without the permission of the landowner.

The CLA, whose members own or manage more than 10 million acres of rural land across England and Wales, highlighted the seriousness of this rural crime to MPs, calling for sentencing guidelines specifically related to the crime.

CLA President Tim Breitmeyer said: “Hare coursing is illegal and an abhorrent crime that causes damage to land and property and those who seek to intervene are often threatened, intimidated or attacked.

“Hare coursers are hardened criminals who make large sums of money as a result of black market gambling and tough action is needed to stop them.

“Introducing specific sentences for hare coursing and helping police reclaim kennelling costs for dogs seized from offenders would help to deter the crime and make rural communities feel safer.”

Among those MPs lending their support to stamp out hare coursing were Shadow Minister (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) David Drew and Graham Stuart, MP for Beverley and Holderness, who hosted the event.

Graham Stuart said: “Raising awareness of and supporting this campaign is extremely important as it affects so many people and communities across the UK and is not exclusive to any particular region or area, we must all work towards ultimately eradicating this criminal act from our society.

“For too long have our rural communities and farmers been terrorised by groups of people doing this vulgar so-called ‘sport’. It is right that we make more policy makers aware of the crime and advise them on what they can do to help support the campaign.

“It is my hope that along with the CLA, other MPs and support from people across the UK we can work together to put an end to hare coursing".

CLA North Adviser Libby Bateman said: “Every year following harvest, farmers and landowners brace themselves for a rise in hare coursing, and we receive almost daily reports from across the North. We appreciate that police have a range of significant pressures but we want to ensure that tackling hare coursing remains a priority.

“It is a misconception for people to think that hare coursing is a minor crime in the countryside. Those involved in this illegal, high-stakes betting activity are hardened criminals – often using threats, intimidation and in some cases violence, against anyone who questions or challenges their actions.”

The CLA, in partnership with the UK National Wildlife Crime Unit, have created signs encouraging people to report this illegal activity. Landowners and farmers interested in obtaining these signs should contact CLA North Adviser Libby Bateman on telephone 01748 90 7070, or by emailing libby.bateman@cla.org.uk

Click here to read the CLA’s action plan to stamp out hare coursing in full.