A Perthshire woman has warned rural homeowners to be vigilant for a brutal, banned bloodsport taking place outside their very homes.
Catriona Pattullo, South Lochton, Abernyte, was left shocked when greyhounds used for hare coursing were spotted in the grounds of her family’s farm.
The shocking ‘sport’ involves training greyhounds or lurchers by getting them to chase, mutilate and, ultimately, kill hares.
Catriona said: “My dad spotted two greyhound dogs, one pure white and the other dark in colour, run past their house.
“He just happened to be walking past the window as they ran past. This must have been about 7am on a Sunday morning.”
Catriona and her sister Heather Eales gave chase down to the farm’s fields but by the time they arrived the perpetrators had made their escape.
She explained: “We could see the fresh tyre tracks going in and out of the field gates and also tyre tracks going round the field.
“We could see that they had kept their vehicle in the dips in the field, out of sight of most of the nearby houses, and they had turned up early on a Sunday morning when most of us are still likely to be in bed, again to try to avoid being spotted.
“We suspect they probably left fairly quickly after the dogs came so close to the house knowing they might have been spotted.”
Catriona hopes her experience will make others more vigilant in spotting hare coursing and reporting it to the police.
She said: “I think hare coursing is a cruel and inhumane activity and I don’t understand how anyone can take enjoyment from it.
“It’s a horrible thought. The hares haven’t got a chance. The greyhounds will be faster than them and they’ve nowhere to go – they don’t have holes to run down like rabbits.”
Earlier this year Dundee man Mark Reid was jailed for four months and banned from owning a dog for six years after being caught setting his dogs on wild hares at West Cultmalundie Farm, Tibbermore, by Perth.
Police Scotland wildlife crime liaison officer PC Malcolm O’May said: “Hare coursing can be associated with serious and organised crime groups with participants often having extensive criminal histories including previous convictions for crimes of violence, dishonesty, drugs and firearms and can have a devastating effect on farmers at this time of year.
“I want to reassure people that we will take robust action with offenders and with the joint expertise of our colleagues at the SSPCA we can investigate the welfare of any animals involved or affected.”
