Hungry for answers after fox’s death
THE Department of Agriculture is investigating the killing of a fox allegedly attacked by a pack of hounds in a Cork housing estate on St Stephen’s Day, the Mail on Sunday can reveal.
It comes after a report in last week’s MoS which revealed that a large pack of hunting dogs chased a fox into the back garden of homeowner Niamh Hodge in Macroom, and savaged it to death.
The housing estate adjoins a field where the Macroom Foxhounds Hunt was taking place that day. Our report was followed up by RTÉ and radio stations in Cork with many horrified callers condemning the killing as ‘cruel’.
A spokesman for the Department of Agriculture told the MoS that the department is ‘concerned’ at the incident in Macroom, which occurred in Minister Michael Creed’s constituency, and has ordered an investigation.
In a statement, the spokesman said: ‘There is a detailed code of conduct in place in respect of the hunting of foxes which places responsibility on hunting associations to ensure that hunting is carried out in accordance with the requirements of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013. The department is aware of and concerned at the reported incident in Macroom and is investigating the matter.’
Gardaí have begun a separate investigation following a complaint from Niamh Hodge.
But huntsman John McSweeney, who denies that their dogs killed the fox, refused to comment on the controversy this weekend.