Police issue alert on hare coursing
Crimes in harvested fields at dawn or dusk
Police have been made aware of hare coursing taking place across Perthshire.
Five men were seen with a lurcher dog in a field at Cordon Farm, Station Road, Abernethy, on Wednesday, October 11.
On being approached by the farmer, the males quickly left the area in a four-wheel drive vehicle. It is suspected that they intended to go hare coursing.
Three days earlier, on Sunday, police received a report that the occupants of a Volkswagen Passat were hare coursing on the Tullybelton and Tullybeagles estates near Bankfoot.
Clamping down on hare coursing is a UK wildlife crime priority and an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 but tends to increase at this time of year after harvest when large areas of land have been cleared of crops, usually occurring at dawn or dusk.
Chief Inspector Ian Scott, Police Scotland’s local area commander for Perth and Kinross, said: “I am asking for our rural communities to be aware of the potential of hare coursing.
“Look out for vehicles parked in rural areas at gateways to farmland, on farm tracks or bridleways. Vehicles are usually estate cars, four wheel drive vehicles or small vans. They are often old, tatty-looking vehicles.
“Hare coursers usually walk along the edge of harvested fields to frighten the hares into the open space for the dogs to chase.
“If you see hare coursing taking place, or suspect it is happening contact police immediately. If you can, take a note of the vehicles and registration numbers, also how many people are present and a description of them.
“If the opportunity arises, then continue to monitor any persons from a safe distance rather than challenging them of your own accord.”
Anyone with any information should contact police on the non-emergency number, 101, or speak to any police officer. Alternatively, information can be passed anonymously via the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555111. Police are clamping down on hare coursing
Hare coursers usually walk along the edge of fields to frighten the hares