Woman and cats besieged by hounds

A women last night spoke of how she had to barricade herself in her home as snaring hounds from the Cheshire Hunt attempted to fight their way in through a cat-flap. Lisa Rowlands said her bungalow at Wettenhall, near Tarporley, was besieged by about 20 hounds which terrified her two cats. After making a dash into the kitchen, she slammed the door shut – but dogs tried to get in through the cat-flap.

“Thank goodness I closed the door, otherwise the pack would have been in the kitchen. It could have been carnage,” she said. “I heard dogs barking outside and was confronted by about 20 snaring hounds.” She added that, while she herself did not agree with hunting, she had no strong views on people inviting hunts on to their land. “But it’s totally wrong for a hunt to let its hounds just charge across anyone’s land. This is not the first time this has happened. Last year one of my cats needed treatment after being bitten by a hunt dog.” Cheshire Hunt denied its meet was at Wettenhall yesterday, claiming that it was the Church Minshull area.

Janet Smart, from the League Against Cruel Sports said: “What happened to Lisa and her cats was awful but sadly nothing new. Last Saturday, hounds belonging to the Chairman of the Countryside Alliance attacked and ripped apart a pet cat in front of the owner. Just what do people have to do to try to protect their pets in their own homes?”

After the incident near her home, Lisa said that cars belonging to hunt supporters blocked her drive, preventing her from moving her own car out. She is not taking legal advice on what steps to take, and added: “I will be contacting the Committee of Inquiry into hunting so that it is fully aware of what has happened here.” The Inquiry is looking at the practical issues involved in hunting with dogs, how a ban could be implemented and what the consequence of a ban would be.

Mrs Smart added: “The inquiry into hunting which has been set up by the Government, must ensure it looks into the damage, havoc and distress hunting brings to rural life. Hunting is not just about suffering inflicted on wild animals but upon domestic animals as well.”

Published in the Cheshire Daily Post, 13th January 2000, by James Jackson

Hunt denies dogs were on rampage

FOX-HUNTERS have strongly denied claims that a woman was forced to barricade herself in her kitchen after hounds besieged her garden. Lisa Gardner, who lives in a bungalow near the Boot and Slipper pub at Wettenhall, claims her property was invaded by a pack of hounds who were chasing her two cats.

She says the hounds pursued the cats through the garden and the pack stood barking and snarling outside the door after the cats escaped inside through the catflap. ‘The door cracked as the dogs tried to get into the house through the cat-flap. Thank goodness I closed the door in time, otherwise the pack would have been in the kitchen and it could have been carnage. ‘I heard dogs barking outside and when I went to look I was confronted by about 20 snarling hounds. It’s wrong for a hunt to be able to rampage anywhere they like. I am now consulting with lawyers because I want to ensure this does not happen again. There must be a way to stop the hunt charging over land uninvited and without permission.’

But Cheshire Hunt spokeswoman Ellie Boddington said the hunt was nowhere near the scene at the time of the alleged incident. Mrs Boddington said: ‘I have made extensive enquiries and spoken to at least 100 people. All say there is absolutely no truth in this story at all. For a start the hunt was not in that area at the time. It started at Darnhall, went to Church Minshull and finished at the Boot and Slipper pub in Wettenhall.’

Janet Smart, spokeswoman for the League Against Cruel Sports, said: ‘What happened to Lisa and her pets was just awful but sadly Is nothing new. Just what do people who live in the countryside have to do to protect themselves and their pets in their own homes? ‘The Government inquiry into hunting must ensure it looks into the damage, havoc and distress this activity brings to rural life. Hunting is not just about the suffering inflicted on wild animals, but domestic pets as well.’

Published in the Chronicle / Winsford / Chester, 19th January 2000