Video of gamekeepers illegally trapping and killing ‘game’ birds was filmed at Chargot Shooting Estate in Somerset during the closed shooting season.
Footage obtained by investigators from leading animal welfare charity Cruelty Sports League shows the birds were caught and killed during a closed shooting season at one of Britain’s most prestigious shooting ranges.
A document has been prepared and passed to Avon and Somerset Police. The film shows a pheasant entering a funnel cage – a cage designed to catch birds – and a person entering the same cage hours later.
Unlawful
The man, believed to be an employee of the Chargot Estate, was waving each male by the neck in an attempt to kill it, leaving some dead and others visibly in pain and flapping around.
On another occasion, a different man and a woman were seen stuffing female birds into crates, roughing them up and grabbing their wings. Catch up, as collecting pheasants is well known and illegal outside of shooting season.
It is believed that female pheasants were bred for breeding purposes, while male pheasants were considered redundant and killed.
Chris Luffingham, campaign director of the League Against Cruel Sports, said: “We are appalled to see these animals suffer in this way.
Variety
“More than that, we believe they are committing a crime under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. This heinous incident shows the shooting industry’s blatant disregard for the law and all animals involved.
“If staff from one of the UK’s most prestigious shooting ranges can do it, obviously so can others. Those who go to shoot need to realise that behind their big day, the animals are suffering.”
