Several crimes committed with every hare coursing offence, says farmer in Beds
The practise, whereby dogs chase after hares, has been illegal for 20 years
A farmer in North Bedfordshire has been raising concerns over the different types of crimes committed with every hare coursing offence.
The practise consists of one or several dogs chasing after a hare, tiring the animal out, and eventually catching and killing it.
Commonly, hare coursing takes place on large areas of land where the chase is unobstructed, while dog owners, hunters, and the public can observe.
While hare coursing was banned in 2004, the practise is still common, especially on private land where criminals tend to hide more easily.
A farmer who has been victim to such crime, Freya Morgan, spoke to Greatest Hits Radio.
She runs Park Farm in the North of Bedfordshire, where she grows cereal crops.
She said: "This is where people come onto your land and either break through gateways, drive through hedges, drive across your crops causing damage to your crops, and they have dogs which will chase the hares."
"Cereal crops are less valuable, but they will often drive over onion crops in the centre of the county, and these are actually high value crops."
"It's very difficult to put a cost onto the damage it's caused."
Hare coursing is not only illegal, but comes with serious consequences for land owners and can lead to further crimes.
Ms Morgan said: "If you come across these people there's often threats of violence, they're not very pleasant to us."
"We also have the threat that they know where we live, and if we report the crime, there's also that risk of them coming and setting fire to your building or property."
According to Ms Morgan, the modern practise is often filmed and involves betting and gambling through online streaming of the chase.
"The betting will take place on how many turns the hare will make before a dog catches it", added Ms Morgan.
Hare coursing is most commonly seen after crops have been cut and the chase becomes more visible, which is usually around the summer time.
With the prime season for the practise fast approaching, farmers are gearing up to face an increase in criminal activity on their land, while they prepare to collate evidence and work closely with police to report crime.