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Hunt Monitoring is an activity undertaken by individual Hunt Monitors who want to see the Parliament of the United Kingdom Hunting Act upheld and endeavour to bring to justice those who do not hunt within the law. The Hunting Act, banning the hunting of wild mammals with dogs namely foxes, deer, hare and mink, in England and Wales, became law in February 2005. This ban was achieved through the work of many campaigners over almost a century. In recent times, the work of hunt monitors became central to their campaign, as hunt monitors use video cameras to record hunting activity. Recorded evidence of hunting with dogs, collected by hunt monitors, was shown in the media and to Members of Parliament, and contributed to evidence used to secure passage of The Hunting Bill through the House of Commons of the United Kingdom Before the ban came into force, around 50,000 hunters signed "The Hunting Declaration", pledging that they would break any such law, should it come on to The Statute Book. Local newspapers were invited to hunting rallies, in order to publicize the signing of The Declaration. While tackling illegal hare coursing fairly consistently, the police and Crown Prosecution Services have seemed reluctant to act against organized hunts. However, several years after The Act became law, some well-known, organized hunts have been taken to court and convicted of illegal hunting. Two Meynell and South Staffordshire hunters were found guilty of illegal hunting, with their hunt master and terrierman both convicted at Derby Magistrates' Court, in August 2012. In May 2012, three members of (Crawley and Horsham Hunt ) were found guilty of illegal hunting and in 2011, the Huntsman and terrierman of The Fernie Hunt were found guilty of digging a fox out of a sett. In December 2012, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals took out a private prosecution, using evidence collected by independent ''hunt monitors'', against Heythrop Hunt Limited. This was a landmark case, as it was the first time that a hunt was prosecuted as a corporate body. The Heythrop Hunt, its Huntsman and its Senior Master all pleaded guilty to four charges of illegally hunting a fox. A major reason why some hunts have been prosecuted and convicted successfully is because of the availability of compelling evidence, gathered by hunt monitors, whose footage of certain, organized hunts' illegal activities has provided important evidence, needed to bring illegal hunters to justice. The work of hunt monitors has been recognized by Ann Widdecombe, a former Conservative Minister and MP, in her column in The Daily Express. Hunt monitors are routinely subjected to threats, assault, damage to their cars, cameras and radios, as well as verbal abuse, obstruction and intimidation. On 13 February 2013, Chris Williamson MP secured a debate in The UK Parliament to highlight "... this antisocial and criminal behaviour ..."〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2013-02-11b.682.0 )〕 against hunt monitors. On 22 March 2007, Ms Widdecombe instigated an Adjournment debate 〔http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2007-03-22b.1053.1〕 in The UK Parliament, where she raised, in The House of Commons, an issue of enforcement of The Hunting Act 2004. Ms Widdecombe explained to The House the roles of Hunt Monitors〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmhansrd/cm070322/debtext/70322-0020.htm )〕 and the problems which they encounter. She paid tribute to Hunt Monitors, saying "… because some of them are extremely brave …"〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2007-03-22b.1053.1 )〕 Later that year, on 31 October 2007, Ann Widdecombe MP, held a reception in Parliament, where she showed film to those present, who included representatives of 11 police forces, The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and Members of Parliament, demonstrating that the hunting law was being broken, up and down the country. Ms Widdecombe pointed out that the only people monitoring these activities were groups of Hunt Monitors. In 2014, The RSPCA commissioned an independent review 〔RSPCA commissioned an independent review () of its prosecution activity.〕 In the review, Stephen Wooler CB, refers several times to Hunt Monitors, ''e.g.'', "... The volume of footage available (taken by hunt monitors) leaves the objective viewer in no doubt on the balance of probabilities that it is ‘business as usual’ for many hunts because enforcement is so difficult." Although monitors are employed by organizations and charities such as the League Against Cruel Sports and International Fund for Animal Welfare they are mostly independent individuals, who are unpaid and self-funded, but do accept donations given to them through social media sites such as GoFundMe and Facebook. == References == 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Hunt Monitors」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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