Pregnant vixen torn apart by Holderness Hunt hounds

*GRAPHIC* Notorious East Yorkshire hunt leaves fox foetus lying in the grass after killing the mother

On the 4th of March 2025, a devastating incident occurred in East Yorkshire, as the Holderness Hunt hounds were witnessed tearing apart a pregnant vixen. The harrowing scene took place between Lessit and Kelk, in a field east of Gembling, within the East Riding of Yorkshire. Hull Wildlife Protectors (HWP), who were monitoring the second-to-last meet of the Holderness Hunt season, arrived moments too late to intervene.

Photograph of the cub who had been ripped from their mother’s womb, image Hull Wildlife Protectors.

The hunt, aware of the presence of field volunteers, took off at speed in which HWP believed to be calculated. By the time HWP volunteers reached the field, the hounds were already on the vixen, ripping her apart. The brutal attack was over in a matter of minutes, underscoring the immense challenge in gathering evidence against illegal hunting.

In the chaos, the hunt swiftly moved on, leaving behind harrowing remnants — organs and one of the vixen’s unborn cubs, torn from her womb in the process.

Photograph of the organs left behind, image Hull Wildlife Protectors.

Lives lost in “most brutal and inhumane way imaginable.”

What makes this tragedy even more heartbreaking is the knowledge that the vixen was pregnant, meaning multiple lives were lost in the most brutal and inhumane way imaginable. Despite being unable to prevent the kill, HWP remain resolute in their mission to monitor and expose the Holderness Hunt’s activities.

Following the incident, HWP volunteers returned to the site of the kill to search for further evidence. While there, they were approached by a landowner claiming ownership of the fields where the kill took place. The landowner asserted he was aware of the hunt's presence in the area, but he had not known they were going to come onto his land. If his claim is truthful, it further highlights the arrogance and entitlement of the hunt — a blatant disregard for landowners' rights and the law. If the landowner is being less than honest, his statement could be seen as an attempt to avoid liability.

Photograph showing just how small the fox was who never got to live, HWP

“Fox hunting has never been about conservation”

Later, when HWP volunteers confronted the meet host, they were met with brazen indifference. The host openly admitted his support for fox hunting, even asking the volunteers if they were going to "arrest him" — a chilling reflection of the utter disregard for both animal welfare and the law among hunt supporters.

The Holderness Hunt’s actions not only resulted in the death of one fox but also the cruel killing of her unborn cubs — this is a reminder of the suffering inflicted by those who continue to defend this barbaric practice. Despite claims from hunt supporters that fox hunting regulates population numbers humanely, incidents like this expose the truth: fox hunting has never been about conservation — it has always been about cruelty.

The Labour government has promised to ban so-called ‘trail hunting’ - it must do that NOW. And if you can, please help your local activist groups - you may be the one to be in the right place at the right time to prevent this cruelty and get justice for the animals who suffer.

• Hull Wildlife Protectors are on Facebook at facebook.com/HullWildlifeProtectors/ and can be contacted on 07376 309331. Support them on PayPal here.

• We have featured the Holderness Hunt in a Secret Monitor post. Huntmaster Guy Poskitt is Managing Director of supermarket supplier Poskitt Carrots which we have also featured in a bloodbusiness listing.

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  Protect the Wild are proud to support Hull Wildlife Protectors as well as dozens of other monitor and saboteur groups across the country. We run what we call the PTW Equipment Fund in which our supporters chip in a few quid each month and we use every penny to provide items to those on the frontline. From cameras and radios to fuel and accommodation costs for undercover investigators.

  You can read here about how we’ve already supported groups in 2025. And if you’d like to be a part of it you can donate to the fund below.