Dogs and cars seized across Bedfordshire as police clamp down on hare coursing

Officers from the Beds Rural Crime Action Team “covered thousands of miles” across the countryside this month to tackle the illegal blood sport.

Despite being banned for more than 20 years, some people still chance it and have dogs hunt hares around the county.

So far in September, four dogs have been taken from their owners after being used for hare coursing.

A security firm alerted the police to a hare coursing incident, with officers detaining four offenders and seizing two dogs.

The team said: “This success is shared with our community and partners — teamwork makes the difference!”

Anyone who witnesses or suspects hare coursing is asked report it to Bedfordshire Police.

The team added: “We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: If you come hare coursing in Bedfordshire, expect to lose your dog.

“We only need to be lucky once — coursers need to be lucky every time.”