South Wales Central MS Andrew RT Davies is calling for greater action to be taken to stamp out illegal hare coursing in the Vale of Glamorgan.
Hare coursing is the illegal pursuit of hares by dogs on farmland, an activity often filmed with people betting on which dog will catch the hare first.
NFU Cymru have called for South Wales Police to provide more support to farmers who are grappling with the rise in violent hare coursing incidents, and has pointed to the Vale as an area which has seen a significant increase in the number of violent incidents.
South Wales Police is the only service area in Wales without a rural crime unit, whose primary focus is on criminal activity targeting familiy businesses and rural communities.
Mr Davies has said some farmers he has spoken to are afraid in their own homes and that, if not tackled, hare coursing often comes with threats of violence, theft and vandalism.
Andrew RT Davies MS, said: “When you drive around the Vale of Glamorgan these days, you’ll see many gates onto fields are blocked with bollards and other bits of kit. This is to keep out hare coursers, who trespass on property here in the Vale, and who all too often threaten and intimidate farmers who try to ask them to leave their land.
“The Vale is in the midst of a wave of this activity at the moment, and some farmers I have spoken to are frightened for their safety and their businesses, as this often comes with other crimes like theft and vandalism.
“While discussions I have had with local community officers have been encouraging – any I pay particular tribute to PCSO Stephen Davies and his team – there’s no doubt that they need more support, in the form of a rural crime unit embedded in South Wales Police, to tackle this illegal activity and make our county safe.”
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