Cotswold Hunt is suspended after saboteur video claims to show fox buried alive ... trends now
The historic Cotswold Hunt has been suspended after shocking footage emerged of a fox allegedly buried alive in a bag.
The practice of 'fox-bagging' - where a fox is captured, trapped and then released for hounds to chase during a hunt - is illegal.
A group of hunt saboteurs filmed the alleged discovery of the young female fox buried in a man-made den during a hunt on the Miserden Estate in Gloucestershire on March 18.
The Cotswold Hunt has since been suspended and is facing investigation by the British Hound Sports Authority after the footage was shared by Channel 4 News.
Wildlife rescue experts said the rescued fox was possibly lactating at the time of discovery and the bag she was found in was 'sodden' with urine suggesting she had been trapped for many hours or even days.
Footage captured by hunt saboteurs appears to show a fox being trapped in a bag during a meet. Pictured: Saboteurs appearing to take the fox out of the bag
The saboteurs, one of whom is pictured here speaking to Channel 4 News, claim to have found the fox while a hunt was taking place
Hunting foxes with hounds was banned 18 years ago, although the law does allow the dogs to follow a scent trail laid.
Bagging foxes to be hunted was illegal before the introduction of the ban in 2004.
A spokesperson for Cirencester Illegal Hunt Watch, which captured the footage, said: 'We were shocked and sickened by what we found.
'The small, terrified vixen had been tied up in a bag, stuffed into a chamber under the ground called an Artificial Earth awaiting her cruel fate.
'Hounds were marking the ground where she was buried and we believe she would have been released and hunted by the bloodthirsty psychopaths out with the hunt if we hadn't been there.
'This poor fox would be disorientated away from her territory and could possibly have cubs dependent on her elsewhere.'
Naturalist and Spring Watch presenter Chris Packham told Channel 4 News: 'We live in one of the most nature depleted groups of nations on the planet.
'We are in the midst of a
