Hunting offences and wildlife crime
Date of request: 11 February 2026
Reference: 14167977
Request
For 2024 and 2025, please provide the following information for the offence codes listed below
For each offence I would like the:
1. Month / Year
2. Animal involved
3. summary of the MO test (redacted)
4. location (Devon or Cornwall)
5. Offence Outcome
121/13 – Hunting a wild mammal with dogs
121/13 – Knowingly permit dog to be used for hunting a wild mammal
121/14 – Knowingly permit land to be entered / used for hunting a wild mammal with dogs
121/20 – Control / handle dog in the course of / for the purposes of a hare coursing event
097/04 – Administer a poisonous / injurious drug / substance to a protected animal
108/32 – Administer a poisonous / injurious drug / substance to a protected animal – Animal Welfare Act 2006
108/29 – Aid and abet the causing of unnecessary suffering to a protected animal
122/07 – Allow animal to stray on a highway
108/36 – Breach a disqualification imposed after conviction – Animal Welfare Act 2006
099/99 – Bring animals / animal products / genetic material in breach of declaration to suspend / impose conditions on import
097/02 – Cause the carrying out of a prohibited procedure on a protected animal
097/01 – Cause unnecessary suffering to a protected animal
108/29 – Cause unnecessary suffering to a protected animal – Animal Welfare Act 2006
108/24 – Cause use of weapon to kill / take schedule 6 wild animal
197/01 – Damage / destroy a breeding site / resting place of a wild animal of a European protected species
108/23 – Damage / destroy schedule 5 wild animal shelter
119/01 – Daytime trespass in pursuit of game – poaching
197/01 – Disturb a wild animal of a European protected species
108/23 – Disturb sheltering schedule 5 wild animal
108/34 – Duty of person responsible for animal to ensure welfare – Animal Welfare Act 2006
108/24 – Fail to inspect snare for wild animal every day
108/23 – Intentionally / recklessly disturb schedule 5 wild animal – dolphin / whale / shark
108/23 – Kill a schedule 5 wild animal
108/23 – Obstruct access to schedule 5 wild animal shelter
195/99 – Produce / exhibit / supply a film involving the infliction of pain / terror / goading of an animal
098/98 – Release an invasive alien species of animal into the wild / allow to escape
097/04 – Responsible for a protected animal permit / cause another to administer a poison
097/01 – Responsible person fail to prevent the causing of unnecessary suffering to an animal
108/29 – Responsible person fail to prevent the causing of unnecessary suffering to an animal – Animal Welfare Act 2006
108/24 – Use snare / weapon to kill / take wild animal
If redacting the MO Text would exceed the appropriate limit under Section 12 then please remove c)
Response
Please find the information requested for parts 1, 2, 4, and 5 in the attached document.
I am unable to provide the MOs requested in part 3, as even by redacting identifiable personal information such as names and address, recollections of offences, often recorded verbatim, would describe a specific incident. In addition, to provide all information together as per your clarification would also risk identification of a specific incident. An individual would be able to determine that that incident related to them. As such the information is exempt under Section 40(2) of the FOI Act.
This is an Absolute exemption so therefore there is no requirement to conduct a harm or public interest test. Any information is exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act if it relates to or is supplied by another individual and disclosure of that information would contravene any of the data protection principles set out in:
(a) Article 5(1) of the GDPR, and
(b) Section 34(1) of the Data Protection Act 2018;
A Freedom of Information Disclosure is a disclosure to the world. Therefore information that is provided can be viewed by any member of the public. To provide the information together as you have requested may have severe consequences. For example, an individual may be identified by another member of the public. Alternatively an individual could identify themselves, and be aware that their personal data has been used unlawfully.
Should the information be provided in a format in which a living individual could be identified this would constitute personal data. This would then become a breach of rights provided under the Data Protection Act 2018. Information held on an individual by Avon and Somerset Constabulary is done so lawfully and is used for a policing purpose in line with the principles set out in the GDPR. Our privacy policy can be viewed here.
This serves as a refusal notice under section 17(1) of the FOI Act.