Bucks County Town Hopes To Ban Fox Hunting
WARWICK, Pa. (CBS) - For nearly a century, people on horses follow dogs through Dark Hollow Park in Warwick Township, Bucks County in search of foxes.
It's a sport known as fox hunting -- one that's all about the chase. No killing is involved.
But now, Warwick Township officials are hoping to ban the activity.
It was New Year's Day 2012 when John Cox -- who is on the Warwick Township board -- says his wife and dog were attacked while out for a walk at the same time a fox hunt was taking place.
"Very traumatic," he tells KYW Newsradio. "The dog had very severe injuries. So at that point we asked Bucks County parks to not permit this any longer."
An agreement was reached with Huntington Valley Hunt, who organizes the hunts, allowing them to continue to do so under certain guidelines. But Cox says last year, there was another incident:
"The hounds came into the neighborhood, and they were uncontrolled by the fox hunt riders."
Warwick Township is backing Cox's latest effort to ban fox hunting.
"Their premise is it's not rural here, it's now developed and these hunts should not be happening where there are people living," says Township Manager Gail Weniger.
Claire Harris, who helps run Huntington Valley Hunt, doesn't feel the township should be getting involved:
"We have a state permit and a permit from the county and they really govern the area where we hunt. It's a public park."
She says they've honored their end of the agreement:
"I'm not surprised that they're continuing their efforts, but we're following the guidelines we agreed to and that's all we can do."
