A child aged 14 is suspected to be among at least 150 criminals involved in the dark underworld of badger baiting.
The comment was made during the launch of a USPCA report exposing this organised criminality and cruelty across Northern Ireland.
Video footage of a barbaric bait stunned Stormont ’s packed long gallery to silence as the cries of a badger being torn to shreds by dogs on the orders of their owners rang out.
Read more: Hunters who 'get off on' barbaric badger baiting could be killing thousands
Now the charity and some MLAs are calling for a taskforce to tackle this continuing and illegal cruelty.
USPCA chief Nora Smith told those gathered: “Badgers are a protected species - but this doesn’t stop bait offenders.
“This is in large part because on the rare occasions they are caught, the consequences are minimal.
“It is our view [ PSNI ] statistics do not reflect the true scale of offending... rather it highlights issues in the reporting or recording of such offences.”
It is understood the PSNI’s wildlife crime unit has just three staff, who do not have investigative powers.
Following its own investigation, the USPCA chief says they believe there are at least 150 NI badger baiters killing over 2,250 badgers every year.
Nora added: “Most of them are male, aged between 20 and 49, and we know of one 14-year-old boy who is also involved.
“We know that a number of the 150 suspects known to the USPCA have been charged and/or convicted with a range of other criminal offences including murder, robbery, drugs, paramilitary membership and fraud.
“They use social media to organise their baits [and] as a platform to share pictures and videos of their hunts.
“Some of these individuals have celebrity-like status and when they are not badger baiting they are hunting other wild animals like foxes.
“We need to raise more awareness on badger baiting so more members of the public know what it is and to report it,” she added.
“We are calling for the PSNI to review crime guidance to ensure all reported offences are recorded.
“Today is our plea that each and every one of you will help us end badger baiting.”
As the badger baiting event kicked off at Stormont, the PSNI revealed they arrested a 34-year-old man on suspicion of animal cruelty in Fermanagh.
They said it was potentially linked to badger baiting and persecution of other animals under the Welfare of Animals Act (NI) 2011.
A number of dogs were seized as part of the operation.
PSNI Rural and Wildlife Crime Lead Superintendent Johnston McDowell said: “Officers across Northern Ireland investigate fighting offences like any other crime and will continue to do so to prevent these sorts of crimes happening in rural areas.
“We have arrested one man who is currently assisting officers with our enquiries and our investigation is under way to determine links to badger baiting.
“As a service, we take all wildlife crimes seriously including badger baiting and unnecessary suffering caused to many animals.
“Police will continue with a robust enforcement of the Animal Welfare and Wildlife legislation where they come upon such matters, and encourage the public to report any activity thought to be suspicious to police on 101.”
Vet David Martin highlighted how dogs involved in badger baiting also suffer immensely.
He says severe wounds are treated without any pain relief, sedatives or anaesthetic with supplies cobbled together from online shops because taking them to the vet would raise a red flag.
“These animals with horrific injuries are having surgery without anesthesia,” he added.
“No matter how these injuries occurred, there is a further offence here of causing ongoing suffering by not providing veterinary care to these animals and that is really significant.”
Alliance MLA John Blair told us: “The USPCA should be thanked for using their investigative resource to once again highlight despicable deliberate animal cruelty in Northern Ireland.
“The recommendations of this report are absolutely clear - PSNI resource should be increased urgently.
“We also need a taskforce to ensure action is taken as swiftly as possible to bring as many offenders to the courts as possible.”
He also said there is “wide spread public support for a ban on hunting wild mammals using dogs”.
“It is my intention and that of my colleagues to bring that bill back to the Assembly as soon as we possibly can.”
Sinn Fein ’s Philip McGuigan says: “We need greater enforcement.
“It’s cruel and we have absolutely no difficulty supporting the USPCA’s call for an end to badger baiting.”
He says the party expects “new legislation to come forward” on hunting with dogs.
“We had particular issues with the last legislation and we felt that there might have been unintended consequences. Nobody is going to stand over cruelty to animals.”
Independent unionist Alex Easton said: “I would be urging everybody to put pressure on the bigger parties who didn’t support [legislation to end hunting with dogs].
“The crime is now on their shoulders because they could have stopped this two years ago and they didn’t.”
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