The award winning Hauxley reserve at Druridge Bay is home to weasels, rabbits, hares, stoats, foxes, mice, red squirrels and roe deer. 

Over one hundred and fifty different species of birds from across the world touch down on the reserve throughout the year. 

Due to its abundance of wildlife, there is a strict ban on dogs onto site apart from guide dogs and assistance dogs. 

This week, the no dog rule was broken in the most savage way imaginable.

Unbeknown to staff, two adults in their early twenties, together with a terrier and lurcher dog entered the top end of the reserve from Low Hauxley through the back of the reserve’s woodland at 3pm. 

The area is well known for regular roe deer sightings and is always off limits to the public for that reason.

Witnessed by two members of the public, in a split second the lurcher chased a young male (buck) roe deer into the small pond at the public entrance to the Hauxley Wildlife Discovery Centre, grabbed it by the back legs and pulled it down.

Despite shouting at the youths to stop the dog, they did nothing to call their dogs off.

The attack and lack of action by the owners resulted in the terrified deer being chased into the pond, brought down and pushed under the water then savaged. The innocent animal had puncture marks and rips to its legs and bite marks around its neck, it didn’t stand a chance during the sustained attack which ultimately resulted in its death.

The shouting alerted members of staff in the visitor centre who ran out, just in time to see the two young men take off in the direction of Hauxley beach. Further reports confirmed by members of the public that the men were spotted in the water, washing the blood off the dogs before dunning down the beach.

Back at the scene of the attack, Lee Rankin, Northumberland Wildlife Trust’s Biodiversity Boost Project Officer had the heartbreaking task of wading into the pond and taking photographs of the dead deer before removing it from the pond.

Judging by the fact that the dog knew how to take the deer down, it is not the first time it has done it and is more than likely used regularly for hunting in this way.

Northumbria Police were made aware at the time of the incident and the incident has been referred to its Wildlife Crime Unit.

The Trust would like to remind all members of the public to report any incidences of poaching directly to Northumbria Police via the 111 number and to advise them that it happened on a Trust reserve.