Government health warning over fox hunting (From Kidderminster Shuttle)

Government health warning over fox hunting

7:00am Tuesday 8th January 2013 in Letters

I FULLY support Councillor Nigel Knowles’ comments on fox hunting (Shuttle Letters, January 3).

I have been involved in the anti-hunt movement since I was a teenager and in the past have taken part in peaceful demonstrations at hunt meets.

My late mother, Vera Sheppard, started the anti-hunt movement in the Midlands in the early 1960s. As a child she had witnessed a fox cub being thrown alive to a pack of hounds as part of cub hunting to train young hounds how to kill.

Fox hunting has never been a form of controlling the number of foxes as hunting people maintain. In fact it kept the fox population up as many hunts used to encourage foxes to breed in artificial earths for the purpose of hunting.

Since the hunting ban has been in force, I have not heard of farmers complaining that foxes are a problem. Yes, foxes do attack poultry but farmers know that hens and ducks etc must be locked up at night.

I have no objection to hounds being used for drag hunting where hounds follow an artificial scent without the cruelty of chasing and killing wild animals for fun.

But I have always objected to those humans who get their “kicks” from hunting foxes, deer and hares for pure amusement.

In the past there were court cases where hunting magistrates had sent youths to prison for setting dogs on to cats when the day before they had been out hunting and killing foxes.

With over 75 per cent of people supporting the hunting ban in respect of foxes and even more in respect of deer, the ban must continue. Any Government which tries to overturn the ban would be extremely unpopular!

DIXON SHEPPARD Independent Community and Health Concern, District councillor Lickhill Ward Stourport