Fox hunting

[lucy123]

Fed up, need a stimulating debate....


So, on the one hand we have a gang of very scary country ladies who think that 1000s of jobs would be lost if hunting was banned. What nonsense - they should try going riding without a fox every now and then to save those jobs.

On the other hand we have a day's debate on the subject in parliament when there are many more pressing issues: in particular the little matter of manipulation of opinion over the Iraq war. Is this a diversion?

[wickedstepmother]

The hunting debate has long been a bone of contention in my house, my stepfather comes from middle-class farming stock and is most definitley pro hunting (he went on that London march a couple of years ago). Myself and my mother, on the other hand are completely against hunting (and bloodsports of any kind) so this proposal to ban completely hunting with hounds is more than welcome in my book.

I agree that we have more pressing issues such as the 'sexed-up' report but then won't there always be something else going on that pushes animal rights to the back of the queue ?

[nobby]

Ban it. Haven't got time for a reasoned argument as I'm supposed to be making dinner but that's my vote

[Tom]

I used to be a hunt sab when I was 17 - I organised our village hunt sab outfit - I grew up in a village that contained the Animal Liberation Front's number 1 national target - we used to walk into the village and the chimmeny stack would be throwing up the smoke from the carcasses.

Hunt sabbing seemed alot more fun than hunting - and I got hit more than a few times by the hunters - and the terrier men - very nasty pieces of work. It's a cruel sport that breeds cruelty into those closest to it. I'd be more than happy to see a ban.

[nobby]

Good for you Tom. I attempted to go sabbing with a flatmate but got drunk the night before and couldn't get out of bed in time. He was so disgusted with me that he never invited me again. Same happened with Greenham Common - missed the coach. Guess I wasn't cut out to be an activist.

[Claireandrich]

I'd go along with a ban too. Strangest comment I heard from a hunter (on the news last time this was debated in parliment) was that he was suprised by the news that a fox was in pain/frightened/etc. during a hunt. Wouldn't he be, being chased by people, dogs and horses for hours on end, then being caught and ripped apart???

[anais]

This all seems a bit unanimous! I was a sab too, and a general a/r activist so you know where my vote lies. Evil bastards, the lot of them and all their arguments are a load of b**x.

The government has been promising to ban hunting since they were first elected so it's about bloody time they got on and did something about it.

[wickedstepmother]

Here, here.

Looks like you're not going to get your debate, Lucy !

[Tinker]

Bah, townies! You just don't understand country ways.

.

[mears]

My sister, who is a vet by the way, says that there is nothing wrong with fox hunting. It is a great sport and rids the countryside of vermin. It is a quick death and there is a lot of hype surrounding the issue. It's great exercise for the dogs and is an excellent country pursuit misunderstood by the townies. Well????

[Tinker]

Well, personally, I would prefer to be ripped apart by a pack of hounds and have my death celebrated by braying country folk than be killed quickly with a gun

Yours sincerely

Ms Fox

[mears]

LOL, tinker

[anais]

Utter rubbish Mears my dear.

When hunting was banned due to the whole foot and mouth mess, there was no increase in fox numbers - so hunting as pest control is just not a valid argument. Fox populations control themselves according to the available food. If there is no enough food available the foxes will not breed.

It is hardly effective at any rate - the majority of foxes get away.

Sport - as I understand it - is something where 2 equals compete against each other in a contest of skill. There is nothing sporting about hunting - a pack of dogs, horses, people, blocked earths, bagged foxes, etc - it is not sport. It is pure blood lust. And take it from someone who knows - huntsmen are callous bastards.

As for quick death - being chased to exhaustion before being ripped to pieces by hounds? DOes that sound like a good way to die to you?

Exercise for the dogs? Come on, that's a very weak argument. Never heard of walkies? Or drag hunting? The dogs are treated appalingly at any rate.

There is no reason or justification for hunting. The only reason it has remained this long is the old - boy network,+ mps who hunt themselves and refuse to represent the views of their constituents.

They're running scared now. Bout time too.

[mears]

Totally agree, anais.

[anais]

Oh...ok, back under my rock then

[jasper]

There is a popular misconception about hunting being primarily about the old boy network. Can't speak for anywhere but the west of Scotland but it's predominately pretty rough farmers and hangers on round here.

Personally I have always wanted to go foxhunting but I am always far too busy debating the merits of various toothpastes on internet sites

[SueW]

Hope the hunt don't decide to come through my garden and pick on the adult fox and two fox cubs who delight us on an almost daily basis with their antics.

I'm not sure how our two cats would stand up to the hounds either. They do occasionally get a fright coming face-to-face with one of the foxes (read their tails look more brush-like than the foxes'!) but I'm sure the hounds would frighten them more.

OTOH, sources of food here must be declining as three years ago we had three cubs popping in to visit

[mears]

I am sure it was a fox who uplifted our rabbit Tango - don't know if you saw my thread on 'who done it' - should of course have been who dunnit, but there you go. One night she was in the garden, in the morning she had vanished. Foxes deserve all they get....

[jasper]

If foxes were not so beautiful but instead looked like big hairy spiders with legs three feet long would anyone mind dogs chasing them?

A fox killed my eight free range hens.
Where's me 'orse??

[TheOldDragon]

The point about the fox and your chickens (and probably Tango) is that I bet he ate them and enjoyed them. Cats kill birds and play with them for the sheer hell of it but no one advocated hunting them down with horses

I'm anti hunting so would vote for a ban.

[SueW]

Yes, DD gets a bit upset about the cats doing that with birds and mice. And no-one likes it when they tease the frogs cos of the screaming.

The foxes seem to appreciate the snacks the cats leave out though cos their kills have always disappeared by the morning. I expect a handsome feast was had of the wood pigeon (even our vet found it hard to believe our 1yo cat had taken out one of those but I saw it).

[Northerner]

Okay, just to add to the debate. If fox hunting is an unfair sport and should be banned (which I think it should) then where do we draw the line? Do we ban fishing? Or does fishing not matter because fish are slimy and not furry and cute?!!!

[SoupDragon]

Fishing is "one on one" though. Or, more accurately, one "hunter" against many "prey". As someone pointed out earlier, fox hunting is many hunters plus dogs against a single fox - hardly very sporting.

[Enid]

I couldn't care less whether its banned or not. I think battery farming is more cruel and unpleasant personally and I do think its a complete waste of parliamentary time and an easy vote winner for the labour party. On the other hand, I don't fancy explaining to my 3 year old what the hunt is doing, it can be quite cruel and the rabidity of the pro-hunt lobby (of which I live in the midst - Dorset, dps second cousin is master of the local hunt!) offends me.

[SamboM]

If they banned fishing, who would look after the rivers? Where would the money come from? Angling is apparantly the most popular sport in the country and the licenses pay for upkeep of the rivers, without which they would all go to ruin.

I don't think the same is true of foxhunting. I am personally not opposed to it but neither do I think it's a very nice thing.

What about shooting?

[SueW]

Is the lack of fiery debate on this thread an indication of the apathy the vast majority of the UK public feel about this issue?

It's something I have always sat on the fence about - I don't see it happen, nothing about the industry affects my life as far as I'm aware and I can't get worked up about it. For a long time I thought I should have an opinion on it but just a few years ago I finally realised that I don't have to have an opinion on everything and there are things in this world I care a lot more about than fox-hunting.

On the subject of eggs - a friend was telling me about a farm they had visited which produces zillions of eggs. Like the boxes often say the hens were free to roam by day. Apparently inside the sheds was disgusting though, with birds cramming themselves into small places; friend's child saw a dead hen lying around; eggs were rolling down chutes, etc. She said it was vile.