The foxes once caught by a hound are often torn apart. Alive. Is this pest control or a bloody sport, for the enjoyment of rich aristocrats?
One supporter of the hunt says that “without the hunt, foxes would wreak havoc on the British countryside.” An exaggeration? Perhaps not, only time will tell.
However Farmers complain that the foxes ‘pick off’ their stock one by one causing massive financial loss to the farm. This motive would give sure enough reason to ‘dispose’ of the fox by whatever means necessary.
Surely if your family was starving would you not expect your own parents to find food in any means possible, this is the only reason the fox kills. To survive.
The fox is described as a ruthless predator, a pest to humans and animals. The hunt is used to ‘rid’ farmers of this pest. The hunt declared as an almost painless way of removing foxes. Although supporters of the ban say that “Foxes are not pests, they keep the rabbit and other small animal populations down, whilst controlling their own numbers.” This would suggest a paradox, the hunt both controls and protects fox population, because success in managing foxes depends on the on maintaining an appropriate population level, for different parts of the country, depending on terrain, type of farming and other land uses.
If hunting was banned, what are the alternatives? Shooting them? A trained marksman could only carry this out, because an inexpert shot, the fox would die a slow and lingering death, also the fox is a nocturnal animal, which means the fox would have to be ‘lamped’ at night requiring a rifle and firearms licence. Poisoning? Poisoning foxes is illegal. Gassing? Although in theory legal, cannot be carried out within the law because no existing gas has been approved for use.
In conclusion you have one group of people who are only interested in the welfare of the fox, they say the fox is tortured and dies a painful death. The hunters on the other hand are interested, not only in the fox. Also the maintenance of the countryside and the sheer enjoyment, thrill, of riding a galloping horse over fresh ground, hunting a fox or only its scent, the feeling of this cannot be put into words by most. It is something they say “that you have to experience for yourself.”
Maybe one day we all will be in a position to look at this from both sides. Not just to have a biased view, look at the hunters way of life, the dogs, look at the thousands of people who would lose jobs and interests within the countryside. Also look at the cruelty towards foxes and animals, should this ‘practice’ be allowed to continue?
Decide for yourselves…
