General Chat

Thanks Sarah! I'm glad someone can research things better than me! I'd have never found that! And its true, if a grey hound was used, it'd be over much quicker, without a fox being knackered!

From the league against cruel sports site: 'Like all hunting with hounds, fox hunting is designed to be cruel. Hounds are bred for stamina, providing the 'sport' of a lengthy chase. The fox is forced to run as far and as fast as it can until exhausted, when the hounds will catch and kill it. Hunters claim that the fox is killed instantly, but evidence has shown again and again that the fox is just as likely to be torn apart alive. If fast-running dogs were used on a fox hunt the chase would be over within minutes. This would not provide the good cross-country gallop for which hunt subscribers pay. Each form of hunting has its own technique for extending the chase over and above that which would be natural in a predator versus prey situation. Thus it can be shown that the objective of hunting is not a quick chase and a swift kill, but the provision of entertainment. Therefore the suffering of the quarry can be shown to be 'unnecessary', ie the deliberate infliction of cruelty.' This sport is illegal, anyone found doing it should accept they are no more than common criminals and be punished accordingly. Sarah

And what do you mean by 'school of thought, you're talking about?' ?????????

Well you have your theory, I have mine. I just think its must more Humane to kill an animal instantly with a gun, and yes they might miss, than to let a load of dogs chase it to exhaustion, and then rip it up. hmmmm...... How would you prefer to die out of the two? Simple question! I know which one i'd choose!

If you asked me, i think there should be a complete outright ban. But i know that wouldnt have worked straight away. This legislation is a step in the right direction. Why cant people accept that its law? That afterall was what the whole thread was about!!!

Thanks Kay, glad somebody is on my side. And its not all city people who feel this way. I live in the country and absolutly hate it.

I have mixed views on the subject. The government should at least be even handed. If fish could scream...... Happy days

No dogs play with prey, as do cats, to keep them interested. I studied Animal Care at college, which included a big part of it being dog training. Its part of how to train them, to keep them interested. Dogs arent going to want to do anything which is boring to them.

Mind if I get on me box here.!!!! BARBARIANS-The lot of them,, Give them 5mins head start and chase them till they collasped.. then mauled by pack of hounds ..thats what I would dearly like to do to them all. Kay.

And I like how the actual valid points are missed out by people on the argueing side! If you ask me, I think its an owners responsibilty to protect their chicken etc from foxes. You cant blame a fox for wanting to eat. Yes a farmer might miss, but the majority of the time, I should think they wouldnt, which to me sounds better then letting a pack of dogs rip it up.

Thats the biggest load of rubbish ever. Dogs dont kill instantly. Dogs play, they let it get away and then chase again, its not interesting to a dog if its just CRUSH KILL DESTROY. Dogs are trained to do this to keep them interested, so they will do it over and over again.

You'd gladly chase a fox around until its heart burst? Anyone want to volenteer to be the fox? Whilst i chase you around with a gun and a hundred dogs, until your heart bursts. Sounds like fun. And might I add that i never said anything about fox hunters being upper class. I said they were snobs because they do think they are better than others. Regardless of class, its sick. whats the point of letting dogs rip apart a fox when you can clearly just point a gun at its head? They have nothing else better to do, they need Sky!

Isn't eating animals natural to a fox? It isnt a fox's fault he doesn't know the difference between a farmers animals and wild animals. I should think the foxes haver been in the UK much longer than people have. We're invading their territory!

Yes leave foxs to breed free from human control, let them run free then they can kill the chickens, pet cats, and the hundreds of lambs which it is impossible to protect, they are vicious preditors and do need to be controled, what will happen is that game keepers and farmers will gas or lay poison if they get out of control. What is required is sensible action on all sides to get to grips with a very real problem. I don't care for hunting but it's less of an evil than gassing or poisoning, shooting is ok if you get a clean kill but more often than not they may only be wounded then suffer a lingering death, a little less emotive talk and more reasoned discussion and let the law take it's course would be a better way to solve the dilemma. David

I would gladly chase them around a field until their hearts burst or better still until my dog ripped them to shreds!!! I wonder how they would feel, but I have to say Paul Fox hunters are not all 'UPPER CRUST' there are alot of working classes that are pro Fox hunting!!

I would have thought in an enlightened Society banning any 'Blood Sports' would be a good thing. Do we really want to go back to the days when it was considered ok and not illegal to have Cock Fights, Dog Fights, Bare knuckle fights? and Fox hunting and Badger baiting as well? I can understand a farmer should have the right to protect his sheep or Hens it's only right. I hate to see a whole number of these hunting people dressed up in ritual costumes taking over huge sections of the Roads to prepare and congregate with the hounds for this cruel needless 'sport' well I think its as bad as any cruelty to animals that people get so outraged by. It is barbaric & has no place in any 'so called' enlightened society. Pat x

I dont think you can compare people eating meat to people hunting foxes. People eating meat do so to...... erm...... eat! People hunting foxes, do it for sport, for fun. And I dont think you can compare Rabbits being ripped up by foxes to dogs ripping Rabbits up either. Foxes do it to survive. Dogs do it because they're told to by their pathetic sado owners, who get off on watching animals being shredded up. And I dont think you can compare animals dying in hunts to animals dying in RTA's. Its an accident. The hunting isn't.

James... no one is being nasty to you my sweet.......they are just disagreeing with you in a jovile way. In answer to your bans....... Rome wasn't built in a day......banning fox hunting is a step in the right direction and if we keep chipping away the rest will follow in time. All things relevant. Much happiness debi Peter the majority vote won..... and the general public wanted this.thus me thinks your in a small disgrunted group called the minority :))

Peter Please try not to be patronising - I'm very aware that it costs the taxpayer but I am happy for my taxes to go towards the introduction and enforcement of this law. To me it is useful because it's improving the society I live in. I object to my taxes paying too many people far too high a wage in the public sector. I object to my taxes paying for the Olympic stadium and so on. Are you suggesting that if this law hadn't have been brought in we could all get NHS dental appointments? It's completely unrelated and I think to do with bad financial management of the NHS and dentists understandably wanting to make more money. Hi James I agree that some of the things you mention should be banned (but I always buy free range eggs!) but the difference with hunting is that it's a sport and carried out for pleasure which I find abhorrent. Blue Foxes killing rabbits is part of the natural process. Men and women wearing silly outfits and enjoying hunting an animal down and watching it ripped to pieces is not. LouLou and Paul Can I just say foxhunting is much less to do with class than a lot of people think. I have a lot of relations who are involved in the whole scene and ain't posh at all:)

there's nothing to argue about! fox hunting as was,is now illegal,if they break the law,arrest them,charge them,convict them,and put them away for a few months. bryan.