General Chat

So. If you happen to be a criminal, of any kind , (a human mammal) and a police man sets his dog on you....... Is he guilty of hunting with a dog? or again, is it one law for one? etc............. If a soldier in a war zone can be held for murder? etc.....

I've read the replies posted here and it still seems folk think this is a Bill to ban Fox Hunting.... It is a Bill to ban hunting with dogs..so if you happen to be walking your pooch in the park and it chases, does not have to kill, a mammal of any variety you could find yourself in Court !

Totally against. Barbaric and unnecesary. To those that support it - I would imagine you're OK with cock fighting, bear baiting, seal culling then ? One or two points though. To the chap that uses dogs to kill rats - different arguement really isn't it, you aren't doing it for sport. Secondly - fishing. Most anglers will tell you that 99% of the fish they caught are released back into the water. They are not ripped to pieces. Those that fish for trout/salmon etc kill the fish quickly with a blow to the head and then take them home andeat them eat them ! Totally different kettle of fish (pun intended). Thirdly - can we not eat venison ? Well those of us that aren't vegitarians can - again, these animals aren't hunted purely for the pleasure of killing them. Paul

Dorothy I wish I could put things across like that, WELL SAID! If ever you become an M.P. you've got my vote. there is only two species on this planet that ***** its self, the earth worm and the human being. So far we have made quite a good job of it.

Well said Dorothy. Jx

Please can someone answer me this? why is it barbaric to go fox hunting, when they only get one in ten foxes. And it's not barbaric for me to go out with my two dogs and kill rats. By the way I also use a hawk to rid the churches of their pidgeons, because the vicars dont like them messing on their congregation's heads while they are praying to God.

I am very much Against fox hunting. Its barbaric. People that enjoy killing in this way are very evil people. JMM

Foxes have no natural predator - take away man and dog and only old age and disease will kill them. Fox numbers will increase, like badgers, and then what will happen? Jx

David Your right I wouldn't like it, but a human being with a gun is hardly a natural predator, nor can you guarantee an instant kill with a gun. The fox hunting fraternity aren't going to like it much when all the hounds are put down, what are they going to do, shoot them all? I suppose I'm lucky as my dogs only kill rats, but then the urban people dont like them. In the countryside the fox kills rats so suppose I should'nt complain really as my buisness might double. The problem is as I mentioned before, the ban isn't about fox hunting it is hunting with dogs. So I shall probably end up shooting mine humanly myself.

Drag hunting is a non-starter as far as I can see as you need land where this can be held. The farmers only allow the hunt across his/her land in order to keep the foxes away; if there is no fox then said farmer is not going to let the hunt chew up his/her land chasing after aniseed; there is no benefit to the farmer. Hence, hounds will not be kept on for drag hunting and most likely will have to be put down. I have relatives who hunt but I'm neither strongly for or against it, what worries me more is this government intrusion into people's lives, if they think they can get away with banning this then other countryside pursuits become viable targets.

Julia I also sympathise with you - my parents once lost there brood to a fox. But the fox will only kill if he can get in and we knew it was ultimately our own fault for not making the chicken shed secure enough.

David Can you define the act of humanly please.

Julia, I do sympathise with you, but I have to say that I've had several pets - yes, several! - killed by hunting dogs, (another was still alive and left for dead) and yes, these scenes have been witnessed by children. At the time I was angry, yes, I wanted those damn dogs killed, but that's not the answer. The pro-hunt response? "They're only doing what comes naturally". So that justified it then. The distress of the children seemed immaterial to them. These same people can't stand cats because they kill birds (OK, I hate that too) and hunt "for enjoyment". So what are hunt followers doing that's different? By their own admission, people I know hunt for that very reason - enjoyment. Anyway, the sun's shining outside (for a change!) so I'm off to hang the washing out. 'Bye! P.S. There was an earlier reply mentioning "mere animals" and that people seemed to put them before child welfare. Please, whoever put that (can't remember who it was!), have more faith in human nature. Hubby and I are adoptive parents so are very well aware of child cruelty (er, not by us!!). Also, our children are chuffed that they have themselves adopted rescue animals. Gawd help us, I have gone on, haven't I!! Shut up Glenys.

At this moment in time the saying "an eye for an eye" springs to mind and I would willingly join a fox hunt and hope a fox got caught. Due to a family crisis we were home after dark and the devastation that met us was awful. I have had two broody hens taken and eggs left to go cold. Feathers were everywhere and one hen and all her 7 chics were lying dead in a bloody (the red stuff) mess. Can you imagine what effect this has had on children to see their pets killed for no apparent reason. All I can say is I hope that when foxes become more urbanised they don't take pet rabbits and cats, which they could do. Jx

Robert, you have hit the nail right on the head......if there is ONE animal that I would like to see the back of.......is the so called Domestic cat.......Now, how can we get them outlawed....?

Nature lovers uderstand, animals lovers pretend

Nature Lovers or Animal Lovers?

Lets get one thing straight, the bill is not to ban fox hunting, it is hunting with dogs. I have two professional hunting dogs in the shape of two Jack Russells i.e. Mork and Mindy. We are called out too places where rats are a problem. It takes one fifth of a second for the dog to kill and it is confirmed. When I'm not aloud to do it anymore they will lay poison. This will take at least a day for the rat to die. And when your cat or dog happen to eat the poison it will become very ill if not die. Anyone who lays poison for mice are killing owls and sometimes their own cat. The car kills 100 times more foxes than the hounds and sometimes it takes days for the fox to die from its injuries. The domestic cat kills 9 million birds a year, they dont kill instantly they play with their victim for hours. When all the fox hunting and the fishing is completely banned and all the country side is built on and the rivers are polluted, then perhaps you 'so called' nature lovers will be satisfied.

AGAINST it is barbaric and cruel and should have been banned years ago.The prohunters are just YOBS.

i dont agree with it, it's horried to think that some poor animal is killed for plesure where's the plesure in that, i fail to see it if it was a person the law would endevre to find the killer. if it was a dog/cat/other domesitic animal who ever killed it would be caught. so why should it be any different just because it's a wild animal