Discover the real facts on hunting and repealing the ban
FOLLOWING on from Joan Mazumdar's letter of March 31, I felt it imperative that readers were informed of the true nature of fox hunting.
Firstly, it has not been replaced by drag hunting as it is still perfectly legal to hunt with hounds providing that you either use no more than two hounds to flush a fox out to a gun or you hunt with a full pack of hounds and use a bird of prey for the kill.
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Hunting with hounds is the most humane way to dispatch foxes. Indiscriminate shooting often results in the fox crawling into the undergrowth and dying a slow, painful death from blood loss, starvation or infection. Snares, traps and poison also cause unnecessary and prolonged suffering. Hunting with dogs provides instant death.
As a farmer, my livelihood is seriously threatened by foxes, not only by the loss of livestock but by the infections they spread to other animals. Fox hunting is an essential form of pest control not a 'fun sport' for the rich upper classes. Incidentally, the ritual of 'blooding' children was done away with in the 1960s.
David Cameron has the good sense to see that the hunting ban is totally unworkable. The police do not have the manpower to oversee hunts and collection of evidence is near impossible. It's a great shame that large numbers of police hours are taken up dealing with those who turn up to disrupt hunts and attack riders and horses.
The anti-hunt people constantly bombard people with false information and ludicrous 'made up' material. I would suggest that any rational person should find out for themselves first hand why and how hunting is carried out and form their own opinion rather than listen to the rantings of others.
E BROOKER
Newton Abbot
THE normally well-informed Joan Mazumdar of Galmpton is incorrect in the letter she wrote concerning fox hunting. It is not Conservative policy to reverse the hunting ban as she stated in the letter headlined 'Tory proposal on hunting would be backward step'.
David Cameron has offered a free vote to all MPs in the next Parliament if he wins power. Thankfully not every issue is party political, and there are people in all the main parties with sharply opposing views on this subject. A free vote means no party whip with MPs free to vote with their conscience.
I agree with much in her letter on the subject and have already stated several times that if elected I will not be voting to repeal the ban.
MARCUS WOOD
Parliamentary Candidate for the Torbay Conservatives
4 Comments
by NORMAN BRYANT, west sussex
Sunday, April 11 2010, 5:06PM
“Ann, I think that Margaret Thatcher did an awful lot of good for this country, she stood up against strikers, she was excellent in protecting the Falklands and then our soldiers had the right equipment, which is more than they have now. Paul when did you last see a child blooded, I have been hunting for thirty years and never seen it, I think you have a hang up about people on horses, perhaps you feel inferior to them but there is no reason to be, Show the face of an exhausted Fox etc what dribble is that, and Mink, the thing that the animal rights group let out of farms so the horrible thing can kill all our fish and other small animals, if I had my way there would not be a live mink left out in the wild, they are some of the worse killing machines ever, if a fox is "ripped to bits" it is long dead before it happens, People die and then are cremated but they don't know about it because they are long dead, same as the fox. We do not force anyone to do it or like it but please don't tell lies to try and put your point of view over.”
by Ann, Preston
Monday, April 05 2010, 2:11PM
“I am sick to death already of this forthcoming election.Marcus Wood is one that needs to make his mind up and stick to his policies.but hey, God forbid he gets elected, because if he did we all know he would have to do as he is TOLD..I stand to be corrected but I am positve I heard Cameron say he would allow the hunting ban to be over turned...of course he would, he is one of the toffs that have never, ever had to worry about money, not his fault but he can't possibly understand what it is like to live in the real world....Maggie Thatcher's side kick and I am sure we all remember what she did to this country !!!!!!”
by Paul Timpson, Devon
Saturday, April 03 2010, 10:23AM
“Hunting is not such a pretty spectacle as your article portrays, have a look behind the scenes to see the cruelty involved.
Oh, what a pretty picture the hunting fraternity always paint for us.
Horses, riders and supporters done up to the nines, passing the stirrup cup round, patting each other on the back for the sterling work they have done in avoiding the law.
But, wait a minute, where were all those noisy quad bikes that are so much the norm of modern-day hunting? No mention of the roads blocked by the cars of supporters who don't move even when asked.
Where was that special breed of local louts with terriers?
Where were the foul-mouthed followers, the faces of the children blooded for the fun' of being at their first kill? The real face of hunting is not the pretty picture it would have us believe.
Show the face of an exhausted fox, hare, stag or mink its eyes staring, tongue hanging out, breath rasping, body quivering, not knowing where to turn to get away from their persecutors.
Show the face of the bloodthirsty mob who will joyfully chase these animal, oblivious to its suffering.
Its strange the letters never mention how many foxes are chased and ripped to pieces each week, why not?
That is the true face of hunting - not very pretty at all.
Please contact your local MP and ask them to support the ban on hunting and also see www.backtheban.com to see what YOU can do.”
by Mark Hellyer, Torquay
Friday, April 02 2010, 8:57AM
“Nice bit of electioneering Marcus. Let's hope all that pressure you and Eric Pickles put on Nick Bye works. I guess you've just got to keep your finger crossed and hope the people of Torbay will forget your unflinching support for the Mayor over Babbacombe Downs and everything else. What was it you said about him? Oh yes, here's the quote:
"I think Nick Bye is the best thing to happen to Torbay in a generation - and so do a large and growing number of the people who live here - and I would hate to think that anyone thought that I had any doubts."
Oh, and then there's your support for the man that lied about the consultation process and kicked two honourable Tory councillors off the planning committee:
"Kevin (Carroll) is one of the most dedicated and hard-working people I have ever had the pleasure of working with and I think he is a huge asset to Torbay and to the Conservative Party."”