I am quite sure that a lot of hunts carried on as before anyway, and 'accidentally' came across foxes. Before the ban came in, I can remember the pro-hunting lobby claiming that if there was a ban, hundreds of hounds would have to be destroyed. As far as I know, none were.
I would rather they concentrated on effectively punishing acts of deliberate animal cruelty, improving slaughterhouse conditions, and of course getting Beagles, and other sentient animals, out of laboratories. In terms of the sheer volume of terror, there is far worse to concentrate on.
I have no problems with humanely controlling numbers but chasing a fox for miles to be ripped to death by dogs for "sport" in the name of controlling numbers is inhumane. Its 10 years since the Ban, we haven't had the mass unemployment, the killing of hunting dogs or the end of the traditional hunt as predicted. Disgrace !!
There might be worse kinds of cruelty, but how is killing foxes going to help animals in laboratories and slaughterhouses?
Not real sure as I'm in the US, but I personally don't see the point. If they really want hunting with a dog, have them come to the US and visit Texas. Would be some real action instead, no letting the dogs just chase a Fox for miles till it was tired as hell. What I'm talking about is wild hog hunting, let them get out there with a pack of Dogo's and get in the mud where it's actually needed.
It's a misconception to think the hounds chase a fox " for miles till it's exhausted " , that's not the reality of the situation, people like to think this, but it's far from the truth.
As a finn I am not familiar with that type of hunting, but it is very-very hard to think that as something that is "needed". And after I read Daniel P. Mannix's book "The Fox and The Hound" I couldn't even think it as it is... Too bad that Disney mutilated that wonderful and heartbreaking story as they did... NO for that kind of hunting.
