Ramsgate protest over fox hunting
PROTESTORS concerned about a possible repeal of the ban on fox hunting by a future Tory government protested yesterday outside a Conservative office in Ramsgate.
Animal lover Barbara Woodruff, 70, led the 30-strong crowd, waving banners and holding a large poster of a bloodied fox at headquarters used by Conservative parliamentary candidate for South Thanet Laura Sandys.
Mrs Woodruff from Cliftonville, said: "Everyone is really worried that the Tories will bring back the sport. David Cameron said he will consider overturning the bill and I believe she will support it."
Mrs Sandys declined to say how she would vote if a move to repeal the law was brought before Parliament but added :"It's not a piece of legislation we should pursue but if it comes up in Parliament , I am happy to discuss it. I think the majority of people here are against it."
4 Comments
by Sarah, Surrey
Friday, March 19 2010, 6:43PM
“I've only seen a fox killed by hounds once (the Saturday before the hunt ban came into force), and while it was not pretty it was extremely quick, quicker than the average road traffic kill I would think. The fox ran across the fields, the lead hounds caught up with it and bowled it over - I couldn't honestly say I saw the "bite to the back of the neck" that people talk about because it was pretty well dead when it hit the ground, you could see from how floppy it was. Then the rest of the pack caught up, and they all ate the body. For your information I experienced no "bloodlust", just a faint feeling of ickiness I suppose.
What happens to the fox after it's dead is irrelevant to the fox. What was relevant is that if it had escaped the hounds - which it would have done if it had been younger or fitter - it would have done so uninjured which none of the other methods of culling can claim to ensure. They can claim to leave a prettier corpse which is great for those who like to be sentimental about foxes but of no comfort to those who actually care for what happens.
Trail hunting, though it has been a useful way of keeping the structure of hunting together and the hounds in work, is boring. It's a bit like doing a crossword with the answers in front of you, and it serves no useful purpose.”
by Charlotte, Woking
Friday, March 19 2010, 6:08PM
“Repealing the ban would be a ludicrously bad idea of the Tories - it would certainly make the average wavering voter think twice about supporting a party with values like these.
Sarah - I can never understand why, when hunting is apparently now so popular - you would want to return to the legal tearing to pieces of foxes. With trail hunting you can have every other aspect of the hunt... just not the cruel bit.”
by foxy, Foxwood Road
Friday, March 19 2010, 4:42PM
“The foxes love a bit of hunting. Why they regularly tear chickens and lambs to pieces and leave entrails strewn over the lawn. Set the dogs on these vermin at the first opportunity I say!”
by Sarah, Surrey
Friday, March 19 2010, 1:46PM
“"30 strong crowd"? If our hunt only managed to attract 30 paying customers when we met yesterday we'd be in trouble. Not much of a groundswell of opinion is it.
We got about 60 local people on horse and on foot, by the way. Funny that pro-hunt demonstration get a mention!”