Robert, Stevenage
Friday, November 26, 2004 at 22:47:40

The Countryside Alliance and other pro-hunt organisations say nothing about the re-introduction and/or de-criminalisation of dogfighting, cockfighting, bearbaiting and badgerbaiting, as if they don't care about the supposed 'human rights' of people who illicitly and illegally pursue these country 'sports'. Isn't this simply a case of argueing 'one rule and law for the upper classes and another for everybody else'? If hunting isn't a class issue as well as a cruelty issue then I don't know what is!

Yvonne, Preston
Sunday, November 21, 2004 at 20:12:33

Has Tom Fell of the Countryside Alliance congratulated you on your success yet?

NWLACS Reply: No not yet, nor did we get an Xmas card off him last year.

Meg, Fleetwood
Saturday, November 20, 2004 at 23:32:31

Hooray! now go get shooting and fishing!

Zoot, Tarporley, Cheshire
Saturday, November 20, 2004 at 22:53:38

Common sense at last! a ban. i hope it sticks and don't understand the legal side of it all. one thing i DO understand is the arrogance of the pros. can they no accept that when something is deemed illegal - it means it's compulsory, no arguments, no can do any more..
but instead, the arrogant perverts insist they will continue. oh yeah? i'll be watching if they do...
i'm bored with seeing roadsigns round here with pro hunting slogans applied to them, again, more signs of arrogance. i am going to take a few down tomorrow. i called in at oulton park today to watch a porsche trackday and the perverts were out in force there hunting. as i had my young son with me, i could only wind my window down and shout 'LOSERS!' to them. if looks could kill....
another time, another place....

Clare, Blackpool
Saturday, November 20, 2004 at 11:01:43

I was really relieved that the hunting ban has eventually been passed but I think it was wrong for the police to say it would be impossible to enforce the ban. This just opens the flood gates for everyone to cause trouble because they think they will get away with it.

I resent the fact the people in support of hunting think that because some of us live in towns we don't understand the issues surrounding fox (or any other) hunting with hounds. You don't have to be Einstein to realise that it is cruel to chase an animal to exhaustion.

The main emotive subject is that horses and dogs will have to be put down and people will lose their jobs. We all have to diversify - all the miners who lost their jobs during Mrs Thatcher's reign had to retrain to do other things. Why don't the hunts diversify into drag hunting? This would be more popular than hunting animals and so should make more money for the hunts.

David, Lancashire
Friday, November 19, 2004 at 21:37:27

The Hunting with dogs bill has now been passed, at long last, and the hunting fraternity have promised amongst other things, civil disobediance, stopping utility companies from maintaining equipment and suplies, disrupting travel etc. What if anything have you planned to make sure that trouble is a two way street. With most of the country still for the ban, but being persuaded the opposite by your silance, now is the time raise your profile and highlight these thuggish methods to the public. Or do you feel the job is done? god help the Fox if you think it is.....

NWLACS Reply: Hi David, yes we will be highlighting the thuggish behaviour of hunt supporters as more and more acts of vandalism and attacks on MPs occur. The Countryside Alliance 'protests' at Westminster and at the Labour Party conference in Brighton did more to persuade the public to support a ban on hunting than we could ever have achieved with a demonstration. Do we feel the job is done? Not in the slightest! As has been pointed out, one of the worst aspects of foxhunting, namely terrierwork, hasn't been banned. Hopefully we will see you at some of our demos in Lancashire soon.

Anne, Cheshire
Friday, November 19, 2004 at 12:22:42

Hurray, Hurray, Hurray for the BAN

Danny, Kent
Friday, November 19, 2004 at 08:45:07

Hunters have lost every substantive argument on this issue. The final nails in the coffin were the disgusting riots in Parliament Square where 60 policement were injured, Otis Ferry & co's storming of the commons, the intimidation of Government ministers and, of course, the Isle of Wight huntsman who drove a stake through the heart of a horse in a Brighton Street. The irony of this last act of hooliganism is that it was the IOW hunt which introduced foxes to the island in the first place.

What we have to ban now is the vile, dreadful animal abuse that is terrierwork and "digging out".

Anthony K, Cheshire
Friday, November 19, 2004 at 01:01:46

Finally this bloody 'sport' has been banned. :-)

Congratulations to the League Against Cruel Sports, RSPCA, IFAW, Hunt Sabs, Protect Our Wild Animals, our MPs and everyone who has campaigned so tirelessly for the ban. And lets not forget the contribution of the Countryside Alliance in bringing the ban date forward - thanks lads we couldn't have done it without you!

Sid, Cheshire
Friday, November 19, 2004 at 00:16:06

Would it be possible to find out which farmers and producers support foxhunting so i can start my own campaign and avoid buying their goods. Are huntsmen breath tested after drinking from the stirrup cup ?

Mark, North West
Thursday, November 18, 2004 at 08:50:00

Hunting should not be banned~!!
Trust me the countryside will suffer the most!!

Bruce, Southport
Wednesday, November 17, 2004 at 12:13:09

If Barbara (see comments below) can't bear to think of foxes "suffering a slow death" then why does she support foxhunting? How can being chased across a field by a pack of hounds be classed as a quick death. Perhaps she should ask her local hunt to chase her to give her the experience of being chased by a blood thirsty group of 'people'. Nearly 40% of all foxes killed by hunting are a result of being attacked by terriers whilst underground and then dug up and thrown to hounds (see www.diggingout.org). I wonder if Barbara also supports the Countryside Alliance who are pro-shooting. If she bothered to look at this site and other anti-hunt sites she would realise that us antis don't claim a ban on hunting will stop the war of wildlife that is currently happening but it will be a big step in the right direction.

Kate, Whitchurch
Wednesday, November 17, 2004 at 08:49:35

What a relief that MPs weren't scared to face up to the Countryside Alliance bullies and once again rejected the 'middle-way' option. The hunting lot have run out of arguments and now have run out of time. Good riddence to those whose only enjoyment of wildlife is seeing it fleeing for its life.

Barbara, North York
Wednesday, November 17, 2004 at 07:12:04

Are the Anti-hunt people going to issue guide-lines to ensure the safety of the fox?
It would be a pity if such a beautiful animal were to become extinct in due time. I can't bear to think of many of these animals suffering a slow death because they have been trapped, poisoned or shot without being killed straight away. I hope the people who are so dead against fox-hunting will give some thought as to the well-being of this animal. At least, hunting with dogs ensures a quick and certain death to an animal which would certainly have escaped the hounds if it had been fit and well!

Chloe, Knutsford, Cheshire
Monday, November 15, 2004 at 23:02:30

Ban Fox Hunting! Fight The Prejudiced Minority! Ban this so-called 'Tradition'!

Pete, Carlisle
Monday, November 15, 2004 at 16:56:42

A ban is long overdue, Blair should have kept to his promise and banned it in 1999. I'm sick of hearing bloodsporters going on about having to kill their "lovely hounds" if hunting is banned; they already do it to the tune of over 3,000 each year. They care not a jot about their hounds or the wildlife they kill. Remember Blair, "Hunt Ban This Year, or No Vote Next".

Countryman, UK
Saturday, September 26, 2004 at 12:55:09

Why should we give in to the cruelty of the hunting fraternity?

If we do turn a blind eye to their cruelty then, should we also turn a blind eye to the Japanese and their mindless killing of whales just for their blubber? Should we also turn a blind eye to the Canadians for their mindless bludgeoning of seals just to stem the seal population? Should we also turn a blind eye to the French fishing trawlers for the mindless killing of dolphins trapped in their nets? I could go on. This is the league I put the hunting fraternity in, ‘Mindless killing’. The hunting fraternity keep on about destroying their way of life, losing their houses and jobs. What did the Miners do? They also had tied accommodation when they lost their proper work; they finally accepted the loss of their work and tied accommodation, (not involving cruelty), and got themselves other work and accommodation. What did the fisherman do, when Brussels stopped a lot of their fishing rights? Again not involving cruelty? They eventually accepted it and got themselves other work, as did thousands of others who have lost their jobs. The hunting fraternity can do the same and get a proper job not involving cruelty. The alliance also talk about their human rights, what about the rights of animals not to be chased all over the countryside until they are exhausted, then torn to pieces whilst still alive, what about their rights? What about the rights of others, the likes of my wife and I, who are animal lovers, and other men, women & children etc who openly weep when they/we see these horrific cruel acts, performed? What about our rights and thousands more like us, not to witness or even know of these barbaric acts of cruelty to foxes and deer, what about our rights?

In closing I am not a Townie, I have lived in the countryside most of my life, I say “KEEP THE HUNTING BAN” and let the hunting fraternity get themselves a proper life and work not involving cruelty.

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