Repeal the Hunting Act as it has prevented the guardians of our countryside from managing it properly and reducing vermin and over-populated areas. (Where do excess numbers of foxes go when there's over-population of them in the countryside ~ they move into towns and cities and get into our houses !!!!)

This law has done nothing for animal welfare and never will do. It is badly drafted and unworkable legislation. Repeal the Hunting Act now.

Bad law, badly drafted, badly executed. Far worse to the poor animals that aren't cleanly killed.

Country first for country folk!

The population of foxe's is simply too large. It needs to be controlled, hunting provides a natural solution to the control of a verminous population. It is only natural for one animal to kill another.

Unworkable legislation that has achieved only harm to the rural and urban environments and the fox itself.

This law has always been about penalising those who live and work in the country, in pursuit of an unworkable ideal about animal 'welfare'. This law does not protect animals, nor increase their welbeing.

It has attempted to remove the guts of rural communities and threatens to turn the countryside into a theme park with no purpose or heart.

The law was put in place to stop the barbaric ripping apart of foxes. The hunting of foxes by a pack of dogs is wrong. I have no problem with the *humane* reduction in the fox and other vermin population, but the chasing of a fox until it is physically too tired and scared then being torn apart by a bunch of dogs is too awful to be believed to exist in these times.

Revisit the law by all means so that fox numbers can be controlled, but the slaughter by a pack of dogs for no reason other than "sport" is wrong.

This law should be ammended not repealed. Ripping a fox to bits is cruel.It has nothing to do with "vermin" control. Gamekeepers actually protect and breed foxes so thay can be hunted. (Do contact me...I will supply farmers and gamekeepers names who do this). Gamekeepers and farmers are excellent shots when it comes to shooting game, so I am at a loss as to why they suddenly profess to "only wounding, thus making a fox suffer more" when asked why they don't shoot foxes as "vermin" control.All wildlife should be protected.Fox hunting is as outdated and barbaric as bear-baiting, dog fighting, lions jumping through flaming hoops and dolphins kept in tanks and clapping Happy Birthday!

I forgot to add....I was brought up on a country hunting estate. My parents still live there and I now own my own "land". Country girl through and through....so yes! Seen it, been there, got the T-shirt!

There is no argument for hunting foxes with dogs, chasing them for miles and then ripping them apart (or digging them out from the burrows where they have hidden from the hunt and then beating them to death or throwing them to the hounds). It is sadistic and barbaric and has no place in a modern society.

The law should be reviewed and strengthened to ensure it is properly enforced in the future as there has been far too much blatant flouting of the law as it is.

What is important is animal welfare coupled with ecological wildlife management and pest control. The law should be replaced by one which does not target the use of dogs but allows all activities which can be justified under legal standards of cruelty and utility and prohibits those which cannot be.

The Hunting Act as it stands is a badly drafted and prejudiced piece of legislation.

The hunting act should not be repealed but strengthened and enforced. There have been convictions, especially on hare coursing, and as a new law it will prove difficult to enforce however this is not reason to get rid of a law which 75% of the country wish to see set in place. Ireland yesterday banned hunting stags and fox hunting will possibly soon follow, Spain are voting to see Bull Fighting banned.
"This law has always been about penalising those who live and work in the country, in pursuit of an unworkable ideal about animal 'welfare'. This law does not protect animals, nor increase their well-being," this is the sort of nonsense the CA has been spouting out to people for years and as someone who lived and works in the country I know this is not true. What about those who are sick of hunters thundering into their gardens? What about those whose pets have been killed by hungry hounds? What about the school children who have witnessed a stag being ripped to shreds in front of them? What about the people who have run over the out of control hounds as they run uncontrolled into the road? What about the monitors and saboteurs who have been viciously attacked by hunters? Hunters are not above the law and there comments about this being unworkable only prove that they have deluded sense of being above the law. There is not reason to go back to a regressive and anachronistic pastime.

Scrap the 2004 hunting with dogs act.
Waist of government time to bring it in.
There was no referance to the governments own evidence.
A waist of police time.
Infringes my liberties.
Does absolutely nothing to protect animals or the countryside.

Using hounds as a method of control for foxes and other vermin has been proven to be an effective way of culling which ensures the survival of the fittest. The current ban means that foxes which are inacapable of performing their part in nature's balance are now surviving, breeding and moving into the towns for easy pickings!

Hunting people do not hate foxes - the hunt staff take their job very seriously and strive to maintain a healthy fox population, culling those which carry diseases such as mange etc... the ones cannot hunt the rabbits which are damaging the crops. The whole idea of using hounds is to be more selective about the culling - rather than shooting every fox in the area, regardless of its state of health.

As for the followers - they are not bloodthirsty savages but people who enjoy riding across open countryside where they would not normally be allowed.

The main point that appears to have been missed when this law was brought in is that the hunts DO care about the fox - and this ban was the worse thing that could have happened from the fox's point of view! Whereas once he could have used his cunning, speed, agility and knowledge of the area to escape, now he's simply shot, no arguements. Is it any wonder they are moving into the cities? Where, I believe, babies can make a good alernative to the farmers chickens... Foxes in towns require council exterminators to deal with them - public money. Hunts are self funding.

The Hunting Act was a major step FORWARD in our move towards a more civilisied society - repeal would show us to be the barbarians we were. It should not be repealed. The rural community has remained unchanged throughout the ban, and the fox population has not increased. There is no reason to repeal this - if we are to repeal laws with a low conviction rate then clearly the rape laws would have to go too. To repeal a law just so that a small minority of people can get their kicks from chasing and pulling apart an animal (be it fox, hare or stag) is absurd.

There are plenty of people who loathe foxhunting (see above comments) but that should not give them the right to criminalise people who don't share their bigoted views. Supporters of the Hunting Act made it clear at the time that the law would not save the lives of foxes, and that the main object was to legally discriminate against an imaginary class of 'sadistic toffs'.

I don't honestly believe Mr Clegg will abolish this law. It would mean ignoring the prejudices of his core voters merely to extend cultural freedoms to a despised minority. It'd be as brave as the Catholic Relief Act of 1829 - and our Coalition just hasn't the courage.

Some people just want to kill things. Hunting disrupts farming, spooks farm animals, destroys crops and is just morally wrong.

(In fact, the law should be revised to close the loopholes which effectively allow hunting to continue as long as someone brings a gun. Or a falcon. Or...)

Probably the worst piece of legislation passed by the previous government!

Control fox (and deer) numbers when absolutely necessary by methods that represent the least amount of suffering that we as humans can realistically achieve. How anyone can defend making such an activity 'fun' by hunting with dogs is completely beyond the comprehension of most people in this country.
Whether your're a rural or urban dweller - animal cruelty cannot be justified as a 'liberty', just as other forms of cruelty are not acceptable in todays society. Claims that hunting with dogs is in some way more beneficial to the animal than a professional controller is also nonsense. How can a repeal be justified by the argument that it is unworkable? It's against the law just like shoplifting or GBH - shall we allow those as well?
Repeal is a backward step & if achieved by this government (Cameron is a hunt supporter) a sad indictment of English society.

Great one to repeal! Please repeal this!

This act was bought in by Tony Blair as a sop to his class obsessed MPs so that they would vote for other unpopular legislation such as University Top Up Fees. The act failed to take into account the evidence submitted to the Burns Inquiry. Furthermore the Hunting Act applies only to England and Wales so why were Scots MP and those from Northern Ireland allowed to vote when they have devolved parliaments and their own legislation on this issue?

This law does nothing to help animal welfare. It is unworkable, unenforcable and a waste of police time and public money.

Scrap the 2004 hunting with dogs act.
Waste of government time bringing it in & it's a waste of funds & police time trying to re enforce it, when funds could be put to a much better use.
Does absolutely nothing to protect animals or the countryside.
No doubt invented in the first place by a "desk bound city slicker" thats never even seen a fox or even been in the countryside!!!
Bring back one of Britains greatest country traditions.
Bring back hunting !!!

A piece of poorly written legislation brought in by a gov't obssessed with power and desperate to attract the "leafy lane" suburbanists vote.
Hunting with hounds is part of our cultural fabric practised by folk who understand the countryside.
If you don't play the game don't make the rules!
Keep the countryside for the country and keep the meddling "townys" and supposed "do gooders" out of our business.
Further; This act has penalised many legitimate hunters by way of the poorly written nature of the act. What next? Fishing?
Do not bow to the animal rights activists many of whom are no more than terrorists. (stated with documented evidence)

STOP THIS UNJUST AND RIDICULOUS ACT NOW!

This is ridiculous - making a case for the erosion of civil liberties through the banning of cruelty. Say I liked to kick kittens around - I could well argue my civil liberties are being curtailed by the Animal Welfare Act. Or I like to rape, or burgle, or murder- and so on. The High Court, the Court of Appeal, the House of Lords and the European Court of Human Rights have all dismissed the claim that the Act infringes human rights or "civil liberties". The Hunting Act needs toughening up and enforcing - it is a small step towards ridding our country of medieval barbarity.

hunting with dogs is not cruel though,it is the most efficient way of culling old weak diseased and livestock attacking fox whereas a gun doesnt discriminate,young and fit and old and diseased all die when your shooting,only the ones who are cannot escape are killed by the hounds.

SUPPORT FREEDOM SUPPORT THE REPEAL

This bad law has nothing to do with animal welfare and everything to do with spite, prejudice and ignorance. Repeal it.

okay lets try it this way, repeal the law, and let hounds hunt foxes and rip them apart, also dont convict me if a devil dog strays whilst on a hunt on my land and comes face to face with my rifle. Foxes are not vermin.

Whats the most efficient way of culling foxes?
Is it chasing after them with loads of horses and dogs, while tearing up the countryside?
No it is not.

This kind of action is just as likely to make foxes move the the city as anything else, a stupid argument for an idiotic sport. Im sure there are much more efficent ways to control foxes Hunt supporters just dont want to use them and hide behind weak argument and tradition.

Repeal the Hunting Act 2004.

It has not been of any benefit or enhanced the welfare of either mankind or wild mammals.

This is a bad law which does nothing for animal welfare. It is badly drafted and unworkable. Hunting is an efficient and effective means of controlling fox and deer populations. The act should be repealed as soon as possible.

A badly thrown together law that was pushed through regardless of the democratic process that existed within this country.

A law introduced without proper regard for the countryside and the people who live and work in it. This law was a further example of an attempt to erode our traditions and culture. In my view such actions have a strongly detrimental long term effect on our society.
 

Whilst not perfect, the Hunting Act should not only remain but be STRENGTHENED. I live in the country and have personally witnessed the (literally) shocking bloodthirsty pleasure the hunters take in the moments when the hounds corner the fox (or stag/deer/hare) and close in to tear it apart whilst alive. Truly horrific!

Belive me, the majority of rural dwellers cannot stand the arrogance and attitude of the hunts.

Utter rubbish to say they only take the weak and the ill. Even a healthy fox eventually has nowhere to run if it's earths have been blocked up the night before and it's bleeding internally from organ failure due to the prolonged chase by the hounds and the hunters having a jolly day out.

If the exhausted and terrified creature does find a 'safe' place it is 'dug out' - a process that can take hours and then it can be thrown alive to the hounds to the cheers of the hunters.

It is a truly disgusting activity carried out by sick people that belongs in the past.

Trail and drag hunting which have replaced the killing have resulted in increased membership of hunts. It's never been a form of pest control so why bother to repeal it? 75% of the public don't want to.

Anyone with any doubt should do some research on YouTube

The originator of this thread put things very succinctly. We taxpayers funded the Burns Report, which was then ignored by the bigots who framed the Act. The Act does not protect foxes, as it remains legal (and necessary) to kill them by other means.
Banning hunting restricts my civil liberties to engage in a sport (yes, it is!) that performs a useful social and animal welfare function. The former because it binds all strata of country folk together (even though some indviduals don't like hunting) and the latter because it preferentially eliminates the weak, the sick and the wounded. Hunting with hounds never leaves a wounded fox, and kills them very quickly once caught. If the fox is torn apart, then it is already dead. Shooting can wound (terribly) without killing.

very well put DrD

FIGHT THE BAN FIGHT OPPRESSION

This law must stay, I've lived in the countryside most of my life and it's untrue that country people agree with hunting, the majority of people I know are totally against it. If this law is repealed it will be legal to slaughter not only foxes but deer, hare and mink for fun. This is not something a civilised society should be condoning.

The law introduced many problems that truly should be addressed, however, the fact remains that fox hunting is a cruel sport and should not be condoned as a sport or entertained under the guise of necessary pest control.

Hunting with horse and hounds is simply tormenting an animal or animals for fun - cruel and deserved to be banned!

If an animal is determined to be dangerous or a vermin and needs to be culled then so be it. But it behooves us as intelligent beings to do so in the most humane and humble way possible.

Seconded:

Posted by IanRogers July 02, 2010 at 03:52AM
Hunting with horse and hounds is simply tormenting an animal or animals for fun - cruel and deserved to be banned!

If an animal is determined to be dangerous or a vermin and needs to be culled then so be it. But it behooves us as intelligent beings to do so in the most humane and humble way possible.

The Hunting Act 2004 is simply bad legislation. It is unworkable, unenforceable and does absolutely nothing to improve animal welfare in any way whatsoever. It was put together as a piece of political chicanery by a government that instigated a report (the Burns Report) to study the subject in some depth and then ignored what the Report said.
Hunting is still the least cruel way of controlling foxes because the hunted fox either gets away or is killed instantly. The Act should be repealed as soon as possible and hunting should be supervised by a regulatory authority.

This law should be better enforced. It is important legislation for animal welfare according to the RSPCA, who's evidence was instrumental in making the law. Fox hunting as a 'vermin control' doesn't make sense because the hunts dig earths to encourage foxes to breed, and have move more foxes to areas where scarce in order to continue their blood sport. (CA members Iincl Kate Hoey) have said foxes would be extinct in the countryside if it wasn't for the hunt!) If people want to enjoy the social and health aspects of the hunt they can do drag or trail hunting. This way they don't need to trespass on land, scaring farmers and their livestock.

People supporting Fox hunting simply enjoy the killing and this is the problem.

If you wanted to control the population in a humane way nobody would have a problem, but instead its all about an over-extravagent old tradition, and the "hunting for sport" element offends too many people to allow.

Lets not take a step backwards on this.

I fail to see how it has used police hours when poilce fail to respond to the instances where the ban has been flouted?

I fail to see a negative impact on wildlife, huntsmen will still run their hounds into oncoming traffic, still beat them.

We need to make a stand against the elitist few, that they cannot ignore democracy.

What about the view of those who have to live with the hunts? Whose pets are killed by hounds, where children are kept in doors while packs frenzy through the village. They speak out quietly to avoid the intimidation and threatening behaviour of a group of people with a lust for killing.

If it were impoverished gangs of teens ripping apart stray dogs, as an example, it would be horrific. Perhaps they just don't have anough money and power to be 'allowed' to kill in this fashion?

And lets not forget this is not just foxes, but deer and all the other animals that suffer this torture.

This idea that people can watch another living creature pulled apart, limb from limb...if its too young, too old or too pregnant to fight back mores the better, is the ultimate throwback to the Dark Ages. Obviously parts of Britain have a lot of catching up to do with the rest of us.

The idea that Democracy holds true, when the majority of Britain want to see hunting with dogs banned and are being ignored is atrocious. What would our reaction be to see this kind of dictatorship in another country?

This was a piece of ill-thought-out legislation applied, by the admission of a Labour minister, as "revenge" on those percieved to be "Tory Toffs" for Margaret Thatcher's treatment of the miners. It was also a bone thrown to the Labour back-benchers in return for their support for the invasion of Iraq and other controversial policies such as Foundation Hospitals and University tuition fees.

It flew in the face of the Labour government's own report which they promised to take note of but completely sidelined when it came to the conclusion that foxhunting was no worse for the welfare of foxes than any other means of control.

Foxes are a proven pest, attacking lambs, chickens and other farm animals and they are regularly able to penetrate so-called "fox-proofing measures" such as wire fences dug into the ground. They do not only kill what they need to eat, they will attack every chicken within a chicken coop, for example, leaving many dead or maimed, before taking one away to eat. They are, however, also a part of the natural ecosystem, controlling other pests including small mamals and insects. Their numbers do need to be controlled, but they do not need to be eradicated altogether.

Farmers and landowners are more likely to tolerate a reasonable level of fox population if controlled by hunting which provides benefits to both the rural community and the economy, than if their only option is to eradicate by trapping, poisoning or shooting.

The law defiantly needs to be repealed as vermin such as foxes cause massive problems for farmers and livestock holders. Fox Hunting was outlawed even though it was a tradition in this country for many hundreds of years. People need to be able to kill pests that create so many problems.

100% agree to repeal the ban. The Tories promised this so do it now.

While this law may not be working perfectly, hunting foxes for leisure should not be carried out with dogs. This is always going to be a cruel way to kill animals.
Our society should send a clear message that cruel sports are not acceptable.
There are much more ethical ways to control fox numbers - if this is required.

I will repeat my response to a separate suggestion on this subject. Such a shame that the scarlet brigade has been invited to join the rest of society on its journey out of the barbaric dark ages. The defence given by hunt supporters is pathetically transparent and so clearly flawed. If they told the truth and quit it with the propoganda, they would admit that they don't hunt to control foxes. They do it because it is a "tradition" and because they enjoy it. I'm led to believe that the witchfinder general enjoyed what he did too. And his justifications were similarly light on the truth.

We live in a consumer focused age where customers are eager to find out where their food comes from. Organic & free range food products are sought after and preferred over the factory
farmed alternatives which has raised issues about animal welfare & unwanted chemicals in our food.

For a farmer to produce such products which are affordable to the mainstream public certain measures have to be put in place and one of those is pest control.

It comes as no surprise that poultry within farms are always protected within enclosures but those that are free range are more at risk to Fox attacks.

Speaking in my own experience I have encountered events where a single Fox had contributed to the death of a whole shed of hens and this is a regular occurrence which myself and my family have to look out for.

Since we are not allowed to let hunters with hounds deal with Foxes we have to spend more money to hire a pest controller to cover many miles on land and in most cases simply cannot
afford to hire them. With ever increasing production costs and set backs we risk losing customers.

If the hunting ban was repealed and the Fox population was controlled free range poultry would become more available to the current population and animal welfare would be improved on a larger scale across the whole country.

The hunting ban is costing this country more money every year and in this recession we need to save every penny we have.

Foxes are breeding in a uncontrolled environment and are spreading outwards to urban areas
when there isn’t enough food available in rural locations and local councils are spending to much
of their budget to deal with them.

All this can be avoided if the hunting ban is repealed.

Fox hunting creates huge amounts of rural jobs.
The cost to control the numbers of Foxes is paid by hunting enthusiasts and 4 out of 5 pounds
goes back into rural business which keeps local economies up & running.

We have a chance to give people the chance to get back into work.
We have a chance to cut food prices.
We have a chance to make more money though tax to tackle the deficit.

Choose the common sense alternative!

All bloodsports that inflict unnecessary suffering on animals should be outlawed, animal cruelty is not a form of entertainment.

Repealing the Hunting Act would free up time spent by the police and save costs

It was quite simply a bad law which has also has been unworkable.

The Labour party never listened to the countryside or the burns report, and went ahead a pushed the law through using the Parliament act, which was a despicable misuse of the parliament act.

I would rather our police force and judicial system spent more time working on laws that really benefit the people of this country, rather than wasting time on bad unworkable laws such as the Hunting act 2004.

This law was not about animal rights it was clearly about prejudice, all in all a huge waste of time and money, get rid of it.

KIlling any animal as part of sport is BARBARIC especially when we deem ourselves as a civilised society.

I have no problem with humane pest control with minimal suffering for the animals concerned but chasing them for miles with packs of dogs until they are exhausted, frightened and then ripped apart by the frenzied animals makes me ashamed to be human.

A society is judged on how it treats it's "lowest" citizens. Animals have no voice so it's upto us as to how we treat them and are perceived by others

Keep the Law!

fox hunting is NOT cruel the fox dies at least as fast if not faster than by other methods e.g snare, and gun.

plus the stronger specimens are far more likely to survive leading to a healthier population of fox,it also importantly keeps the fox afraid of people,we dont want more children getting attacked.

on top of all this it is YOUR human right to hunt,the people who would take this right away from you would take a lot of other rights away too if we let them.

FIGHT THE BAN FIGHT OPPRESSION

One of the few laws I can feel proud to be British about, don't you dare give in to these backward fox botherers.

This awful bit of legislation is an embarassment to parliamentary process. I appreciate that there are strong feelings on either side of the debate about hunting, but no one can dispute that this Act was essentially born out of predjudice. It is a disgrace.

Simple answer make foxes a protected species. I had a farm with foxes on it and with 500 hens.I refused to let anyone touch the my foxes. It is my job to protect my hens against natural predators. Foxes have a natural role to play just leave them be...these clowns can run across the countryside with aniseed bags all they want that way we are all happy and these mostly townies antics gives us all a laugh on a grey day...

Please repeal, this unjust unworkable law.

Hunting with dogs is barbaric and since the countryside has already coming up with other ways of keeping "the tradition", so your "liberty" isn't being affected as you can still run around on horseback chasing "fake" foxes without the horrific tearing apart of real ones foxes (which is cruel).

Hunting is not the best way to deal with animal populations. It is not properly monitored to see how it is effecting the balance. Leave population management to DEFRA with proper culling methods.

The pro hunting group come out with many statements to support their selfish cause, but this does not make them true.

Leave well alone, there are more important things to do which will save money and make society fairer.

Hunting was and is part of the fabric of the countryside, all the townies hate it because they think foxes are cute. Well now that the fox population has exploded in inner cities they are attacking babies and small children, as we have seen in the news lately. I think people shouldn't put animal rights before the safety of the general public. Foxes are not cute, they are vermin and inner city people need to stop feeding them and thinking they are not wild animals.

Do NOT repeal the hunting law, it is a return to a ridiculous and barbaric state of mind that this country can well do without.
It is not countryside management it is a BLOOD "SPORT" and there is NO excuse for it whatsoever!!

An unnecessary, unenforceable and vindictive 'class war' law which backfired by putting a lot of 'ordinary' people out of work.

It barbaric. Its cruel. Its banned.

for more info see aminoritypastime.net

An eye opening new documentary exposing the hidden reality of hunting with houds. Give the hunters a chance to account for themselves but also shows the bullying antics they use on ordinary country people who don't want them on their land and are trying to protect their livestock from stress.
Its a shocking insight into the tyranny of a so called traditional practice.

This is a poor, unworkable law and should be repealed. The police have more important things to deal with. The sportsman is the best conservationist and individuals should have the right to decide whether they hunt or not.

Hasn't this one been done to death? The debate is over, its done. It was the human thing to do. Let's move on and focus on living not killing.

This law is unworkable.

Since this law was passed, the country has become infested with foxes and vermin.

The law needs to be repealed or measures taken to control these
pests.

I have noticed an increase in fox activity since this law came into being. I lost 11 of my hens and had to move them from a site where they were perfectly safe before. I once heard someone in a pub claim that of course foxes never kill hens, it is just that the hens have heart attacks through fright! I was very tempted to show him the photographs I took the morning after the first attack. I have never known anything having a heart attack that resulted in its head coming off. Please let hunters do their job.

People who terrorise animals are by no means "innocent" How can they be? It's a cruel and bloody sport, which doesn't care about pest control just satisfaction of the human's sadistic nature. Making hounds chase foxes is just wrong as well, they're both canines, it's like seeting two races of humans against each other!

I refuse to believe that shooting is less humane than petrifying the fox to point of exhaustion and pain the ripping it to shreds. Once again, farmers should invest in protecting their livestock and maybe shooters shouldn't be so RUBBISH at aiming.

Also reaching an injured fox for a mercy kill isn't so hard, failing to check if it's dead is just plain lazy and once again highlights a cruel and lazy nature.

Now can we please keep the ban in place and move on to more inmportant issues???

Fox hunting must stay illegal. It is a barbaric cruel savage and unnecessary pasttime of a few. All forms of abuse to animals and man should be prevented by laws.
I dont know what type of people enjoy watching an animal being savagely torchered. There is obviously no empathy or compassion in these people. I guess it to satisfy some primative fault left in some people. Luckily most humans are humane
As for Tradition-many barbaric traditions and actions have been outlawed and should remain so
We should lead the world on our love and compassion towards our animals not be seen as a country that advocates animal abuse

Do not repeal the hunting act - hunting is a cruel unnecessary sport (as agreed by RSPCA & IFAW). Improve the law! Strengthen it. But no more hunting of any kind in the UK. Thank you.

Economics effects - so shall we re-introduce slavery and sending children to work houses?
Foxes attack poultry etc - yes, it's the food chain, and it's people that live out of sync with nature, the fox population is recovering from the past slaughter.
Pest control - the other thing dragged up, killing a pest with a rifle is easier, cleaner and more effective than a hunt that tears up the land and disturbs the village.
The hunts can still go for a ride in the country together, just don't kill the inedible!

Repeal this Act and let rural communities manage their own affairs - curious - why not let them manage, without reference to Westminster or Europe, their schools, housing, planning, health services, in fact why not let rural communities declare UDI from the urban, from towns and cities.

There is no reason why those that want to hunt, shouldn't hunt, if it mean following the various tradition of dress, dogs, 'camp followers' but why do they need to hunt an animal to death, watch it torn to pieces, cut its tail off and even daub blood on 'freshmen'. Why not drag hunt?

Among the arguments put forward by those who want to see this piece of legislation repealed is that it is often preferable to shooting. Many of the farmers I know are outstanding shots, having been used to handling and using firearms over many years and most can shoot dead a squirrels or rabbits quickly and cleanly.

As for the hunting ban's adverse economic effects - I have seen more damage done to village economies by their 'life' and 'vibrancy' being damped down by the number of second and holiday home owners 'displacing' those born there. My village is a shadow of its former self - over half the houses closed up - for over three-quarters of the year. This has a far greater impact on the rural economy than the fox hunting ban.

The legislation should stay, but like the Dangerous Dogs Act, needs reviewing. Tearing an animal to pieces for following its nature while in the name of a sport with no referee, seems antediluvian. I have lived in the countryside all my life and many so called or perceived 'problems' of a rural community have developed and emerged not because of foxes whether hunted or not, but because a vast number of people have ceased to see or recognise the interdependence of our lives with the rest and all of Nature

Please repeal the hunting ban. A fox can kill 10 chickens and then not eat a single one. Hunting is natural. Let's have a free vote and repeal this act. The countryside wants it. The people in the countryside want it.

Why not just admit that you enjoy it? It's not as if admitting that you relish the painful and bloody death of a small mammal will make you look perverted.

Hunting a fox with hounds always seemed a little barbaric to me. Why not shoot foxes if required? With the appropriate gun this would not be a problem and a clean kill could be attained.

There is no place in a civilised and liberal society there is no place for laws such as these

This act must be repealed because it is unworkable and is bad law. It wastes the time of the police, the CPS and a considerable number of innocent people because it is bad law. Successful prosecutions under this act have been few and far between. The law is not just about fox hunting it is about the persuit of a wild mammal with dogs - in fact 2 or more dogs, so anyone with a couple of pet dogs could be liable for prosecution under this law if they chase deliberately (or otherwise deemed as deliberately) and worse still kill a wild mammal. There have been more prosections under this act for people engaged in activities other than "fox hunting" than for those undertaking legal hunting activities involving packs of hounds. Virtually all those prosections brought against those engaged in legal hunting activities have failed, or where a verdict of guilty has been given this has subsequently been overturned on appeal.I am sure that if this law is repealed something more sensible will be put in its place, but for the right reasons and not based on a misguided prejudice against a signifiant cross section of society who wish to be involved in field sports.

Utter Rubbish!!
The act of digging out foxes with terriers is horrific...
The throwing of fox cubs to be ripped apart by hounds for training purposes is cowardice and vile...
Chasing an animal until its muscles cease up in agony then allowing hounds to disembowel it causing excruciating pain and eventually death is disgusting and barbaric...
This is cruelty in the extreme!!
The hunting act must stay and be properly enforced.
The majority of the people in this country do not want to see a return to legal barbarism and the government is in power to represent the people not the elite and/or sick minority!
It is not a human right to be cruel!!

As a resident of Somerset living with several hunts in the area, I strongly oppose any move to repeal the Hunting Act, which is most certainly NOT a "bad law", however there are undoubtedly bad people who are abusing and defying the law, and these people should be stopped.

Contrary to the suggestion of the proposer, the law has nothing whatsoever to do with "social class", which is a cheap claim. Foxhunting is a cruel and barbaric anachronism that is of no agricultural benefit whatsoever, it most certainly does not 'control the fox population' (as confirmed by all scientific studies). Legalising the tearing apart of wild mammals for fun is not the action of a "green government" Mr Cameron!

Moreover, the Hunting Act is about more than foxhunting, the Act also bans deer and hare hunting and the blatant cruelty of hare coursing - how could the government possibly justify re-legalising this vile and barbaric activity? The reasons behind the ban are entirely based on concern for animal welfare and wildlife conservation.

The Hunting Act is not an attack on civil liberties, rather it is a long overdue and much needed improvement to our animal welfare laws, akin to the earlier abolition of dog fighting and badger baiting, and according to all opinion polls, the Act has huge popular support, including in rural areas. Consequently, if the current law really is "unworkable" and "unenforceable", as the proposer claims, then it is the duty of the politicians to make the law workable and enforceable; therefore the Hunting Act should be strengthened, loopholes should be removed and penalties for infringement should be increased. The Act should definitely NOT be repealed.

I totally think this law should be kept i am shocked and appauled at some comments and you can pretty much guarantee that these people that want it to be overturn are the rich minority of this country that gets off on chasing and watching animals ripped apart.
Chasing an animal until its muscles cease up in agony then allowing hounds to disembowel it causing excruciating pain and eventually death is disgusting and barbaric...
This is cruelty in the extreme!!
The hunting act must stay and be properly enforced.
The majority of the people in this country do not want to see a return to legal barbarism and the government is in power to represent the people not the elite and/or sick minority!
It is not a human right to be cruel!!

I would be extremely disappointed if this act was to be repealed and when you read other comments that 75% of people in the uk are for this act why get rid of it to keep 25% happy doesnt make sense to me this is the reason i would never vote conservative.

If anything i think this act should be stronger take a look at halal prepared if thats not animal cruelty i dont know what is.

I totally think this law should be kept i am shocked and appauled at some comments and you can pretty much guarantee that these people that want it to be overturn are the rich minority of this country that gets off on chasing and watching animals ripped apart.
Chasing an animal until its muscles cease up in agony then allowing hounds to disembowel it causing excruciating pain and eventually death is disgusting and barbaric...
This is cruelty in the extreme!!
The hunting act must stay and be properly enforced.
The majority of the people in this country do not want to see a return to legal barbarism and the government is in power to represent the people not the elite and/or sick minority!
It is not a human right to be cruel!!

I would be extremely disappointed if this act was to be repealed and when you read other comments that 75% of people in the uk are for this act why get rid of it to keep 25% happy doesnt make sense to me this is the reason i would never vote conservative.

If anything i think this act should be stronger take a look at halal prepared if thats not animal cruelty i dont know what is.

The Hunting Bill exists because the vast majority of the people in this country asked for it so as to protect wildlife from the cruel blood-thirsty among us. It must be supported and those breaking the law must be brought before the courts with vigour. Should the Bill be repealed and replaced with ‘self-regulation’ it would be a sham.

The hunting act must NOT be repealed.
Support the ban.

Hunting is a callous, cowardly, vicious activity. People don't hunt to control pests, they do it for FUN. Or to use their favourite euphemism, "sport".

A repeal of the hunting act is a huge step back to the past. What next - legalising dog-fighting, badger-baiting and cock-fighting? There's little difference to the thugs that abuse animals for fun.

The dishonesty of the people that support such animal abuse tells you everything. Claims that 100,000 people would be put out of work if hunting was banned! Ridiculous. How many Tory candidates at the previous election refused to say whether they would support a vote on the repeal of the hunting act? They claimed that it wasn't "an election issue"! They knew that hunting is so unpopular that they didn't want people to know their support for animal abuse. How cowardly, How dishonest. How undemocratic.

Animal Welfare charities support the ban. That says it all.

Fox hunting is not the sanitised, civilised activity that the hunts claim. It is a violent, terrifying chase with a vicious kill.
Of course, the hunting act protects more than just foxes. Hare coursing - surely even even those that love abusing animal can't claim that hare coursing "controls pests".
As for Stag hunting - fox hunting is viciously cruel, but Stag hunting is even more barbaric and may last many hours. Chasing a terrified, exhausted animal for hours until its death, either by shooting, drowning or being torn apart by hounds (however much the hunts may deny this).

This is what a repeal of the hunting act will mean.
A clear majority of people in this country do not want to see the ban repealed. MPs are there to represent the people. There is NO excuse to repeal the ban.

The hunting act must NOT be repealed.
Support the ban.

Have to say that there are a lot of stereotypical anti comments on here.

People cannot seem to look outside the box that it is not just about killing foxes but genuine people enjoying a social sport and helping the rural economy alongside industries associated with this country sport.

Lets keep the momentum going.

"People cannot seem to look outside the box that it is not just about killing foxes but genuine people enjoying a social sport and helping the rural economy alongside industries associated with this country sport."

If this is truly what it is about, then killing foxes is totally unnessary for it to continue.

As I live in the countryside as was until late a local councillor.

I cannot believe that this is still going on. Sorry but I have not seen an increase in fox activity over the past 6 years of any maginitude to warrant any sort of re-introduction of hunting as a form of control.

Neither have I seen any sort of downturn in jobs due to the ban.

If you like it why not just have the backbone to say "I like hunting fox's on the back of a horse end off"

As I live in the countryside as was until late a local councillor.

I cannot believe that this is still going on. Sorry but I have not seen an increase in fox activity over the past 6 years of any maginitude to warrant any sort of re-introduction of hunting as a form of control.

Neither have I seen any sort of downturn in jobs due to the ban.

If you like it why not just have the backbone to say "I like hunting fox's on the back of a horse end off"

This law has done nothing to help the fox. There are now many times more injured and maimed foxes than before the hunting ban.

It is an ill conceived law which needs repealing as soon as possible.

The ban should be strengthened, not repealed!!!

This law is unenforcable and unworkable. It is expensive to police and has not saved the lives of any foxes.

The Court's time should be taken up with real violence issues, not country matters that have existed for centuries.

This law is unenforcable and unworkable. It is expensive to police and has not saved the lives of any foxes.

The Court's time should be taken up with real violence issues, not country matters that have existed for centuries.

strengthen and enforce, don't repeal.

This barbaric 'sport' has nothing whatsoever to do with fox control or conservation. Neither is it as widely supported in rural areas as the pros would have you believe. It's a minority pastime, for people who take pleasure in seeing foxes being ripped apart.

Its very disappointing but not suprising that there are so many ill informed views on foxhunting by so many people that have never experienced or witnessed a fox been killed by a hunt.From experience only a small percentage of hunt followers ever see a fox actually been killed in the field so to state "people take pleasure in seeing foxes ripped apart" is as ill informed comment as anyone could make showing what I would call an "uneducated blinkered vision",this trend repeats itself throughout most of these comments.Education is key to making people aware as to the ethics of foxhunting and the true benefits to the environment from this field sport.

What is so special about the fox? Why does it raise such levels of moral indignation? Compare foxhunting with adultery. The motive is the same: pleasure. Adultery too has a victim, sometimes many. The pain inflicted is fierce, a victim is torn apart. A victim is tortured not for a couple of minutes but for weeks, years. A victim is not an animal pest but a sentient human being. Yet do the anti-foxhunting people cry out to ban adultery? Does anyone? Where is the sense of balance? Until quite recently it was possible in this country to sue an adulterer for damages in civil court with a good chance of success. Adultery is a criminal offence in many countries. But what stirs the English to self-righteous outrage? Foxes.

The vast majority of the British public support a ban on hunting. The fact that people continue to flout the law and hunt anyway is not a valid reason for considering to repeal the act.

The law allows for hunts to take place which use pseudo-prey. This allows for this so called sport to continue, but simply removes the need for sentient creatures to be killed in a quite horrific and inhumane manner. The act should be STRENGTHENED not repealed! If this government does end up repealing the act it will have shown a complete disregard for the democratic voice of its people!

The vast majority of the British public support a ban on hunting. The fact that people continue to flout the law and hunt anyway is not a valid reason for considering to repeal the act.

The law allows for hunts to take place which use pseudo-prey. This allows for this so called sport to continue, but simply removes the need for sentient creatures to be killed in a quite horrific and inhumane manner. The act should be STRENGTHENED not repealed! If this government does end up repealing the act it will have shown a complete disregard for the democratic voice of its people!

The vast majority of the British public support a ban on hunting. The fact that people continue to flout the law and hunt anyway is not a valid reason for considering to repeal the act.

The law allows for hunts to take place which use pseudo-prey. This allows for this so called sport to continue, but simply removes the need for sentient creatures to be killed in a quite horrific and inhumane manner. The act should be STRENGTHENED not repealed! If this government does end up repealing the act it will have shown a complete disregard for the democratic voice of its people!

The vast majority of the British public support a ban on hunting. The fact that people continue to flout the law and hunt anyway is not a valid reason for considering to repeal the act.

The law allows for hunts to take place which use pseudo-prey. This allows for this so called sport to continue, but simply removes the need for sentient creatures to be killed in a quite horrific and inhumane manner. The act should be STRENGTHENED not repealed! If this government does end up repealing the act it will have shown a complete disregard for the democratic voice of its people!

The vast majority of the British public support a ban on hunting. The fact that people continue to flout the law and hunt anyway is not a valid reason for considering to repeal the act.

The law allows for hunts to take place which use pseudo-prey. This allows for this so called sport to continue, but simply removes the need for sentient creatures to be killed in a quite horrific and inhumane manner. The act should be STRENGTHENED not repealed! If this government does end up repealing the act it will have shown a complete disregard for the democratic voice of its people!

The vast majority of the British public support a ban on hunting. The fact that people continue to flout the law and hunt anyway is not a valid reason for considering to repeal the act.

The law allows for hunts to take place which use pseudo-prey. This allows for this so called sport to continue, but simply removes the need for sentient creatures to be killed in a quite horrific and inhumane manner. The act should be STRENGTHENED not repealed! If this government does end up repealing the act it will have shown a complete disregard for the democratic voice of its people!

The vast majority of the British public support a ban on hunting. The fact that people continue to flout the law and hunt anyway is not a valid reason for considering to repeal the act.

The law allows for hunts to take place which use pseudo-prey. This allows for this so called sport to continue, but simply removes the need for sentient creatures to be killed in a quite horrific and inhumane manner. The act should be STRENGTHENED not repealed! If this government does end up repealing the act it will have shown a complete disregard for the democratic voice of its people!

Hunting with dogs has never been about pest control or class discrimination. It's about animal cruelty, and hunters know this.
Pro-hunt people have had to try very hard to justify their blood sport purely for the fact that it's tricky to admit that you enjoy witnessing the painful brutal death of an animal. (People who confess to enjoying dog fighting and hare coursing get the same reaction, what class do they belong too?)
I imagine when those two children were attacked in London they were rubbing their hands together with glee. The truth is the fox that attacked the girls was later trapped in a humane cage and euthanised. Many urban foxes are shot by a pest control marksman. This is a far better form of pest control (what will the government use to cull badgers, if this goes ahead? Dogs?).
The countryside should sick to drag hunting. No jobs lost, traditions kept going (in a more acceptable 21st Century form) and, since 65% of country people oppose hunting, communities bought closer together by removing the ONE thing that causes all the controversy. The barbaric killing of an animal by a pack of dogs.

The thought that repeal of this Act is allowed is abhorrent to the majority of the public - have a free vote by all means but make it secret so that MPs can voice their true feelings without recrimination of their party whips - I am appalled that in a so called civilised society you have the temerity to allow this vote to be countenanced.

The thought that repeal of this Act is allowed is abhorrent to the majority of the public - have a free vote by all means but make it secret so that MPs can voice their true feelings without recrimination of their party whips - I am appalled that in a so called civilised society you have the temerity to allow this vote to be countenanced.

Hunting foxes became one of the most ridiculous and repugnant 'traditions' that this country has ever witnessed. It was based fundamentally on abject cruelty and a misunderstanding of how nature really works (i.e. if you kill one thing you make room for another to take its place). Therefore it is pointless...

DO NOT REPEAL THE BAN... strenghthen and police it better!!!

I should have known better from the Condems that David Cameron (who is a hunter himself) would want to pay back his friends at the very rich Countryside Alliance for their donation to his election campaign. They may have more money than most of us but we are in the majority and oppose any form of repeal of the hunting ban as quite simply it is barbaric and outdated in a civilised 21st century Britain. I basically couldn't care less where you live, how much money you have or what section of society you belong, to enjoying an animal suffer is sick, plain and simple. KEEP THE BAN AND STRENGTHEN IT.

We must not allow a repeal of the law but actually strengthen it more. Hunting quite simply is cruel and does not belong in today's Britain. There is enough video evidence for us to see on the internet of how barbaric hunting actually is and the majority of the British public do not want fox hunting brought back so we must not allow a small minority to allow this terrible pastime to start again. I thought that we lived in a democracy where those in power listened to the public, but all I have seen of David Cameron in this matter is him paying back his friends (many of whom belong to the Countryside Alliance)....its the "Old Boys Network" in operation!! Please keep the ban.

Of course the act should be repealed - you've only got to read the 'arguments' of those that want to keep it. Full of bigotry and emotive rhetoric where they've run out of reason.

It's bad law - bin it!

Taking out only the sick and the weak? Who are they kidding? The hunts go for the young and fit foxes because they provide more of a challenge and a longer ride. The hunts have been breeding foxes all over this country for years by creating artificial earths. In the run up to the hunting act, they claimed foxes would be extinct if it weren't for the hunts. Now that they've exhausted all other excuses for taking pleasure in frightening and killing animals, they are hoping we've forgotten their original stance and are now pretending to be pest controllers. Where necessary, lamping is the most humane method of control but they dont' mention it in their list of nasty alternatives to hunting. Setting dogs on other animals (whether in hunting pink or on a council estate) is just another form of dog fighting and the people who carry it out are thugs who deserve to be treated as such. Drag hunting is legal and popular. Time to move on and behave like civilised human beings.

Repeal this law, it is nothing but class warfare dressed up as animal welfare.

I live in the country. I don't hug trees, eat excessive amounts of lettuce and am happy to eat rabbit pie.

I've had chickens killed by foxes occasionally as they are free range through the day, but well secured at night. The odd one has been picked off by a bird of prey, even my pup got one before she was taught better, but most of my chickens that have met an "untimely end" have been killed by hounds.

My sheep have never been attacked by foxes, but they have been chased into a frenzy by hounds, causing miscarriages. I know of fell farmers who have lost an occasional weak lamb to foxes, but mostly they feed on carcasses. Most weak lambs are killed by crows. They have also lost stock to hounds who have been left on the fells to fend for themselves. For those not aware of the practice, at the end of their useful hunting days, occasionally a hound is held in high enough regard to be spared the bullet and is dumped on a fell, far away from home, in the belief that it will scavange and hunt enough to survive in the wild.

The children's pet rabbits were torn to pieces in front of their eyes by hounds, and our neighbour saw her cat killed in the same way. Our garden and our neighbour's was trampled and destroyed by the hunt, who also damaged our fences. My grazing pasture and a local farmer's maize crop were both flattened by the hunt as well. Their response to our complaints was indifferent to say the least, a case of "well that's life, here's a fiver to buy the kids some sweeties".

I don't think that hunts are just for "toffs". A few "toffs" are there on thier horses, but many are just working class. However I know of many of the hunt followers who regularly ill treat animals which seems to be part of their mind set; the woman who kicks her dogs if they look at her; the man who lets bitches have a litter because it's "good for them" then after a few weeks drowns the pups in a bucket; the farmer who is regularly reported for his sheep being lame, tick infested and eaten alive by maggots; the man who lays poisoned bait to kill birds of prey. In my experience hunt followers are generally "not nice people" and although they may not be all "toffs" they are, nearly without exception, arrogant sadists with no respect for nature. I wouldn't let any single one of them look after my livestock if I was away.

I am fully aware that occasionally a persistent fox will become a nuisance in an area and will need to be killed. I have joined neighbours and we have gone with guns to that very end. This was a group of about half a dozen who tracked the fox and shot it humanely. We were pleased that we had been successful, but pleased that we had killed a wild creature? - No. There was a quiet respect for the animal and a thankfulness that its death had been instantaneous. What barbaric sadist could take pleasure from watching any creature die in agony while its entrails are eaten from inside its body while it's still conscious?

As for the argument on the rural economy, I don't know of anybody who has lost out financially through the hunting ban, but I know of plenty who lost out financially through the damage caused by the hunt.

DO NOT REPEAL, STRENGTHEN AND REINFORCE THE BAN.

Repealing this law would be class warfare. Leave it as it is or strengthen it.

When I moved to the country and started keeping chickens the farmer next door warned me to be careful because there were foxes in the copse close by. True! there were, but they never bothered my chickens. Kept 17 birds for 4 years, completely free range and I often forgot to lock them in at night.

In fact the only chicken I lost was due to the the farmers dog, which jumped our garden fence and ripped one of chickens apart in front of my 3 year old daughter. Didn't even get an apology!

The actual threat that foxes pose is grossly overstated, and this myth is perpetuated by people with an interest in hunting.

Most offensive is "cubbing" which the farmers wife used to enjoy. Basically dig the cubs out, beat half of them to death and allow the other half to escape, whilst blowing horns. Conditions them to be terrified and run when the hunt comes in future. Nothing to do with controlling numbers.

Keep the sick sport banned.

The great thing about this thread is that although it started off as a concerted effort by the pro-hunting lobby the anti-hunting sentiment of the majority of the British people is shining through and no-one is falling for the tired old excuses (it's class war, it's ignorant townies, it's socialists, it's the nanny state etc etc)

No chaps, it's CRUEL and most people now accept that. The games up!

I would kill myself if one more person calls hunting social event or sport! Want to socialise? Go to the pub, restaurant, theatre, organise local bazar, charity event, picnic, dance. Want some sport? Run around the block, go to the gym. But don't you dare calling hunting a sport. Call it what is - premeditated cold blooded murder! Tradition? Well, why don't we bring back slavery as well then? Oh and you know, I think my neighbour is a witch, lets burn her alive! And how about hunting people with hounds as well, ah? Lovely tradition, no? Hunting with hounds is no better then bull/dog fighting or animal crush videos for that matter. By repealing the ban we ll be sending a message that it's OK to deliberately hurt animals and watch them suffer in agony for entertainment. Animals are more similar then different to us. Why would you want to do something to them you wouldn't want happen to you? What is wrong with you people? Are you humans or what? Then start acting accordingly! KEEP THE BAN ON!

The ban must stay!

The ban should not just stay, it should be reinforced with heavier fines and prison sentences.

It was without doubt an Act forced upon an unwilling Tony Blair to appease the delinquent backbenchers in his own party, most of whom lost their seats thankfully. Nearly half a million ordinary country people took to the streets in support of hunting and they will be back again soon if the current Government do not heed their voice.

With a bit of luck they will take more notice of the 3 times as many people that are the vast majority including the elderly, the disabled, those that work in the towns and countryside and people that are too busy earning a living and don't want to invade the streets because of the threat of violence and intimidation from the (only half a million!!) that don't have more important things to do. Just hold a referendum, then you will see what the VAST MAJORITY think.

As this is a repeat idea then so is this post
If the Government allow this barbarity to resume they will never get into power again. They have obviously not looked into any research regarding the cruelty and facts involved. There is evidence which I can provide to show that
1. "The quick kill" does not happen post mortem results show that the animal is grabbed by any part that the hounds can get hold of first - as they are chasing it it is rarely likely to be the neck!
2.Errant hounds frequently kill domestic pets and are themselves mistreated by a number of the hunts. True, evidence exists to prove this.
3. The aggressive terrier men believe they have the right to send their dogs into earth's to rip into foxes whilst they dig down with spades to extract them. Instead of then shooting them they will (if they believe they are not being observed) throw them to the waiting hounds. The terriers themselves can suffer injuries as well as cause them during these encounters with foxes. True, again there is substantial evidence.
4. "All farmers and landowners are pro hunting" - rubbish, many feel threatened into allowing access to the hunts which damage their boundaries and cause livestock undue stress often resulting in stillbirths.
5. Only the old and sick foxes are chased - what!? There is no "sport" involved in chasing a fox with a zimmer frame, the days hunting would offer very little entertainment if that was the case. Also what about the "cubbing" or as huntsmen innocently call it "Autumn" hunting where fox cubs are blocked from going to ground so that new hounds can be trained to torture them. Any that don't make the grade are killed on the spot.
6.Only Townies are against hunting they don't understand the countryside! Balderdash. More than 70% country dwellers abhor this minority pastime. Just because the Countryside Alliance has money it doesn't actually own OUR countryside. Surely by that token they have no right interfering into the issue of urban foxes.
7."Foxes are vermin and pests" - according to DEFRA they have never been classified as pests, they perform a useful role in controlling rabbits and rats on farms and rarely take livestock unless it is already dead or dying. They only kill several chickens at a time to effectively stock their larder for leaner times ahead - if you tell me you wouldn't stock the fridge, freezer and drinks cabinet if you won a trolley dash you would be lying.
8. They are full of diseases that can be passed to man - no! Sometimes mange is a problem but man can't catch it from them, and despite what some scaremongers will have you believe there is NO RABIES in this country, if there was hunting would be banned anyway. Rats spread many diseases such as weils and as already stated foxes control their numbers admirably.
9.But lots of jobs have been lost - really? more people enjoy drag hunting now that the cruelty element has been taken out of it than ever wanted to kill British wildlife.
10. Most disturbing of all - psychologists have found evidence of links between those who inflict cruelty on animals who then go on to perform aggressive acts (and even murders) of other human beings including children. Do we want this Government to unleash these people back into the countryside - or are they already the worst offenders themselves.
If you haven't already done so please contact your MP and ask them to sign the EDM 116 in support of the current ban.

I agree with repealing this Act

The Government would be very foolish to repeal this ban. By doing that they will provoke a real burst of violence between majority of animal lovers and minority of murderers. We talking real WAR here.

The law has been effective and should be retained. I was born into a family of foxhunters. They hunted with the Pytchely all their lives until the ban, and now they have to travel for miles to get to a hunt that flaunts the law so that they can participate in bloodshed (I won't say which for fear of getting sued) and I get the impression that they feel they have to go and chase the inedible or else be seen as traitors by their fellow unspeakables (as per Oscar Wilde)and that whatever fundamentalist fervour they (and the bear and badger baiters etc) had is fizzling out to leave nothing but a small patch of stubborness where a dimple or a chuckle should be.

Keep and strengthen the ban. The only reason that it is expensive to police, if it is, is because the hunts refuse to obey the law - we would not repeal the act making murder a criminal offence merely because it takes up a lot of police time. What a ridiculous assertion. And the proposer knows the answer - obey the law. Money and land do not make you immune from having to obey the law. KEEP THE HUNTING BAN AND CLOSE ALL LOOPHOLES. Cruelty to animals is not something that should be legalised in a civilised country in the 21st century.KEEP THE BAN.

Several comments here speak about the hunt acting as some sort of vermin control - it may have escaped those peoples'notice - foxes and stags are not classified as 'vermin'. Hunts are not forming some kind of preposterously attired pest control service with a musical accompaniament - they do it because they enjoy killing animals - why can't they be honest?

I don't mind if they wish to wear fancy dress and ride around the countryside blowing horns (a bit of a tune would be nice and I suppose they could be taught). However, killing wild animals for fun is intolerable - it has been consigned to history and that is where it should stay. We live in the 21st century not the middle ages - the cruelty that is hunting with hounds must stay banned. KEEP AND STRENGTHEN THE BAN.

I see one comment that states that most people who hunt never witness the kill - then they should - they should learn what horror they are lending their support to. As it is illegal now, they can sate their curiousity (I am amazed they are so incurious as not to want to know what happens at the end of a hunt)by watching one of the many examples of this cruelty widely available on YOUTUBE or via LACS.

Having seen this barbarity I would be appalled if it were made legal again. This is not a sport - in a sport the sides are evenly matched and all participants willing and cognisant. Hunting with dogs is pure unadulterated cruelty and should remain banned. KEEP AND STRENGTHEN THE HUNTING BAN.

The hunting act needs to be made stronger and enforced. If foxes need to be culled don't make a sport out of it. it's barbaric and beneath us.

I have seen various threads about KEEPING the hunting act. Yet when I go to them the moderatoros of this website direct people to two threads about repealing the act?!? Why is there two threads about repealing this act, but not one about KEEPING it??

This act needs to be made stronger and enforced.

This was one of the greatest pieces of legislation ever introduced in this country and it makes me proud to be British and in the forefront of animal welfare. To repeal this act would be to send this country back to the dark ages and we would no longer be a civilized society. The act should be strengthened and any loopholes closed. KEEP THE HUNTING BAN.

Killing is wrong per se - killing a defenceless creature is doubly wrong - and defending this grotesque action by calling it a sport is wicked. In a sport the sides are equally matched both in number and skill and all parties are willing participants. None of this applies to any form of hunting with hounds - it is neither a sport nor acceptable in the 21st century. KEEP AND STRENGTHEN THE HUNTING BAN.

If I were to force my child to watch an animal being torn limb from limb whilst alive and I then cut off that animal's tail and smeared its blood all over my child's face I would quite rightfully be deemed an unfit parent. In addition, if I taught my child to enjoy killing defenceless creatures I would also be rightfully deemed an unfit parent. And yet this behaviour is part of the so-called hunting tradition. Anything that stops this depraved behaviour towards children has to be a good thing. KEEP AND STRENGTHEN THE HUNTING BAN.

Killing wild animals for enjoyment is disgusting and ought to be on a par with child abuse. The law is one thing, moral condemnation is what will outlaw these horrible activities for good. Killing wild animals is an offence against human decency and those who do it ought to be shunned by society.

Do not repeal this act or permit hunting with dogs or the incarnation of hunting foxes.
It is a barbaric practise and utterly indefensible. It is neither humane nor virtuous nor a 'healthy country pursuit.'
Ripping appart animals should never be described a sport.

Bring back hunting as part of our countryside rural pastime.I feel for all the poorly uneducated people on this subject who have mentioned such a load of rubbish in their arguments.

"Tally ho lets go a hunting"

Lets get this law repealed and re vitalise the countryside with the sound of the huntsmans horn.

Hunting with hounds is the most humane method of fox control and is beneficial for the fox population as only the old diseased and problem foxes are dealt with.

The young fit and healthy ones have a better than sporting chance of getting away whereas now after the ban its a free for all and both healthy and unhealthy alike are taken out at long range.

This is bad because your shot might not be accurate at greater distances without hounds first catching the fox.

So now you have a situation where all foxes are targetted not just problem foxes, and they often do not get a clean shot at these greater distances so the fox can take a long time to die and bleed to death in greater pain than with just hunting with hounds could ever have managed in the first place.

G-d has sanctioned us to do with the animals as we please. Humans have killed wild animals since the very beginning. Was Abraham wrong to sacrifice the lamb? And G-d his only son Jesus Christ for us? Even Jesus caught fish with his disciples and drove pigs off cliffs.

As a method of controlling the fox population hunting with hounds is about as useful as 'no breeding' signs for foxes. They have been hunting for centuries have not comw any closer to stopping the problem. Some countryside alliance members even argue that hunting ensures healthier and stronger foxes priving that even they realise that hunting as a form of control is useless.

I say strengthen the ban and remove any loopholes.

Dogs hunting foxes are as natural as wolves hunting rabbits and other game and has gone on since the dawn of time. Foxes killing all my chickens in one go is unnatural so ban the ban and tallyho

Repeal the ban! We will keep on fighting! Still at it, legally!

I would strongly support a repeal of this unjust law. It has eroded rural liberties, a Government inquiry has confirmed that it has no purpose and its repeal would signal an end to the divisive class war conducted by the previous government against its perceived enemies

So the fox hunters are trying to justify their cruelty to animals under cover of it being essential population control. So what of the claim that the majority of hunts provide artificial earths tended by keepers and hunt employees to encourage foxes to breed in order to provide plenty of foxes for the hunting season?

It’s time hunters came clean and admitted they do it for the sheer thrill of the chase and bloodlust as the fox is ripped to pieces by their hounds.

As for civil liberties – well, why not bring back slavery too?

There is no room for animal cruelty in this century – I say keep the hunting ban and strengthen it.

Culling of foxes is necessary, but a blood sport is neither a humane or effective way of doing it.

Nobody has yet convinced me that if foxhunting is good, then bear baiting, dog fighting and cock fighting are bad. Or is it just that they were supported by nasty common people?

 I support a Repeal of the Hunting Ban and believe there will be a good law put in the Ban's place which will deal with wildlife cruelty in the future; whether it is cruelty by hunts or by any other individual. Hundreds of thousands of people have always thought the ban was wrong. Using scenting hounds to search and dispatch old,sick and injured animals,in Lord Burn's own words,"does not equate with cruelty".

I don't hunt, and would never want to. I oppose the ban for the simple reason that Government tries to do too much. Hunting is a minor issue that should be beneath the radar of government.

"Hunting is a minor issue that should be beneath the radar of government."

I disagree. I want to live in a civilised country. The pro-foxhunters here, whatever smokescreens they put up, clearly do it because they enjoy cruelty (else they'd do nothing but drag hunts).

Why should the majority have to live in a country where a nasty minority indulge in cruelty for pleasure?