in thinking lamping and coursing with lurchers needs stamping on firmly

0b5erving I agree with you. These disgusting so-called human beings deserve a taste of their own medicine. Such behaviour makes my blood boil.

The village my daughter and G.Children used to live in was an area where these "coursers" had several dogs they would starve for several days, then take them to the woods where they would throw up into the air a rabbit, cat or small dog with its legs bound and let the dogs attack and devour it. These scumbags would also cruise the streets and even enter peoples backyard/gardens to snatch cats, rabbits and small dogs for this purpose. If I was physically able to , I would love to give them the same treatment.

www.teambadger.org/

meant to add this too. x

Im not a grandparent but I am a mother and I saw this by chance. Please would everyone have a look here and sign. To add to the above recently there has been reports of people being shot by hunters - these people dont care at all.

epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/38257

you may also want to take part here.

www.facebook.com/SaveMe2010

www.save-me.org.uk

thank you x

This time of year lamping is very prevalent where I live.Last night I was woken several times by my own dog howling at the noise of the lampers driving round and round the farmland that surrounds us, by the gunshots and by the huge searchlight lighting up the bedroom.They are locals,usually the gamekeeper and his drunken mates.I have complained to the wealthy, well-connected landowner but it is legal to shoot rabbits....problem is, who knows what they are shooting..badgers, hares, possibly even my missing cat

Dogs trained for lamping are trained to kill everything 'trapped in the beam' (of light). As said before, rabbits are killed instantly, but badgers and mainly deer, can take a very long time to go down. The videos shown on BBC news, and others I've seen from the RSPCA and the Police wildlife inspectorate- show that lampers do like to 'size' the skills of their dogs, and will often NOT finish the animal quickly with their guns, but watch the dogs do the kill, even if it involves dogs getting seriously injured (by kicking, antlers, or badger jaws).

Yes crimson that is what I meant - these people are not "country" people but townies. I have also known people who have kept sheep, named them and then sent them off to be killed (they told me one Sunday they were having leg of Zebidee for lunch - don't think I could do that!)

These lamping people aren't country people; more like town types who do this as an alternative to having pit bulls. I know plenty of people who actually know the name of the lamb chop they're eating,but know it had a good, albeit short life.Not sure that I could do that. Had another friend who kept a few sheep; always cried when he sent them to market [but still sent them] except for the ewe who was a very dear family pet.

Most true country people are totally against this type of hunting. However they also have a more realistic approach to animals than many townies. We look in a field and see a lovely little lamb and then (most but not all) will then happily sit down and eat a lamb chop without any thought as to where it came from.

I am a meat eater, I therefore accept that animals will die in order that I can eat meat. What I don't accept is the hunting of animals for sport. Whether it is legal or not it is still wrong.

gracesmum whilst I am not in favouir of greyhound racing I do agree with you regarding once something goes underground it stops being regulated. At the very least these regulations hopefully do offer some protection for the animals involved although in my opinion there is much room for improvement.

PS Has Grace enjoyed any gourmet snacks lately

Thank you crimson the photo was taken at a fundraising event some years ago, they are all quite elderly now and as I type two are hogging the sofa and the third has wrapped herself up in her duvet.

Some of the rescue dogs would have terrible scars and lacerations when they came into care, it was obvious they had been worked. I understand only too well about your fears of having your dog fall into the wrong hands,

Disgusting individuals. I would ban any form of hunting and angling as well, but I know that's an extreme view.

I just don't think the 2 should necessarily be lumped together - it's like saying poaching and angling .

I sneaked a peek at your dogs, Sook; they're lovely. I don't think these lamping types treat their dogs much better than they treat their prey.My big worry with my whippet was always that she'd fall into the hands of people like that if she ever ran off; I know some suspicious types I saw down the lane one day [I phoned the farmer up because I thought they looked like badger baiting types] too a good look at her one day.

It's foul and totally disgusts and sickens me. I live in a semi rural village in Cheshire and I have a lurcher and two greyhounds all of whom are faithful loving pets. Some of my neighbours think I'm soft in the head as I was involved in a charity fpr several years which rescued greyhounds and lurchers and I have refused their offers to work my dogs for me because 'That's what they were bred for love'.

I abhor cruelty to all animals.

I think anyone that does eat meat has to be careful in their condemnation of other forms of killing for food, especially if the kill is swift. I once read a book about lurchers in which the author hunted hare with his dogs; they died very quickly. First and foremost a hunter has to have respect for his prey [think American Indians and compare them to the settlers who then almost wiped out the buffalo herds]. To hunt purely for pleasure and let the hunted suffer for that pleasure is an abomination. And anyone who does so should be condemned [think badger baiting]. I've never seen anything that involved the hunting and killing of a deer that wasn't cruel; I assume deer hunting is illegal now?

From what I have read of coursing,where it is still legal, hare coursing meetings are well controlled and regulated. The dogs rarely catch any hares which can "escape" through hay bales and points are awarded to the better of each pair of dogs at ducking and diving. As so often happens, once something goes "underground" it stops being regulated and the poaching/illegal element takes over. I am not in favour of cruelty to animals but could always appreciate the sight of horses and hounds in full pursuit of their prey and would have enjoyed something like the Waterloo Cup had I ever been able to get to it.
(Lamping is and I think always has been illegal as are other forms of poaching.)
Didn't see the programme so I may be talking through my hat, but any report can show bias.

It is a dreadful 'sport' - I hope the police can clamp down on it.

Did you see the disturbing report on the BBC news tonight? The deer were absolutely terrified, and the death cruelly slow, with the men standing by and watching, instead of finishing the animal off.

How repulsive. The mind boggles.