Fox Hunting

When we kept chickens and ate meat, I decided I would have to be prepared to kill the cock and eat it. (we had more than one) After all, I am a farmer's daughter; so I borrowed a special implement called the humane dispatcher, and I dispatched the bird. I felt rather shocked afterwards and couldn't think of cooking it but one if my sons came home. He has worked on a highland estate so had fewer qualms and between us we plucked and prepared the cockeral for dinner. We sat down to eat quite late at night and gave thanks to the bird for its life. He was delicious. If we had to go to those lengths each time we ate meat, it would become a rare treat.

We eat far less meat now we're older although we love it!!!! Too many issues particularly with pork! Pigs are extremely intelligent which makes me seriously uncomfortable! I would have made a lousy (animal) farmers wife!

Meat production is becoming unsustainable. Won't be long before we are all veggies, like it or not

Man will always kill for food, fact , unless the world turns vegan

For some yes, that is certainly true there is no denying that, but for some farmers the removal of a fox whether for commercial or humane reasons, the hunt is the only way to do it. Is there a kinder way? If so I haven't heard of it!
So it's ok to submit to a miserable life and a terrifying and sometimes torturous death an animal reared for food? regrettable of course, but ok?!! I suppose this double think can appease the conscience, but for me it's a cop out and just doesn't wash! I think Oscar Wilde was more incredulous at people hunting an animal that was inedible, than any anxiety about cruelty!!! He makes no such comment about stag hunting, which is truly extremely cruel and a complete NO NO, but of course the end product can be eaten!

Man has always killed for food. Factory farming is brutal, but free range has to be killed too.

This is done for food, hunting is done for pleasure

Yes Jabberwok, I agree that some of the methods of rearing and killing animals for our consumption are horrific. However, the provision of meat for consumption is unfortunately a necessity for most of the world (and yes, it would be lovely if we were all vegetarians and spared animals from being slaughtered, but unfortunately the majority of humankind have been and are carnivores). The difference between slaughtering animals for their meat and fox hunting, is that the latter is actually done for pleasure. That to me is inconceivable - just how can torturing an animal be gratifying and something to look forward to???? And the fox is hunted, not because it is causing a farmer trouble, it is hunted just for being there!

What amazes me is how vociferous people are over one cruelty, which admittedly it is, yet turn a blind eye to others!! For me this is completely inconsistent particularly for meat and fish eaters.
Halal meat, is 'cruel - very! factory farming, now called intensive, yes, even in dear old England is cruel - very! particularly for pigs and chickens. Slaughter houses are horrible places of fear and often torture, you don't want to dwell on that!!! For once I agree with Paul MCartny. The only protest I have ever been on was the rearing in crates and transportation of live veal calves ! Quite shocking, and I've never eaten veal from that day to this . I'm very wary of supermarket meat despite their assurances and only support our local butcher and yes, I have satisfied myself with animal husbandry and slaughter. Bit of a problem with fish though!!
Can anyone tell me of a kind way to kill a fox?!! Bearing in mind that most farmers don't have a convenient gatekeeper on hand and are often lousy shots wounding not killing, inevitably leading to a lingering painful death, even supposing that they actually have the time to go out looking or waiting for hours to actually spot a passing fox!!! Trapping, gassing, lamping? I don't think so!

I am a country girl and lost quite a few chickens to Mr Fox! But that problem was mine - not the Fox's. It is their nature, so NO! A million times no and I will sign every petition I can against it.

No, I do not agree with what Jeremy Hunt has proposed. If the fox population needs to be controlled, there are much kinder ways to do it.

I agree with what Bluebell said people with chickens need to make them safer, foxes need to eat like any other animal, but i am fed up of hearing vegans go on about well if you eat meat it is no different,it is, and yes i know not all farmed animals are treated well, that is disgusting too, but we are talking about the barbaric way foxes are killed, ripped apart by hounds, who are also not treated well, and dumped or killed when no good,
Not the dogs fault they kill this way,it's the humans, if you can call them that who train the dogs to kill, and as for cubbing, also barbaric, and why these hunts are still going on i don;'t know,it is supposed to be illegal,
I could not have any relationship or even be friends with anyone who supports this so called sport

Fox hunting belongs to the past like bear baiting and cock fighting. If foxes are a problem they should be humanely shot. But one thing I wonder, there are now urban foxes will we then be seeing hunts riding through suburban gardens?

Perhaps Jeremy just wants to live up down to his name?

Absolutely not. It's one of the few issues that would see me demonstrating.

Your right Dawn.

Annie
Synergy is the word that comes to my mind regarding our above inputs.
Dawn

Jeremy Hunt is now saying that he doubts the ban would be repealed because it's unlikely that there will ever be a majority in favour in parliament. Apparently he had been gaining support but as a result of the interview in the Telegraph he is now losing support.

Annie
Our two minds were thinking the same thing at the same time. Isn't that a coincidence.
Best regards to you from Dawn.

Feeding fox cubs to young hounds is part of training the hounds , this is ‘cubbing’ they will dig out the vixen and her cubs to feed the young hounds.

No to fox hunting.
D

eazybee You responded to this post "Can't stand the bunch of hooray Henry's who go hunting, they're a horrible lot and typical of those who enjoy blood-sports."

with:

"What an ignorant, prejudiced remark."

What I think is ignorant and despicable is human beings enjoying chasing an exhausted animal and then letting the dogs loose on it to tear it apart. Brushing a child's face with the fox's blood - sorry, I too feel that such people are not to be admired.

Quite recently there was a newspaper report of a hunt manager who disposed of live fox cubs by feeding them to the hunt dogs. No wonder some people feel very strongly about this issue.

No, I don't agree with it but I'm not surprised.

The indescribable chasing the inedible.

I'm 100% against it along with other medieval and outdated cruel 'country' pursuits. Unfortunately I am surrounded by the hunt and know I will soon hear the quad bikes as they go 'cubbing'. Neighbours and I were the horrified witnesses to the suffering and agonised screams of a fox being killed, I will never forget it. We were helpless onlookers.

An animal which had run until exhausted would not be edible

Emotive subject as usual. I hate animal cruelty which is why I have been vegetarian for 30 plus years however there is a heck of a lot of hypocrisy and eating meat or fish without a care for its provenance shrieks of that.

As Paul McCartney said if abattoirs had glass walls.......
If I had to eat meat I would far rather eat an animal which
had had a life in the wild than a poor little chicken, or fish, factory farmed for my consumption.