FOX HUNTING: SHOULD IT BE BANNED?

Every year in England twenty thousand foxes die as a result of fox hunting. Thousands of people think that fox hunting is a malicious way of murdering innocent creatures, but thousands of people are for fox hunting. Therefore, is fox hunting a cruel sport or a country necessity?

The main anti-hunting group is called "The League Against Cruel Sports" and they state that the majority of the public aren’t informed of the actual occurrences which happen on the hunt. They think that it is just a great riding opportunity, a chance to observe the fantastic landscapes and a way to work with the hounds. Although in all reality the ground is wrecked by the trampling of the horses hooves, they trespass on privately owned land and also they are noisy and cause great disruption to members of the public who do not want to be concerned with the violent so-called sport.

Although the hunters say that they enjoy the chance to work with the hounds, as they are dog lovers this is a lie! This is because they train the hounds and if they do not conform to the particular standard which the hunters’ wish they put them down. This also happens if the hound is no longer fit. They do not give the hound a warm home as a reward for all the work which he has done in the past as a loving owner should but toss him aside like an old toy which is no further use. Every year there are thirteen thousand fox hunts in which twelve thousand hounds take place and of which seven thousand two hundred are killed. Many die on railway lines but the hunting folk don’t take any notice, as they are just interested in having a good time.

Before the reign of Henry the Eighth fox hunting was considered to be a time honoured tradition and was seen as a fun sport, where it kept the hounds, horses and yourself fit. But now there are split opinions! Although, the same opinions remain for the fight to keep fox hunting legal. The hunters feel that the fox is a pest and needs to be controlled. The hunters in fact think that they are foxes best friends as if they didn’t kill some of them then they would become overpopulated and starve as there would not be enough food to go around for all. Also five thousand people would lose their jobs such as stable hands and a great majority of the hounds and horses would be put to sleep, as there would be no further use for them. They also believe that the foxes feel no pain when the hounds get them as the hounds are trained to simply break the foxes neck and so there is no suffering. But anti-hunters believe differently as they say that they have seen the way the hounds out-number the fox and hack it to pieces also in the process smashing its skull.

In my opinion I think that fox hunting should be banned. I think that the members of the hunt are blood thirsty animals. Also, the fact that our future King (Prince Charles) partakes in this "sport" regularly I think is a disgrace to our nation as he should be an honoured person and none of the actions which the hunt is performing I can see to be very honourable.