Dee Finney's blog April. 9, 2012 page 193 FOX HUNTING VOTE - UK PARLIAMENT

PRINCE CHARLES STATED THAT HE WOULD LEAVE THE COUNTRY
IF HE COULDN'T HAVE HIS BLOOD SPORTS

EVIDENTLY - THE RICH GUYS IN THE UK DON'T CARE ABOUT ANIMALS. HOW THE HOUNDS ARE RAISED IS DESPICABLE. NOBODY SHOULD PUT UP WITH THIS. NOBODY!

AS IF THERE ISN'T ENOUGH KILLING IN THE WORLD, GREAT BRITAIN IS BRINGING BACK BLOOD SPORTS.

The current generation of the royals are just as passionate about bloodsports as their ancestors.

Prince Charles and Princes William and Harry are keen shotsmen and stalkers and members of the royal family are said to have been deeply “disappointed” when the hunting ban was introduced.

While thousands gathered for the traditional Boxing Day hunt, animal advocacy groups released the results of a poll showing that the majority of the public in Great Britain opposes hunting foxes with dogs.

Hunting fox, deer, mink and hare with packs of dogs was made illegal under the Hunting Act in 2004, but the rural tradition has persisted thanks to some strange loopholes in the law and people who choose to blatantly ignore it entirely. There has been some success in catching lawbreakers; 48 people were found guilty of violating the law in 2012 alone.

Both the Coalition Government’s promise in 2010 to reconsider the ban and allow a free vote on the issue and Prime Minister David Cameron sympathizing with a pro-hunting crowd in October have raised hopes among the pro-hunting lobby that the law will be repealed.

“If they had the vote now there’d be two losers – the government and the hunters – they would lose the vote… if they want a vote we say bring it on,” Joe Duckworth, the League’s chief executive, told the Independent.

It’s not surprising that the public supports the ban; animal advocates have long argued that this is a cruel tradition that belongs in the past. Regardless of how it’s promoted as a means of “pest control” or romanticized, it’s about nothing more than chasing and brutally killing an animal for entertainment.

While the pro-hunting crowd continues to argue that this issue has been one that pits city and rural residents against each other, the poll showed people living in rural areas and urban areas were equally opposed, according to the League.

Despite clear opposition, the pro-hunting lobby and organizations including the Countryside Alliance continue to push to undo the ban.

Barney White-Spunner, executive chairman of the alliance, called the law “illiberal, unjust and divisive,” telling the West Briton that proposals to amend the Act were backed in science and that doing nothing to repeal it was unacceptable.

Even if their numbers did need to be controlled, sending a pack of dogs to tear them apart is not an acceptable solution. The science that’s touted by the pro-hunting lobby in favor of expanding exemptions included in the Act and allowing hunting with more dogs as a form of pest control has also been debunked. The number of foxes has not increased since the ban was enacted and foxes, like other wild animals, are known to control their own populations.

“Voting for repeal would be political suicide. We need to move forward as a nation, not backwards on matters of animal welfare, which is why we recently launched our national ‘No Joke’ online and cinema campaign to remind people of the sheer horror and animal cruelty hiding behind the ‘traditional spectacle,’” said Duckworth.

Hundreds of foxhunting novices are expected to saddle up today for the first "Tally ho" of the new hunting season – but in a departure from the traditional "blooding" on the first day's hunting, many of them have been drawn into the pack by the lure of social media.

Facebook has become the huntsman's friend when it comes to recruitment, with many hunts reporting a doubling of interest from first-time hunters compared with last year, after using new media to publicise their activities.

Scores of British hunts have been taking to Facebook to advertise newcomer days this week, culminating at the traditional start of the season today. Most of more than 20 groups contacted by the Guardian reported dozens of new recruits, with children as young as four and six riding to hounds for the first time.

"Facebook has made a huge difference," said Mark Ferguson, of the Woodland Pytchley Hunt, in Northamptonshire. "It is so much easier, we can get to more and more people."

A spokeswoman for the Surrey Union Hunt said more than 100 people had turned up for the organisation's first meet, of whom about three-quarters were newcomers: "It's been unbelievably successful. We had notices locally, but mostly it was through social media." Rachael Morley, of the Meynell and South Staffordshire Hunt, said more than 20 newcomers had turned out at their pre-meet, and Sue Simmons of the Holcombe Harriers in Lancashire reported more than 60 people, up from around 20.

The Countryside Alliance confirmed the resurgence in the number of hunters, estimating that at least 45,000 people are likely to take to the lanes and fields of England this year to pursue "drags" or "trails" – usually made by dipping rags in fox urine, sometimes imported from the US, and dragging them along on long poles. That number is up by about a quarter since before the hunting ban on hunting with dogs.

An urban fox. Of the 332 individuals prosecuted under the Hunting Act between 2005 and 2011, 239 were found guilty. Photograph: Barcroft Media/Getty Images

Young recruits have been particularly in evidence, huntsmen report, though some new hunters have been as old as 80. At the Woodland Pytchley Hunt, an experienced nanny will be on hand to accompany small children today, and at the Surrey Union a prize of £20 was offered for the "best turned out under 16 year old". Many hunts are offering novices an easier route around their drag or trail-hunting course, in order to avoid hard jumps, and most relax their rules on "hunting pink" to allow newcomers to ride in any gear that is "comfortable, warm, clean and tidy". The resurgence of interest in hunting comes as some Tories have called for a softening of the ban on hunting with hounds, buoyed by supportive words from David Cameron. A full repeal is still possible, but an alternative is that the ban could be weakened by allowing more than two hounds – the current maximum – to flush out foxes, either to kill them or for them to be shot.

Between 2005 and 2011, a total of 332 individuals were prosecuted under the Hunting Act. Of these, 239 were found guilty.

Hunters want a full repeal, allowing them to freely hunt foxes and otherwildlife with dogs again. Tim Bonner, director of campaigns at the Countryside Alliance, said: "We are now going into the ninth hunting season under the Hunting Act – an act that is not working for hunts, antis, the courts or the wildlife it claims to safeguard. The government has made some positive noises about a common sense amendment to the act [that], while a small amendment, would send a significant message to the countryside."

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: "The coalition government pledged to put forward a motion to allow a free vote on the Hunting Act. This will take place at an appropriate time and if parliament were to vote in favour of repeal, the government would introduce a repeal bill in the house of parliament in due course."

Anti-hunting campaigners warned that some hunts were likely to use illegal means to try to get round the law. Joe Duckworth, chief executive of the League Against Cruel Sports, said: "Hunters found to be flouting the law need to watch out. Our team of investigators and the Hunting Act are here to stay."

The expansion of the hunting scene has included all social classes, according to huntsmen. One said: "It has become more socially acceptable – people who before might not have wanted to say to their peers in the pub that they hunted are now able to [because the pursuit no longer involves killing an animal]."

Most of the people helping to organise the hunts through social media are volunteers, and their own enthusiasm is evident. One woman was still in hospital, at a spinal injury unit, having fallen from her horse a few weeks ago but said: "I have to thank the hunt masters, who saved my life. But I'm delighted to see so many new people come along. I hope I will be able to hunt again before the end of the season."

Some remnants of old attitudes seem to remain, however. One huntsman who boasted of the openness and social inclusion of his hunt said the ban was "all the result of some trouble with the great unwashed".

Several types of hound are bred to hunt the fox in this country and around the world, though at the moment, sad to relate, they cannot serve their purpose here. Fashion has had a hand, to a degree, in the lines people have followed and this has not always been good for the hound itself. Fortunately, certain breeders have stuck to the type that suits them, their country and their hunt. This must be encouraged, not derided, especially when such hounds are needed as an outcross, for example with the Old English foxhound. In England only a handful of purebred Old English foxhound packs remain, and a similar number in Ireland. Likewise, in the United States and Canada the demise of the American foxhound and the English foxhound to make way for the crossbred and the Penn-Marydel-type, caused by the spread of the coyote, may create problems in the future, as the use of the two original types is reduced.

Some people today consider the Peterborough influence to be rather too great, and they may have a point, especially with so many packs using the same stallion hounds. Recently, one stallion was used 99 times. While this may reduce the gene pool, it is not detrimental to the packs that use such blood, as it should improve their stock. It is worth noting that some of these influential “Peterborough” packs have also been the leaders in finding and using fresh outcrosses.

One of the problems with outcrossing is that to give it a fair chance at least two litters should be attempted. The danger of neither litter working could leave a depleted and un-balanced pack in the third season, when they are most influential. An additional conundrum for breeders is the optimum time to go back to a successful outcross before it becomes too diluted, without changing one’s own pack’s type or losing quality.

Some of the best outcrosses have been due to “nicking in” as well as the brilliance of both the sire and the dam. Sometimes the first outcross can be brilliant and then those hounds’ offspring are not quite so outstanding. Apart from deciding when to go back for the next refresher of the outcross, some breeders have found a double outcross beneficial. An example of a double outcross is when a sire with a Welsh outcross may be put on to an outcross with American blood or hill hound mixed with American; both of these, incidentally, have proved to be successful.

An outcross introduced by a female line can take longer to conform to the kennel type, and thus unbalance the pack. The idea of a balanced pack is to have the hounds all arrive at the moment critique together rather than be spread out like a washing-line.

Around a hundred years ago English foxhounds were bred to a fashion known as the “Peterborough type” and I hope that we will not fall into such a trap again. This type be-came extremely heavy, with masses of bone and in some cases knuckling over at the knee as depicted in the picture of South Staffs Denmark 22. This fashion also developed the colour known as “Belvoir tan”.

For many years I kept a painting of one of these thugs to remind me not to breed such heavy hounds. My great-uncle, CT Scott, had his favourite hounds painted. One, North Cotswold Pilgrim 05, was the Peterborough champion bitch in 1908 but looked more like a doghound than a quality bitch of the type we see at the North Cotswold and elsewhere today.

Fortunately, a number of packs disregarded fashion and maintained their good hunting hounds. Some of the MFHs and huntsmen at that time wanted hounds that could hunt and catch their foxes in good style, and the popular heavyweight brigade found this difficult. Not only did they struggle to turn with their fox but they lacked a certain amount of nose and voice, too.

At the same time, on the edge of Wales, Sir Edward Curre had been breeding hounds that went back to the best of the English type and best of the old Welsh hound, and had blended himself a wonderful pack of white hounds famous for their cry. An American called Ikey Bell became the leader of a revolution to get away from the heavyweight hound and carried forward what Sir Edward Curre had started. However, these revolutionaries, including Sir Peter Farquhar, Sir Ian Amory and my father Bill Scott, were extremely un-popular with some of the old guard before the Second World War, and were accused of ruining the English foxhound.

The constant aim of the breeder should be to have a hound that will hunt the quarry farthest, fastest and longest, and therefore the balance of pace points and stamina points needs to be taken into account and a happy medium maintained.

Sometimes a great working stallion with a fantastic voice and nose might be slightly too heavy for the speed merchants but those who use such a dog will be rewarded. These two attributes, along with power, are often passed down through the blue mottle genes of Carmarthenshire Nimrod 24. Portman Grossman 52 and his grandson Old Berkshire Grammer 61 are examples.

Different hunting qualities are required in different hunt countries. Heavier types of hound would not succeed in the fells, while the fell hound might not cope quite so well in a heavy plough country. A large hound would find it hard to get through, over and across the stiffly banked and hedged Westcountry; the native Westcountry harrier can do it far quicker. Voice is vital in heavily wooded countries, while nose is essential on brash and highly cultivated land.

On taking over a pack it is best to try and maintain those lines that have hunted its country successfully. The introduction of new lines may not be regarded favourably. If the new blood has a broken coat or different colour it is easy, even for those without any knowledge of hounds, to notice a change and happily criticise the effort if a day’s sport is not up to their wishes. When I was out with a pack that had recently introduced an American outcross, one rather loud-mouthed and opinionated individual proclaimed how much he disliked the American blood. I asked him in an equally loud voice which American type he did not like; the Walker or Trigg strain or those from Virginia or Georgia with the July strain.
I then asked him, as the pack hunted with great drive and cry over a ride in front of us, which of the leading hounds he did not like, considering they were all American.

While some of the Welsh packs were eligible for entry in the Foxhound Kennel Stud Book (FKSB), a number of other desirable outcrosses were not. It was under the MFHA chairmanship of Sir Peter Farquhar that further outcrosses became possible. He opened the book to any hound whose sire and dam could be proved to have hunted the fox for six generations in 1955. Since then, a number of hounds with fell hound, French and American blood have been entered in the FKSB, as well as harriers. So it is worth looking at the usefulness and merits of these outcrosses.
The Welsh hound is probably the most ancient breed, having come over from France with the Normans, if not before. It is known for its long, woolly or broken coat, superior nose and wonderful voice. The Welsh type tends to produce larger doghounds than bitches. This trait has been passed on through outcrosses, therefore stamina may become a concern. Welsh hounds need a degree of independence to hunt the Welsh hills and so have acquired excellent brains. Longevity is an-other characteristic found in the Welsh hound and also in the fell hound.

Fell hounds descend from the northern hound rather than the heavier southern hound, and hunt the fells and land close to the Lake District. Here the steep ground demands that they be independent, as their huntsman is on foot and cannot be with them that much. Their “hare” feet allow them cope with the steep hills and mountainous screes that abound in that part of the world.

Hill hounds are part fell and part modern English, and are mostly hunted by a mounted huntsman. One of the best-known hill packs
is the College Valley/North Northumberland and recent outcrosses from this pack have not proved too independent when introduced to the modern English packs, and have brought with them voice, nose and drive as well as great keenness to hunt.

The Old English are almost purebred and have avoided the infusion of Welsh or any other outcross. While they have been careful not to breed too close over the years, their gene pool has become smaller and smaller as they have been limited in where they can go. While a little “tainted” blooded has crept in, they have maintained their wonderful type and colour. However, at the puppy show of one of the premier Old English packs last summer, one of the winners was certainly tri-coloured and must be a throw-back to a distant ancestor, in the days when colour was not regarded as so important.

Fox-hunting resumes after ban

More than 250 countryside enthusiasts turned out to support the first meeting in 10 months of the Prince of Wales's favourite hunt as the hunting season, which usually begins in September, finally opened today.

Around 150 foot followers joined more than 70 mounted riders at the Swangrove Estate near Badminton, South Gloucestershire, for the first gathering of the Beaufort Hunt since the ban on hunting was imposed at the start of the foot-and-mouth crisis earlier this year.

Up to 30 of Britain's 300 hunts have been granted licences, and hunts were also resuming today in counties including north Wales and Northamptonshire, according to the Countryside Alliance's Campaign for Hunting Northumberland - counties among the worst hit by foot-and-mouth.

The Beaufort Hunt, which is regularly attended by members of the royal family including Prince William and his father, Charles, was enthusiastically supported by local farmers and business owners who rely on hunting to survive.

The joint master of the Beaufort Hunt, Ian Farquhar, said he was "delighted" that hunting was finally underway again.

"It is good to get going again," he said. "A whole industry has been at a standstill during this ban. It has been a glimpse of the hardship that would be faced if hunting was outlawed permanently.

"Hunting and farming go hand-in-hand and the support of the community for the resumption of hunting has been tremendous."

Alex Connors, who runs a business making hunting boots in the nearby town of Chippenham, said she was relieved that the ban on hunting had been lifted.

"My business was getting to a critical point with foot-and-mouth disease having already curtailed the end of the last hunting season and the beginning of this," she said.

"We were close to going out of business, but as soon as the news came through that hunting was going to start again the phone has not stopped ringing."

Nicky Driver from the Countryside Alliance said today's meeting of the Beaufort Hunt was not a celebration but a "cautious and sensible" resumption of the sport.

She said that everybody attending the meeting had signed a certificate of compliance designed to ensure that all participants could be traced in the unlikely event of another foot-and-mouth outbreak.

But she stressed that the rural community had been clamouring for hunting to resume.

"Foot-and-mouth disease has devastated our countryside," she said. "It has been a very difficult time and it can only be good news that hunting is starting again."

Ms Driver said the 10-month ban on hunting had demonstrated just how seriously the rural community would be affected by a permanent ban on the sport and she added it had strengthened the case of the pro-hunting lobby.

Although today's meeting of the Beaufort Hunt was its first since February, no members of the royal family were in attendance.

It is still outlawed in "infected" or "at-risk" areas, including Cumbria and North Yorkshire

This disturbing image shows three young children looking on as a fox is dragged from a hole before being brutally killed. Released by anti-fox hunt campaigners, the picture shows the sickening attack on the helpless vixen by three men and their dog during a hunt by the Devon-based Modbury Harriers.

After the incident was reported to the League Against Cruel Sports, the RSPCA was called in to investigate whether there were grounds for a prosecution under the 2004 Hunting Act.

In a sickening ritual, the fox was trapped in a badger sett along with another cowering animal before the men flushed both out with guns, killing the petrified creatures as the children watched on.

A local farmer who witnessed the incident told the Western Morning News: "I sat there in disbelief - how could those guys think any of what had played out was fit for young children to witness?

"In fact, in the eyes of even my most pro-hunt neighbour, what those men showed those kids that afternoon crossed an unacceptable line. The saddest sight for me was those lifeless bodies more resembling orange rags being dragged up the hill at the end."

Before being trapped, the fox had been spotted by the farmer running across a nearby field. "I watched in horror as a whole pack of hounds poured into our neighbour’s field then piled into our meadow," he said.

"They made that hideous blood-curdling squealing – known as ‘speaking’ – which means they are on the scent of a fox. I saw a beautiful vixen flash across the meadow and disappear into an old badger sett on my neighbour’s farm. At the top of the hill I saw a couple of guys carrying spades and a terrier on a lead. They were going to dig her out and kill her right then and there."

"The men came down and filled in the exit holes to stop the fox escaping and then called the children over to watch as they dug out and killed the young vixen – and a second fox found cowering inside the hole."

Despite the grisly scene, Tim Bonner, a spokesperson for the Countryside Alliance described the slaughter as legal, and even as "professional and humane", adding that nobody associated with the Modbury Harriers was embarrassed by the pictures.

Joe Duckworth, chief executive of the League Against Cruel Sports, said: "This horrific incident of animal cruelty shows not only a total disregard for the dogs and foxes but also for the welfare of the children. Terrier work is abhorrently cruel.

Fox-hunting resumes after ban

Shocking Fox Hunt Picture Shows Three Men Slaughtering An Animal In Front Of Children (GRAPHIC IMAGE)

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Red fox

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HUNTING - Issues and Arguments

Killing animals is wrong

Is hunting pest control?

The inefficiency of Hunting

"Hunting is less cruel than other methods of fox control"

Fox conservation

"We don't kill many"

"The kill is not the important part of the hunt"

"Hunting is the only way to get an exciting ride"

"The fox has a sporting chance"

"Hunting is an integral part of country life"

"Hunting is traditional"

"Antis are townies who misunderstand the ways of the country"

Treatment of hounds

Violence to animals and violence to people

"Hunting provides employment"

"Hunting is natural"

The environment

Hunters' hypocrisy

"Meat eaters should not oppose hunting"

"Anti-bloodsports campaigners are motivated by class hatred"

"Cubhunting usefully disperses the foxes in autumn"

Spreading of disease

Hunting and individual choice

JACK PYKE HORN.fox hunting horse baiting gallop tracking beating cubbing walking