This is just tit for tat. You know as well as I do that the level of violence committed by hunt sabs and animal extremists is shocking. They kill Hounds, they attack people, they purposely and deliberately set out to cause disruption and it often ends in harm.

I sometimes try to stay out of these hunting debates, because naturally both sides are unlikely to change their views, and it can become rather steamed up in the thread However, I am going to have a little say.

I am pro fox hunting, I always have been and always will be. I do become a little cross when hunt followers, be they on horseback or on foot are branded as bloodthirsty evil people who are out there purely to see a fox killed. This is absolutely not true........although the farmer who wishes to reduce the loss of his lambs in the spring, or the chicken owner who is sick to death of picking up mutilated half dead or dead chooks from the orchard (me), may think a dead fox is a good fox.

Very often, there is no kill at all (especially now of course, although accidents do happen.......we are talking about living animals with minds of their own; the hounds are bred to hunt foxes, and it is in their blood, same as my JRT has hunting small furry things in his blood. Once he spots or scents something, there is no way on this earth that I could stop him.....hence his never being offlead outside the garden). But if there IS a kill, then it is over and done with in a flash. I just cannot understand, or condone, the idea that shooting problem foxes, or trapping, or poisoning is an acceptable way of controlling them. I have come across a trapped fox at the crack of dawn, and the image will forever stay with me. Nobody should ever inflict that sort of agony on any animal, and the same thing can happen with a bad shot.....as for poisoning.

I always trot this out, but for me it is very relevant......what is the difference between a fox and a rat? Both are furry mammals, both are wild and are opportunists. One has a bushy tail, one doesn't. To me that is the only difference and believe it or not I like and respect both.......and I will tolerate both happily until they cause me a big problem. Millions of people think absolutely nothing of getting somebody in to deal with their rat problem; and if dealing with them involves bringing terriers plus something heaving to bash them over the head with, then they think so be it. Nobody is jumping up and down and saying it's cruel to rats.

I abhor cruelty, always have and always will, and although I know that many people feel that the actual chase is cruel, I don't believe that it is.

As for the Antis........why when they love animals so much supposedly, do they turn up in combat gear with balaclavas and do their utmost to harm hounds and horses.

The two sides are never going to agree I am afraid, but I will be attending the usual Boxing Day meet in the High Street, along with thousands of others who support hunting. It is not about bloodthirsty toffs on horseback, it is about normal everyday members of the community who enjoy a good day out across country and who know that they are helping to scatter and reduce the fox population in the area.

*waits to be flattened and pummelled

Genuine Sabs Are animal lovers and would never harm hounds or horses,

If they are out there, I would love to see them

I have yet to see an sab/anti that genuinely loves animals... as they have no problem abusing the hounds and horses.

Rubbish , i know plenty of sabs, my cousins oh was one, and they are All animal lovers, youve been listening to pro hunt propaganda im afraid, any individuals that have hurt animals arnt there because they care about foxes, they arnt animal lovers at all... theyre there for trouble, its just the same with football hooligans, theyre not at football matches for the football.. just for trouble.

I don't agree with that at all.

The fox looked exhausted, it didn't even try to fight back or run away - hence I highly doubt that they just 'happened to come across it'.

I sometimes try to stay out of these hunting debates, because naturally both sides are unlikely to change their views, and it can become rather steamed up in the thread However, I am going to have a little say.

I am pro fox hunting, I always have been and always will be. I do become a little cross when hunt followers, be they on horseback or on foot are branded as bloodthirsty evil people who are out there purely to see a fox killed. This is absolutely not true........although the farmer who wishes to reduce the loss of his lambs in the spring, or the chicken owner who is sick to death of picking up mutilated half dead or dead chooks from the orchard (me), may think a dead fox is a good fox.

Very often, there is no kill at all (especially now of course, although accidents do happen.......we are talking about living animals with minds of their own; the hounds are bred to hunt foxes, and it is in their blood, same as my JRT has hunting small furry things in his blood. Once he spots or scents something, there is no way on this earth that I could stop him.....hence his never being offlead outside the garden). But if there IS a kill, then it is over and done with in a flash. I just cannot understand, or condone, the idea that shooting problem foxes, or trapping, or poisoning is an acceptable way of controlling them. I have come across a trapped fox at the crack of dawn, and the image will forever stay with me. Nobody should ever inflict that sort of agony on any animal, and the same thing can happen with a bad shot.....as for poisoning.

I always trot this out, but for me it is very relevant......what is the difference between a fox and a rat? Both are furry mammals, both are wild and are opportunists. One has a bushy tail, one doesn't. To me that is the only difference and believe it or not I like and respect both.......and I will tolerate both happily until they cause me a big problem. Millions of people think absolutely nothing of getting somebody in to deal with their rat problem; and if dealing with them involves bringing terriers plus something heaving to bash them over the head with, then they think so be it. Nobody is jumping up and down and saying it's cruel to rats.

I abhor cruelty, always have and always will, and although I know that many people feel that the actual chase is cruel, I don't believe that it is.

As for the Antis........why when they love animals so much supposedly, do they turn up in combat gear with balaclavas and do their utmost to harm hounds and horses.

The two sides are never going to agree I am afraid, but I will be attending the usual Boxing Day meet in the High Street, along with thousands of others who support hunting. It is not about bloodthirsty toffs on horseback, it is about normal everyday members of the community who enjoy a good day out across country and who know that they are helping to scatter and reduce the fox population in the area.

*waits to be flattened and pummelled

There can be no justification of human beings 'killing for fun', life deserves more respect - and as an evolved and highly intelligent species we should know better.

Rubbish.... and you will refrain from insinuating that any opinion other than your is based on "propaganda" , I could throw it back to you for many of your postings, you are listening to to much "propaganda".

My opinion is formed on what I see not what I wish to see or take from "propaganda!

Would you include people that shoot in that? After all they can go the butchers and buy their meat, so they are attending the shoot (or shooting alone) for the enjoyment of it.

Equally people that fish for fun, what's that all about? I would say that its just as cruel catching a fish and releasing it again as killing it.

I don't hunt, fish or shoot but equally I don't view those that do as less evolved than me.