Most of those I know who are remotely involved with fox hunting are not at all 'Toffs', many are ordinary working folk. I find that sort of accusation distasteful, as for enjoying hunting or shooting, I love it, as I love eating meat and have respect for the animals I eat. Most people don't understand where their meat comes from and are happy to eat some anonymous cling filmed package of meat bought from the supermarket, with no knowledge of how that animal lived or died, and therefore no guilt about any suffering it may have endured either throughout life, or at the time of it's death.

Most of those I know who are remotely involved with fox hunting are not at all 'Toffs', many are ordinary working folk. I find that sort of accusation distasteful, as for enjoying hunting or shooting, I love it, as I love eating meat and have respect for the animals I eat. Most people don't understand where their meat comes from and are happy to eat some anonymous cling filmed package of meat bought from the supermarket, with no knowledge of how that animal lived or died, and therefore no guilt about any suffering it may have endured either throughout life, or at the time of it's death.

Most of those I know who are remotely involved with fox hunting are not at all 'Toffs', many are ordinary working folk. I find that sort of accusation distasteful, as for enjoying hunting or shooting, I love it, as I love eating meat and have respect for the animals I eat. Most people don't understand where their meat comes from and are happy to eat some anonymous cling filmed package of meat bought from the supermarket, with no knowledge of how that animal lived or died, and therefore no guilt about any suffering it may have endured either throughout life, or at the time of it's death.

What on earth does fox hunting have to do with shooting for the table? last time I checked, people did not eat foxes? they are completely incomparable and that is not the subject being discussed here.

I didn't say a hound, I said FOX HUNTING.

The chase of a dog and rabbit is generally quick, at least when my dog has chased them coz they are always close to the burrows. That is MUCH different to being chased for miles, terrified for their life. Yes, the rabbit would be terrified for a few seconds, but the vast majority get away from all the dogs I know... and a short burst of fear is natural to a small prey animal.

Also, my dog has always killed them exceptionally fast, just a quick shake and that is it. Not being ripped apart.

That is MUCH nicer than what a fox goes through during a fox hunt.



I think the wild rabbit gets a much faster death, and goes through much less terror due to the quickness of the chase and kill. Knowing you have a pack of hounds on your tail for miles isn't exactly a nice trip through the countryside for the fox!



The rabbit is dead by then, the rabbit is not ripped apart alive! (not by Jake, or any of the other dogs I know who have killed rabbits in the past).



Ha, I don't believe that for one second! The rest of the hounds aren't going to sit patiently until the other hound has killed the fox. Also, dead foxes have been examined and found that the 'quick nip' that pro-fox hunters say kills the fox, isn't there! I've read many times about foxes being torn apart alive by the hounds... and other poor animals that are unfortunately found along the way! It is much easier for a dog to give a small animal like a rabbit a quick shake to kill, than a hound with an animal the size of a fox... I just don't buy it, it's not that quick.




Aye, whatever you say



That is because it happens.



Yes, it would. It is quick, and a clean kill. The chase is quick, and the kill is quick. Of course the rabbit is no less dead, but as a prey animal it is eaten so not a needless death in that sense.

I would just like to add that Jake catches them rarely... and usually coz he surprises them... otherwise they are gone before he is anywhere near... and they actually casually just hop back down the burrows when they see him (or any dog) coming.

Comparing a pet dog to a hound is not ridiculous, they are both chasing , killing a wild animal, and , do you think the rabbit chased and caught by your pet dog is any less terrified because your pet has chased and killed it.

Do you think your pet dispatches the wild rabbit with more grace than the hound, you you think the rabbit is any less dead or has a better death by your pet compared to the hound.

Does the pet not rip a part the rabbit to eat it ( if owner allows) is the ripping apart any more tolerable when its done by the pet dog.

The hound dispatches the fox quickly and cleanly, the fox will be dead by the time it is ripped apart (if its ripped apart)


There is a huge hypocracy here it seems.

Propadanda is being thrown around a lot , the fox is chased for miles exhausting it , ripping a live animal to shreds, is one of the biggest.


The next time Jake chases and kills something, ask yourself did the rabbit feel any less trauma or was any less dead, because your pet killed it.

The other week X-Clo-X?? Isn't fox hunting currently banned??

the chase of a fox is generally quick, because the it either is too quick for the hounds and goes to ground, or is old and sick and gets caught.

yes only one hound does kill the fox... its always the lead hound that gets the first bite, kill.. like other pack animals. at no point when i have been out has a fox been torn apart alive by hounds. its either shot first, or the lead hound (gorgeous lad aswell) gets the fox.

as for other animals along the way. we have NEVER caught another animal. they can be called off anything. the other week there was a deer stood in the wood, a couple of hounds smelt the deer started speaking, we saw the deer and called the hounds off, the hounds didnt chase it they left it, just like they do if we see a hare, or a cat (not very often we do because we arent anywhere a cat would be) they are only trained to go after the scent of a fox, and dont even tend to bother with other animals, if they do we have control of them.

as for the size difference between a rabbit and a dog, and a hound and a fox... what would you say if asbo killed a rabbit? compared to your jake? asbo isnt very big.. 13 inches high and weighs 4.5kg? and have you seen the size of some of the hounds?! they arent exactly small and can quite easily grab hold of a fox and kill it in one quick movement.

Perhaps not, but the same cannot be said for the many cats, dogs and other animals that have been attacked & killed by hunting hounds.