I would object. I can't remember what it was but my daughter saw something about fox hunting and was upset by it.

As a retired teacher and also a parent I think this is absolutely SICK !!!!

To use children to try and promote hunting just shows how low hunt supporters will go .

The children will have the images of cuddly,lovable hounds,with no emphasis on what happens to them during their training ,during the actual hunt itself or what happens to the hounds who fail to make the grade.

If this had happened when I was teaching I would have anything I could to stop my school being involved.
I taught my class-7-8 yr olds to be caring respectful and compassionate to all living creatures.

Why not encourage schools to "adopt" a rescue dog
Im sure rescues would jump at the chance and it would probably help other animals in the rescues to find a loving home.
Maureen

I would be hopping mad!!

I live in the countryside and we are certainly not overrun with foxes, I rarely see one these days. Rats is another matter though, foxes would help keep them down.

I do agree with you Rosebud . I live on a river and we are also inundated with mink which the local council have started putting humane traps down for.

I have to admit I find it almost unbelievable that this 'hound' issue has been allowed to go into school anyway. Talk about political My boys are grown up now, but I would have been livid if anything contentious was brought into schools. The kids are there to learn and not to be exposed to things like this. Where would it end ...... the next thing could be even more contentious. Maybe the head of school in your case is pro-hunting, but whatever their views should be kept to themselves.

I would object too. Violent or 'blood' sports should not be encouraged or endorsed in schools - especially at those early ages.

I'd object - however in reality the amount of promotional, pushing an agenda or trying to sell stuff crap that arrives in the school postbag on an average morning means this is very likely to end up where it should - in the bin, or at best, mouldering on a table in the staffroom collecting coffee-cup spill rings.

I don't think any sane school would take them up on something like this - the only possible use I could see would be them using the literature for something like use as the "for" side of writing an argument or persuasive text, or discussing bias in texts... something like that.

Really pleased to see im not the only one outraged by this. So desperate are the CA to see the hunting ban repealed there are no depths they wont stoop to x

Hiya Cassius and Minihaha, apparently the Blethcara pack in Cumbria are already running an adoption scheme...wonder if that means some schools have actually gone ahead and adopted http://article.wn.com/view/2012/10/2...adopt_a_hound/

well done Cassius, for taking the time & trouble to contact schools about this shameless ploy to brainwash our children x


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Whatever your personal views are on hunting ( I am totally against it), there is no way children should be involved. This is a totally despicable idea

I would make an appointment with the head and explain why I think we would do better to raise children to have real genuine compassion rather than promoting animal cruelty.

Thanx for the info. The more I read about the proposal the more disgusted I am and the more sick I'm feeling about it.

If any visits to schools with hounds have been made, I wonder if the huntsmen have proved that they have the extra liability insurance that so many local authorities insist upon. Most require insurance for up to £2 million worth of damage but there are a few who insist upon £5 million. it's not particularly expensive but the dogs have to be socialised and trained with children at least for the dogs to benefit.

I've finished today sending e-mails to all of the schools in England and Wales. A few bounced back but no doubt staff at a school where the email hasn't arrived for some reason will know other teaching staff in other schools who do receive it.

I have pointed out all of the bad points. I don't see any good points at all. I know my Son's school won't have anything to do with this garbage so that's some comfort at least.

Something I did notice in the report that I don't understand though - it states that the huntsmen need volunteers to walk, clean out etc the dogs and want children who visit to get stuck in. Are they going to try to get children to volunteer regularly to clean up after their dogs? How is a school visit to their kennels with kids between 4-11 maybe going to inspire adults or those old enough to volunteer to spend time their and work for them for free?

I have made it clear to the schools that hunting is a bloodsport and should they require dogs to visit, or if they want o adopt dogs and have pictures of them, there are plenty of dogs in rescues who need "adopting" and visits can be done my our dogs - trained, fully insured etc (and all the other hoops we had to jump through to be able to take dogs into schools).

I may or may not get responses from the schools but I would like to think they've at least taken the time to read what I've written.

If anyone hears of anything else that may be passed onto schools, please let me know.

Laura xx