If hunting foxes with hounds is illegal, Why is it legal to destroy them in other ways?

Question

Is gassing them underground (out of site, out of mind ) OK?
Is shooting ( & wounding ) OK?
Or shall we leave control of the fox to the snarers ( & maimers )?

Answer 1

I agree that foxes are a pest for most country folk. However, I do think that it is disgusting to allow dogs to tear a living animal to pieces. I also don't agree with hunts and packs of hounds following foxes across farm land and private property as it does damage. Yes I know it shouldn't happen, but in reality it does. I live in Derbyshire and have seen happen it many times.

Gassing underground is an option but it's not just foxes that will be killed.

Shooting to kill is acceptable to me (just my opinion) but as you stated, this can result in wounding and a painful death.

Snares are barbaric and should be outlawed. Full stop.

As far as culling is concerned, it should be done in a way that's as humane as possible but to be honest I don't know what the answer is. That's probably why this debate rages on.

Answer 2

Hunting a fox with hounds is not illegal, destroying them by means of the hounds is. They can still be chased and dispatched with a rifle. Here we go again .

Are your comments above more, or less barbaric then hunnting, think vearry carefully about that one.
With a rifle i veary realy wound a fox, it dose happen tough. I tend to use a balistic tip shell that dose the job befor the fox knows it.
Any way im not getting in to any debate on this again, there has been pleanty of questions like this over the last few weeks.

Answer 3

Fox populations are, in the main, self controlling - i.e., the ratio of predator to prey effectively limits numbers. This has been proved to be correct in controlled experiments in areas where fox hunting was not allowed.
Foxhounds are not too worried about what they catch, either, and have killed domestic pets when the Tally-Oh people have ridden through villages.
The hunts argued that a fox had a chance to escape - yet they would block fox holes to prevent the fox from going to ground. And if it did, they would use terriers and men to flush or dig it out.
Worst of all was the proven habit of breeding fox cubs in order to provide adult foxes for the hunt.
Then there is the utter arrogance of hunts and followers who block roads with their vehicles, cross main roads without any warning, etc.; "Well, we cross here every Wednesday" one huntsman told me after several cars were in a near crash on a Gloucestershire A road a few years ago!
And before any hunt supporter takes me to task for being a 'townie', I was born and brought up in the Pytchley and Cottesmore Hunts areas and once followed these hunts on occasions. Then, as I grew older, I gradually realised how unnecessary it all was.
So the answer to your question is to leave the matter to good old Mother Nature, since the number of foxes caught by hunts was such a small small proportion of the total number of foxes dying from other causes in any given year.
Surely you can still partake of the thrill of a good ride in open countryside without the barbarism of hunting an animal to death. It is just as enjoyable - unless you are admitting to liking 'bloodlust driven' cruelty, of course.
Last but not least is the uncomfortable spectacle of one small animal being hunted to its demise by an enormous pack of large dogs, and God knows how many people on horsesback. It's a bit like the local village cricket team playing Somerset First XI - namely, very unsporting and grossly unfair!!

Answer 4

Because it is a stupid law brought in by a stupid Government that did not bother to specify. The sooner the ban is lifted the better.

You are currently allowed to "flush" the fox with two hounds and to then shoot it. As no-one is a perfect shot all the time, there will be a number of foxes that are shot and wounded before dying a slow and painful death, rather than being dispatched instantly by a pack of hounds.

In case you hadn't noticed, I'm pro-hunting!

Foxes are vermin, they need to be controlled. The only reason people complain is because they think foxes look "cute". If they'd seen the damage a fox can do to a hen house, they wouldn't be so soft.

Answer 5

The only reason it is illegal is because decent people campaigned and lobbied Blair.. and in an attempt to look like he cares about what people want (or more likely because of the pressure).. he made it illegal.

Truth is, he doesn't give a **** about animals really so thats why its 'legal' to kill them in other ways. He just wants it to look good so he might get more supporters.

If you ask me killing a fox (or any animal) for fun or profit is utterly barbaric and inhumane - I don't care whether its legal or not.

Answer 6

Because rich people make the laws. Long ago, stuffy rich white guys liked to go on fox hunts. They would make the Negroes ready the hounds, and off they would go. Somehow having a fox ripped apart by hounds would make them feel manly. Tea and crumpets would be served shortly thereafter.

Answer 7

Hunting with Hounds in England & Wales is illegal! It doesn't matter what you are hunting.

All four legged wildlife with few exceptions however may be shot.

Answer 8

its illegal bcuz its an unfare advantage to the hunter thats all

Answer 9

Its not illegal in Montana

Answer 10

I cant answer about the other things but hunting with hounds is barbaric. There is nothing that will ever make me believe that ripping an animal apart for pleasure is okay !!!!