THE Boxing Day hunts and shoots are nothing but an historical anachronism in our civilised society.
Our wildlife deserves better treatment than it gets at the hands of the hunters and shooters in their festive season hunts and shoots. Gentle and beautiful creatures are being hunted and shot at and used as a live targets for bloodsports all in the name of ‘tradition’.
Thankfully our investigators and hunt monitors will be out in force over the festive season to try and capture any illegal activity on camera so that it can be presented to the police and people can be held accountable for their actions. We are, in a sense, a rural equivalent of the Neighbourhood Watch.
It is high time that there was legislation which made it a crime to be cruel to any animal, whether it be a wild animal or a farmed animal or a domestic one. Using a live mammal or bird as a live target for sport is cruel, barbaric and should have no place in a civilised society.
I know that your readers will want to do all they can to help us stop animal cruelty in the name of ‘sport’; they can call our Hunt Crimewatch line on 01483 524 250 throughout the holiday period to report suspicious activity.
Douglas Batchelor
chief executive
