November 6, 2005

Hunters Go Through Loopholes, Over Hills
Britain's fox-hunting season opens with a bang despite this year's ban. Some say the sport is now more popular.

By Vanora McWalters, Special to The Times

LONDON — On Saturday mornings in autumn, the English gentleman's pleasure has long been to put on a bright red coat and ride out across the countryside on horseback, with a pack of friends in identical clothes at his side and a pack of hounds baying cheerfully ahead, chasing a friendless fox.

This weekend, thousands of men and women in red did it again, joining 200 hunts around the countryside to mark the first Saturday of a new season. But this time there was a difference. Hunting foxes with hounds had been banned by law in February.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-hunting6nov06,1,2305618.story?coll=la-headlines-world

I feel sorry for those poor foxes. :(

Well, that law didn't work very well.

I thought the ban was on hunting them with dogs, not hunting foxes in general.

The article seems to agree . . .

Whereas I just find it strange to ban animals from doing to other animals what those animals do to their prey.

Scythe, you are correct. The ban is NOT a ban on fox hunting. It is a ban on hunting with hounds (as in using the hounds to flush out the fox then kill it). It is perfectly legal (at the mo) to hunt foxes provided the fox isn't flushed out with the dogs.

Well, that law didn't work very well.


LOL!!!!! :lol:

A lot of these people belong to the aristocracy. I say "off with their heads!!!" (Insert guillotine smilie here.)

I think the ban might have stricter legal language had there not been so much opposition to any kind of ban on fox hunting. :think:

A little OT, but it IS my thread: I think it will be a looooong time before I get used to seeing the name "Walter" under what used to be mikie's face... :-/

LOL!!!!! :lol:

A lot of these people belong to the aristocracy. I say "off with their heads!!!" (Insert guillotine smilie here.)

I agree, :lol:, i dream of the day, all foxes run with chainsaws, and the {so called} hunters carry the horses on thier backs. You can always cover the {so called hunters} in a scent similar to that of a fox, the dogs will do the rest. Yup, i have NO forgivness, for ANYONE who partakes in this {sport:gun:

Ghost

Any improvement is good.

It is perfectly legal (at the mo) to hunt foxes provided the fox isn't flushed out with the dogs.

Not strictly true. I believe that it's only illegal to hunt with the intention of the dogs killing the fox. It is legal to use dogs to flush a fox out and then shoot it, or let a bird of prey catch it. Alot of hunts are using this to get round the law. They have a large bird of prey (tawny owl normally I think) ready to kill the fox after it's flushed out. In many hunts tho "accidents" happen and the dogs kill the fox. In many hunts the tawny owl has never been released.

I think many of the hunts are just taking the piss, the law isn't that bad. If the police got the evidance it would lead to convictions. I'm not too sure how commited the police are to clamping down on fox hunters tho. Only time will tell, hopefully there will be a few convictions. :notvegan:

Any improvement is good.

You know, it would be a wonderful sport if they would just leave out the fox. Racing through the woods on a beautiful horse wearing a bright red jacket sounds like lots of fun. Add a pack of dogs and it's a great day! Why go and kill a fox in the end? I just don't quite get that part....

As a goal. I imagine it, or they, define where you go, how long it takes and so on.