Hunting is absolutely necessary (From News Shopper)

Hunting is absolutely necessary

11:01am Tuesday 5th October 2004 in Letters

While I sympathise with Rachel Bradman's views on fox-hunting (News Shopper, September 15), I must agree with Rupert Smythe on the issue.

If Rachel lived in south east London and had children with outdoor pets, she would have to ensure the pets were permanently caged in fox-proof pens.

Foxes are killers who kill for the joy of it, not because they are hungry. Let a fox in a hen-house and it will slaughter every bird. They also mess in the garden and spread disease, especially mange.

Foxes have to be controlled and I would say hunting is the most efficient and humane way of doing it.

I do not hunt but I have been shooting for 60 years, both game and target shooting. I know from experience one cannot always guarantee a clean kill and many animals manage to escape into a burrow where they will die a lingering death.

Hunting with hounds ensures only the animal being hunted is killed and normally the death is very quick and certain and is no worse than the fox killing your hen or rabbit.

I would suggest the welfare of the fox is the last thing motivating the anti-hunt legislators at this time.

Neil Gillies Orpington