Think about real cost of fox hunting (From Worcester News)

Think about real cost of fox hunting

8:10am Thursday 29th April 2010 in Read

SIR – Jon Burgess (Letters, April 21) said I am obsessed with social class in fox hunting.

No, I was just stating my frustration with the endless complaints that the ban wrecked their tradition. Mr Burgess was correct in saying hunting started with farmers protecting their livestock but dismissed the fact that foxes were later imported from Europe to be sold at English markets. He then contradicted himself by stating “Politicians ... will destroy centuries of work”. Why mention this? We are now in an enlightened era. Is fox hunting pest-control, a sport, or a tradition with a lost cause?

Mr Burgess also talked about wasting public money. An average hunting season killed 6,000 hounds, injured 1,000 hounds, cost £15 million in vets’ fees and cost the tax payer more than £1 million in policing costs.

So, animal welfare, vets’ costs, medical costs and the taxpayers’ money are the bigger issue of fox hunting. Think about it.

L Gregg
Worcester