WHEN the European Court of Human Rights has ruled that the Hunting Act is perfectly compatibl with its legislation and reasonably ‘designed to eliminate the hunting and killing of animals for sport in a manner causing suffering and being morally objectionable, what right did the South Dorset huntsman have to make an offensive gesture towards a child objecting to his hounds invading her garden just over a month ago?

This 7-year-old girl shouted at him to get out because the hounds were upsetting the family’s dogs. A nasty incident requiring veterinary attention or worse could easily have occurred, and ten years ago when fox hunting was a lawful activity this pack worried a fox to death in a back garden and the League Against Cruel Sports was contacted for legal advice. If these people were hunting within the legal limit why were the hounds out of control in a built-up area?

Hunt staff at Boxing Day meets always claim that they have an impressive turnout, and that they need to protect an honourable tradition and livelihoods against ‘absurd’ legislation. In fact, while these events attract spectacular gatherings (in favourable weather and when a strong Countryside Alliance and Pony Club network can call in numbers of enthusiasts and supporters bringing friends, family members and children), they represent just 7% or so of the nations horses and 25% of the population who do not accept the Hunting Act. When over 80 individuals have been convicted under the Act, is it ‘legally and morally unreasonable?’.

Those who complain about ‘interfering antis’, may come to consider that in March 1995 four campaigners staged a roof-top protest against continued Forestry Commission support for the New Forest Buckhounds and two years later this pack disbanded, after the publication of a major scientific study showing that hunted deer suffer extreme physiological damage and distress. Objective evidence on fox hunting examined by the Burns Inquiry, that led to the Hunting Act, showed just the same degree of suffering foxes killed by hounds suffer excrutiating painful bites and tears in the chest and abdomen. In a modern society that requires human behaviour towards animals, objection to that kind of regressive ‘sport’ is inevitable and the minority who persist in suspect hunt activity and demand the repeal of human legislation must change their attitudes.

MISS K WATSON, Stockport.