By : Accidental Writer

17/09/2020

There is nothing more traumatic that affects your mental well being than witnessing a pack of hunting hounds ripping their victim apart. Hunts show no remorse or consideration to members of the public who have had the misfortune of seeing such a barbaric act.

Hunting is an emotive subject. For so long we have heard about the cruelty aspect and the hunts defiant views, but not a lot about the people who have absolutely nothing to do with hunting, the general public.

This group of people who have the misfortune of coming into contact with hunts, find their very presence has a profound effect on their emotional and mental well being. Very few people are emotionally neutral.

It is a recognised fact that access to the countryside and nature can greatly enhance someone’s mood. The trees, wildlife and cleaner air. The peace and tranquillity can boost and restore one’s mental health. Even the National Trust draws on this in their latest campaign, the advert proclaiming “everyone needs nature”.

“Celia Richardson, National Trust director of communications and insight, said: “The Everyone Needs Nature campaign is designed to capture a moment in people’s lives when they are more aware than ever of the importance of close connection with nature.

“We want people to continue the everyday connections with nature they’ve made during lockdown, and remind them that nature and wildlife urgently need protection.”

This could be seen as a contradiction. The National Trust have been criticised for the continuance of hunting on their land, despite the negative effects this may have on the majority of people.

Can people safely enjoy the countryside without having to worry about coming into contact with hunts? Is it safe to take your dog for a walk and not have a pack of hunting hounds attack your dog and make you feel threatened? Reports of such incidents are common. Hunting hounds are a menace when they are not kept under proper control and come into contact with wildlife, roads or public places.

Many people have expressed their feelings when encountering the hunt, essentially a cruel and illegal activity. People who happen to live close to these areas, see hounds in their gardens and other public areas, desperately worry about their pets or livestock. Even innocently driving along a road blocked by hunt traffic, hearing the hunting horn, sounds of the hounds in cry, or the whooping of the hunters goading their hounds on, have been left feeling traumatised, full of anger, upset and contempt. This is coupled with great sadness and feelings of frustration.

All of these emotions are extremely negative and people, trying to be at peace and enjoying the wildlife, should not be subjected to this archaic and reprehensible activity.

Imagine how people feel when knowing the fox family, they may have watched over a period of time, watched them growing up, and then slaughtered in the most barbaric way, by hunts just for the fun of it.

People have reported feeling intimidated, stressed and suffering from trauma. Some have had no option but to move to avoid the nightmares on a loop, and imagining or, perhaps worse, hearing, the victim’s suffering and death.

There is nothing to describe the shocking and disturbing sound of the hounds in cry slowly ripping apart their victim and the shrieking sounds of the defenceless animal fighting for its life.

Hunts force themselves upon most rural living people whether they like it or not.

WCL (Wildlife & Countryside Link) have stated – ‘almost 7/10 want legal requirements to ensure that animal welfare is protected when new laws and policies are made, to the greatest extent possible. Only 3% oppose this.’

How is it possible so many people’s views (85% against hunting) are not considered when it comes to fox hunting? It does appear that this could be the result of bias by people in power, who expect to gain financially from supporters of this so-called sport. Why else would they continue to ignore what the vast majority of people want, unless for self-interest?

“concern about cruelty to animals has been part of the cultural, ethical and religious traditions of most societies (Regenstein 1991)”

Where is the concern for animal welfare standards, rights, exports, trophy hunting, illegal hunting, animal abuse and sentencing laws from our government?. They promised alot at election time but have delivered nothing.

Despite the Hunting Act 2004, evidence, in abundance, clearly demonstrates this is not upheld otherwise there would be a concerted effort to close the loopholes in the law.

It is time to think of the emotional well being of the majority of the population as opposed to a few people who continually flout the law who do not seem to be tuned to the cruelty they inflict and the upset they cause to the public.