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james morris hereford
keep hunting it fun

Natasha, Hampshire
I for one do not agree with fox hunting, I find it a most unnecessary method. Having read peoples comments several stood out with the mentioning that "(it culls old, sick animals and disperses the healthy ones."Therefore an animal is not allowed to grow old and die peacefully as nature would have it? Instead you torture those that are less able, who undoubtedly cause the least hassle to farmers and their livelyhood, including those that are sick. Wouldn't it be an outrage if we as humans looked upon our eldery in the same light- should we rid ourselves of them too? After all what does it matter, lets punish them for having lived their lives and for simply now being 'old'. Trying to justify your case with such points of view will not work. One should really THINK before 'typing'.

dee ainsworth 14/ leicestershire
it sickens me that so many commenting on this site speak of what they do not no, and condemn what they refuse to try. also, antis call us cruel, but what is vermin control compared with throwing ball bearings under the hoves of horses, and spraying hounds with acid, as has been known?!? a contradiction in terms

Jerome
Fox Hunting Is a cruel sport, yes but for people who live on farms as like me, crops get damaged, animals e.g Lambs, sheep etc get killed ! that doesnt help us ! Foxes are vermin, i love fox hunting

Dean Meusz/Kidderminster
If fox hunting is not cruel, then cockfighting and bullbaiting are not either. And as for a means of pest control it is very inefficent. Also some hunts have been filmed feeding foxes and even building artifical dens to be sure of foxs to hunt. As for townies Vs Countryside how many born in the country are forced to live in towns caused by high house prices as the townies move out or buy a second hme.

Emma 17 /Tenbury Wells
Its not about putting fox's to extinction, its about keeping the population level down, but not to low. It really really does my head in when people say hunting is for posh people - Ive lived in the country since i was 3, im not posh, never have been. Its the townies that really want to come hunting for themselves and see it from a farmers point of view. Chicken farmers for example, the fox gets into the pen, tears up and kills as many birds and doesnt even take them for food. Farmer loses out, fox is happy. Get it? we need to keep the population low. What happens with all the hounds that now have nothing to work for? They cant be domesticated, never can be. they either suffer with just being exercised or they have to be killed. Hunting has been around for years and years, thus being a tradition aswel as a sport. for you people that are against hunting, you really shoud see for yourselves what actually happens, it is very rarely the fox gets shredded to pieces, the dogs are trained to go for the throat, they then tug about abit while the fox dies. its quick simple and effective way of keeping it low. Whats next then...? Shooting, fishing? what is happeneing to our countryside tradtions and sports? All because of that fat townie blair.

Joanna / Bridgend
Hunting is okay to tag along with i often join in with a group but the actual hunting is wrong and it should be banned. People should watch out. I no a man who runs a farm and wants hunting to carry on just for the riding but it could be done without the killings.

jordan may / liverpool
Mr Blair ought to watch out come next year its not just the countrside votes he is losing but that of the younger population. I live in the countryside, tho not a toff by any means I enjoy riding with the Hunt andI truley believe its is TOWNIES like Mr Blair who dont have a clue, trying to gain control of the countryside and thus ruin it. Leave us country folk alone Mr Blair we can look after our selves! concentrate on bigger things like the soliders dying for his beliefs!!!

Bob Lewis, Ballarat
I think that hunting animals is completely fine.

BAZ
Why is it that people who support hunting allways look for someone to blame is it that you people do not understand the meaning of the respect for life if i was to chase you till you was totally worn down and then decide to tear you apart it would be classed as murder so whats the differance maybe one day the tables will turn,When will you people learn see you boxing day

Kaye Stewart
Take it from a young girl, i am 17 and fox hunting is the sickest thing ive ever heard of. It just something posh people do to make themselves feel big and clever because we can no longer murder humans. To me its exactly the same, if you kill an animal your a murderer, one day other people will realise this. And to you JEN BULLOCK what would u know about the young population?? maybe the countryside children are for fox hunting but thats only because they dont know any better, when they are let out in the big wide world they will hate you for what your doing. I hope to see u boxing day in droitwich!

andrew evesham
fox hunting is a great sport and would recomend it to any one

tom head/Bingley
you need more basic facts on hunting rather than just fox hunting.

Jo Hall/Shropshire
I wish people would stop referring to 'country people' being in favour of fox hunting. Myself and the rest of my family have always lived in the countryside, and the thought of fox hunting repulses all of us, for various reasons which have already been mentioned on this site. I also object to the statement that 'objectors don't know what they're talking about' - all I know is that if a fox must be killed, why not do it with a gun so it dies straight away? I also know that fox hunters are liars when thay say that they only kill sick or weak foxes - there is a certain time of year when a hunt is carried out specifically to kill baby foxes. I challenge anyone to say that is not barbaric.

Michael Washington
My oppion is this, if they want to hunt as a hobby and use dogs so be it. Labs are used for duck. As long as its not putting the fox population to extinction then I don't really see the problem.

Becky, Worcester
Never mind the politics, have any of the people listed below actually been hunting? I would not feel qualified to debate on whether Crete was a wonderful holiday destination or not if I hadn't seen it for mself now would I. Dont knock it until you've tried it.

david hunt/hereford
We have a farm and though i do not follow fox hunting I do believe that to place a ban on it is allowing a voiciferous few to stop something they do not like. As has been stated now foxhunting gone ,it will be shooting pheasents,then fishing, then anything that this group of people do not like,will be stopped.Who is running the country the people who make the most noise apparently.

Lottie/Hereford
I do feel that the government is trying to stamp out civil liberties and attempting to get rid of those very few English traditions that we still have, since Blair took over. This war over fox hunting is not over cruelty to animals, but over social class. Blair is trying to ban hunting because its associated with the upper class. Blair is trying to stamp out the upper class and make the nation all the same, which in a democratic society isn't possible. Fox hunting is an affective way of controlling foxes, its not cruel. If people who oppose hunting saw what foxes did to livestock and livelihoods, they may think again. Since Blair has taken over, England as we know it isn't the same, we have lost many of the English traditions and become a European country, hardly anything is this country is british any more! If fox hunting goes what next???

fight the hunt, hereford
How can you call the anti-hunters prejudgiced? its not prejudgice, its anti-SADISM. If you didnt want to kill the beagles, you should have thought about that before you trained them to kill. human kill cattle for food, bud you hunt foxes simply as an act of barbarianism. FIGHT SADISM - FIGHT THE HUNT!!!

David - Worcestershire
This nanny state is going too far. Now they have hunting on the rack, what next? - Fishing? Why not ban game shooting? More foxes die a horrible death on the roads as 'road kill' than any hunt will dispatch in 12 months. I don't see the government banning these fearfull metalic killers which that also injure and kill humans. More time was spent on the hunting debate than anything else in the recent parliment, the governemnt were proud of getting the 'law ' through at the 11th hour and with the threat of a stick over the House of Lords. It's a pity they didn't concentrate their efforts on more important issues - hospitals and schools if they had they country WOULD BE a better place.

Joe, Hereford
Why do we make life so difficult for ourselves? Why do we continue to offend one another by banning this, or outlawing that? Why must we interfere with other peoples lives? Just leave things the way they are and get on with your own life...never mind about other people! If its cruel, then its cruel, so be it. DONT WORRY YOURSELF ABOUT IT.

Dr Fredk G Page
If Mr Blair wants to guaratee a win in the next election then all he has to do is ask for the vote of all those people who hate cruelty in fox hunting.

DAN GREENWOOD,WORCESTER
WHATS WRONG WITH HAVING AN ANIMAL RUNNING FOR ITS LIFE? WHATS WRONG WITH IT BEING RIPPED APART BY A PACK OF DOGS? AND WHATS WRONG WITH THE FOX NOT BEING KILLED STRAIGHT AWAY? ITS A "SPORT" FOR CRUEL, BLOOD THURSTY IDIOTS. WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO NOW FOR THEIR "RUSH" NOW THAT HUNTING IS BANNED? DOG FIGHTING?

Alison, Worcester
I whole heartedly agree with the ban and @m not a Townie. Rhetoric like that is merely a smokescreen. Put simply, hunting is barbaric and unecessary - why else do they have to encourage foxes to breed. It's the 21st century and about time the huntspeople realised that its the laws of this land that prevail, not the lord of the manor!

Natasha, Hereford
Whether one supports the hunt or not seems insignificant to me. When the hunting law is passed hunting will be illegal. Many pro-hunters are ruining any sympathy for their cause by claiming that the will defy this law. Is it ok for a sexual predator to ignore the law of rape purely because he believes that his views are correct and he will not therefore abide by these laws of civilised society?

Clive, Worcester
I wish that those in the countryside would remove the huge chip from their collective shoulders. Fox hunting has been banned because its sole purpose and aim is to kill animals in the name of sport. End of story. Regarding the impact on the countryside, the world changes - I didn't notice country folk being up in arms at the closure of coalfields with all the attendant unemployment and loss of a way of life that that engendered?

Dan, Birmingham
Let everyone rejoice for this wonderful day has finally arrived, now the hunters will become the hunted!

Sue, Hereford
I cannot see how any "animal lover" can agree with this crazy and completely unreal idea of rehoming thousands of hounds. The RSPCA kennels across the country are filled with unwanted domestic dogs that no one wants - hounds are not family pets. Can the anti hunt brigade really live with the thought of all these beautiful creatures being shot just because Mr Blair and his cronies are more concerned about fox hunting than issues such as Iraq?

Jane/Worcester
There's a very old sport called "Point-to-Pointing" and in order to take part, you need to qualify by hunting your horses several times during the season. This is the backbone of National Hunt racing where many young jockeys have cut their teeth and indeed some great horses too. What's going to happen to this wonderful sport without hunts and their supporters? This is a traditional country sport and in turn supports the country. There's more to hunting than just going out to follow a fox. As many of your comments have said, hunting is by far the best way of controlling the fox population, after all, it's not a year-round sport, it's seasonal. The people who take part do not make millions of punds to turn out in team strips, they don't make thousands from sponsorship. Hunting and Point-to-Pointing go hand-in-hand and without the hundreds of volunteers from hunts across the country this wonderful sport may well cease to exist. What next - fishing?

Lesley Dyke , Rugby
I live in the Midlands which has a large Muslim population and I hate the idea of animals being bled to death for halal meat. That is far worse than an ailing fox being dispatched swiftly by hounds. As a foot follower of my local hunt I have never witnessed a 'kill' and I doubt if many of the field do either. They are kept busy whilst the huntsman gets on with his work. Because hounds hunt by scent the healthy foxes are usually given best. All those who think drag hunting is an alternative don't know what they are talking about, no farmer would want the hunt over their land unless they were performing a service. In the Human Rights Act Article 8 we have the right to get on with our lives without interference and I believe that this nanny state has already eroded this considerably. I fear that young people will not even be allowed on a horse the way things are going. But most of all I fear for Democracy.

T Boles
The view that hunting is unecessary and cruel is held by those who very sadly do not wish to understand what is REALLY going on nor do they wish to understand the real issues. Sure- Hunting is about socialising, taking part in a sporting activity-it is not per se about the humane control of foxes-although that is a by product. Please let those who understand the country ways continue to uphold the traditions of hunting.

Robin/Lancashire
Those that support a ban on hunting with dogs will inevitably cause more suffering by there ignorance. http://www.vets-for-hunting.org.uk/

R B
This is the most stupid waste of parlimentary time. The countryside does not need more job loses.

Zoe, Banbury
Trying to ban fox hunting is nothing to do with foxes! Mr Blair what about the state of the NHS, Schools(is it today a girl was stabbed at her own school?!)Do I dare mention the pension system!!!!! The hunting debate is a very easy get out clause for all the trouble that is brewing. Sorry Mr Blair but stop using the countryside as an escape goat!

keith huntley/ebbw vale
THIS IS HOW IT SEEMS TO ME.PEOPLE WHO APPOSE HUNTING COME OVER AS IGNORANT,THEY BASE THEIR ARGUMENT ON IMMAGES IN THEIR HEADS,WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT REALLY GOES ON.ON THE OTHER SIDE,HUNTING PEOPLE PUT THEIR CASE EXPERTLY AND WITH GREAT COMMON SENSE AND PASSION.

Mary Brill/Kirkbymoorside
I have supported hunting for many years, because I believe it is the most humane way to control foxes at the same time perpetuating their species (because it culls old, sick animals and disperses the healthy ones.

Belinda, Banbury
Foxes have to be controlled, hunting is by far the most humane method.It should be up to the individual as to whether they take part or not, if there is no support then it would die out naturally, but that will not happen as there are too many people relying on ot for their livelihoods.

Jonathan Nicholson Manchester and windermere
Understand the countryside before applying your ideas and opinions on the country people.

roger , Leominster
Country people understand that hunting is the most humane form of fox control, because old or infirm foxes are quickly culled, whilst fit foxes have every chance of evading hounds unharmed.

Carlo, Horsham.
18 months ago I had no interest in hunting, but I was concerned about the way Westminster was trying to impose the views of the majority of city dwellers on the minority of country people who they didn't seem to understand. As an animal lover I had an instinctive distaste of the concept of hunting, but I went to the Crawley and Horsham Foxhounds opening meet last October to find out what the fuss was about. I found out that the custodians of the countryside and those who produce our food need to control foxes, that hunting with dogs is the most effective, safest and least cruel way of doing this (as confirmed in the Burns Report). I was impressed with the welcome and courtesy of all those involved and with the way the many children involved (I am a comprehensive school teacher), both mounted and on foot, are taught to appreciate the countryside and the environment. They learn manners and respect and to show restraint in the face of extreme provocation by what I can only describe as the yobs who come from towns far away to enjoy a day engaged in their own sport of provoking the law abiding citizens. I witnessed an 11 year old foot-follower being photographed by a man in a balaclava and told they were going to come to her home and kill her dog. I was surprised by the mix of people involved, from multi-millionaire landowners to farm labourers, from country and city, many teachers, off-duty policemen, nurses, doctors, vets, labourers etc. all with one thing in common. A love of nature, the countryside, the outdoors and animals including wildlife. I changed my opinion. And I do now think this law when passed will be unjustified and predjudiced. I am now starting my second season hunting and will continue to hunt whether legal or not.

Paul.north west Herefordshire
Oh where oh where is the ability to compromise. this government is hell bent on causing divisions in society and to what ends, Annocy. What difference is there to watching wild life on 4 and enjoying natures cruelty to each other and seeing hounds do the same in taking out vermin.Perhaps we should ban football to stop cruelty to humans that wish to attack each other, that might be the governments next bill.let us try and see a sensible way forward that will not place people on opposing sides when a compomise will allow liberty and freedom to remain.

Mrs Jan Kerr Wigton Cumbria
Dear Sir/Madam , There is no reason whatsoever to ban any Country Pursuits !! If it were not for the people looking after the countryside i.e. woods rivers fields involved in the aforementioned etc!.there wouldn't be a countryside to look after. Having seen the Labour Government reduce the Farming Community (many of whom as I do ,rely on fishing ,hunting and shooting people as a source of income outwith the normal holiday season ) to a state of catastrophe,this would be the last straw to break the camel's back..This is of course what is intended as we saw in 2001 with F/M Disease.If we can't be killed one way lets do it another!! Yours faithfully Mrs J Kerr.

Paul Corser Alton
Hunting is part of the Social fabric of the countryside. I have neveer hunted but the ban is oppressing a minority which is wrong.

simon - ross
hunting has been shown in the governments own study to be the most humane method of fox control.

Stephanie/Kington
Oh! dear why do people have to stick their noses into other peoples pleasure. I don't like football but there is no way I would dream of telling someone not to go or not get involved. Let people spend their leisure time as they will otherwise we really are becoming a true nanny state.

K.S. Walker Cameron, Hay-on-Wye
The UK fox population replaces itself per annum by some 60%. With Man as the only 'Upline' predator left, due to the extinction of wolves, bears and big cat, it falls to him to control and moderate the burgeoning fox population. Shooting regularly accounts for only 3 clean kills out of every 10 foxes shot. Out of every ten, seven are left to drag themselves away wounded. The other alternatives, such as snaring and poisoning, are not only hideous, but put at risk domestic dogs and cats. When hunted with Hounds, the fox is either killed INSTANTLY, or gets away completely unscathed. The lead hound dispatches the fox with a single snap of his neck. No lingering, no wounding. Other forms of fox control are drawn out and patently cruel. Yours sincerely, K.S. Walker Cameron

PETER WALWYN LAMBOURN
a ban on huntiing will not save the life of a single fox, deer or hare, will divide the nation and may well cause civil war, which we have not had since the days of Kind Charles 1st and Oliver Cromwell, and how long did Cromwell's Government last.--8 years!!

Pete Stroud/Hartley Wintney
Government pledged that Parliament would resolve the hunting issue, and this it has done. Hunting with hounds must not be banned because Parliament, which comprises BOTH the Houses on Commons and Lords has voted by a significant majority for a compromise; and a compromise was Government's original preferred option until the Bill was hijacked by a group of back bench bigots. The hunting community together with experts such as vets, scientists and conservationists gave a considerable amount of verifiable evidence to Lord Burns's searching Inquiry. And Lord Burns, after producing a long and learned report on hunting with hounds, was one of the many peers who voted in the debates against a ban. Furthermore a large number of the peers who voted for a registration system were from the Labour ranks and included the Lord Chancellor, some Cabinet Ministers and a number who have been elevated to the Peerage by Tony Blair since 1997. The role of the House of Lords is to scrutinise and amend bad Bills sent from the Commons. This it has done. Hunting must continue under some sensible system of registration. This is the only way forward. The democratic way.

Jane Knight
This bill will not save the life of a single fox - FACT The control of foxes will continue - FACT There will be no codes of conduct or observation of a close season - FACT Fox control will simply be out of sight & the minds of chippy backbenchers so they can feel good about themselves - FACT!

Mr J Wannell, London
Hunting is neither a cruel minority pastime (over 400,000 people made it to London to march against a ban last year and a further 100,000 pledged their support), nor is it the only way to control foxes. If one accepts that foxes are both vermin and about as far from endangered as sheep, then that puts them in a similar category to rats. Yes I know they are attractive to look at and don’t crawl around in sewers, but the fact is that the (urban) majority of this country are obsessed with fads and soft hearted about animals – especially anything that looks like a dog. Also, they don’t understand the countryside, how it works and its long held traditions. Labour backbenchers still (misguidedly) view hunting as the most obvious manifestation of lofty toffs in ceremonial garb and they are desperate to ban it for that reason as much as anything else. I accept that there are genuine antis out there but find me the ones who also condemn battery farming and eschew wearing leather etc.. and I respect them totally. What we have is a growing bandwagon full of soppy individuals who are rather divorced from our heritage and subscribe to this terrible government’s desire to ban anything it neither understands nor approves of. Ultimately, the only way round this is to get rid of the government and it is up to the countryside to cast its vote accordingly at the next election.

Ros/Hereford
Well said, David from Ledbury. Most people who are against fox hunting cannot comprehend the fact that the 'hunters' obviously enjoy the killing of the fox, and indeed call it a 'sport'. Foxes, deer etc do sometimes need culling, but this should be done humanely without someone getting enjoyment out of the poor animal's grisly end.How sad.

Deborah Redditch
Hunting should be confined to the pages of the history books as a reminder of our barbaric past. The hunting fraternity must learn to move with the times. It was not that long ago that the argument they use about loss of jobs was being used against the abolition of slavery. This perverse anachronistic world of master and servant needs bringing into line with the civilised world.

David Ledbury
How sad that in the year 2004, despite human progress in so many sophisticated fields, some misguided people still gain perverse gratification from the unnecessary, gratutious and bloody killing of their fellow creatures. Foxhunters with nearly as many dogs as there are bizarre hunting "traditions" pursue an unfortunate quarry in the hope that they might experience the "thrill" of the kill.The contention that they are fulfilling a necessary rural role is almost as risible as it is incredible. Pheasants and other game birds are bred at considerable economic loss to provide "sport" for shotgun-wielding louts who cheerfully seek to destroy more of these beautiful, inoffensive birds in an afternoon than their fellow "guns". They are quite unable to consume what they killed or to otherwise dispose of the carcasses which are buried,in great numbers, near to where they fell. I am a realist: I know that some animals are bred to be slaughtered to provide food and that vermin must be controlled by culling - I have done both without conscience because I gained no pleasure from the performance of these necessary tasks. My genuine concern is for the mental well-being of those who seek to perpetuate an unhealthy indulgence in redundant and abhorrent activities which, worryingly, provide them with the base, macabre euphoria once enjoyed by the crowds at the Roman amphitheatre, the bullring and the cockpit. The motivation for their unacceptable and anachronistic activities is, unequivocally, bloodlust-part of the human condition which the more civilised of us, thankfully, successfully control.

Jon Zeeff/USA
How about the simple compromise we do here in the States - we fox hunt but we don't hurt the foxes. Maybe this should be called "fox chasing", but it is a lot of fun.

Roy Davies/Worcester
More foxes are killed on roads and by farmers. Hunting has nothing to do with keeping fox numers in check. If is time for it to go and go now!

Lou/Chester (formerly Ledbury).
Im a vegetarian because I dont want to eat animals. I do not enforce this on anyone else, not even my fiance. If people want to eat meat so be it who am I to stop anyone! If people want to go and hunt so be it who is anyone to stop them!!! If we were a nation of vegetarians I'd understand. Slug pellets are cruel, so is fly spray, I dont see those being banned! This nation is too busy worrying about everything apart from what matters. Government should should be sorting out our hospitals and men in Iraq not medling in age old traditions. Soon we'll all just be programmed robots! What is this world coming to!

Amy Hereford
To say that fox hunting is essential to control the 'vermin' as many people have put it, is a load of rubbish. During the two year bse crisis, fox-hunting was not allowed to occur, and during this time the numbers of foxes in the countryside remained the same as before the ban. This PROVES that there is no need for fox-hunting. It does not reduce the numbers of 'vermin' in the countryside. it is merely a cruel sport. It is a sad state of affairs when the bigoted and quite literally 'bloody minded'members of our nation take an opportunity like this to bully, threaten and attack law abiding citizens, as we have seen in the attacks on people's homes, political events, the houses of parliament, letters in local press, taunts in the street and so on. The Members of Parliament are elected to represent the people of this country, and they have overwhelmingly voted in favour of this ban. Democracy has spoken. With regards to the sob story about livelihoods being lost due to the sad demise of an industry which apparantly boosts the economy - why don't the hunts turn to drag-hunting? Much money can be made out of this as there will be the opportunity for bets to be placed on an exciting sport. this should satisfy the desire for the people who enjoy hunting to dress up and revel in the atmosphere and excitement of the event. If it does not, then there can only be one reason - these people are blood-thirsty. I thoroughly agree with the comment before that the '59% of people support fox-hunting' appears to be an empty statistic. Where has it come from? Maybe the pro fox-hunting lobby could enlighten us?

JJ Wood Wocester
Wonder if the lovers of little furry foxes would think the same way about hunting if the quarry were little furry rats who were a pest on their land. I`d take a guess they would be the first to want them hunted and destroyed..

Adrian, Bedley
I am neither for nor against the ban, however, I am amazed that so many people have been taken in by what is nothing more than a political smokescreen used by fanatics to further their cause and feverishly grabbed by a government avoiding the real issues that it should be addressing such as the ongoing conflict in Iraq, the ever increasing burden of debt carried by honest folk trying to get an education and the never ending tide of 'asylum seekers' placing even greater strains on the already crumbling social services in this country. Wake up!! While you spend time squabbling over such insignificancies the so called democratically elected government is getting away with blue murder. One last point - yes we do live in a democracy, and as such people have the right to protest against what they believe to be wrong, that includes unjustified legislation such as this. What has it all cost and how many other benefits could that money have paid for?

Ann - Worcester
I am not for or against hunting but I don't thing a minority should stop how people spend their time. Very soon there will be no Countryside- it will covered in houses. I suggest that the anglers should be barred next! See how they like it, it is classed as a sport.

Julie Tornya Hereford
About time we are supposed to be animal loving nation, it only semms when it suits.

jackie tenbury wells
does anybody realise then knock on effect this will cause all the hounds shot horses shot not to mention the business side of this ban foxes cause so much devistation to farm animals,killing all chickens but only taking one?i think the goverment can not control the countryside folk and this is their way of bringing them into line,people who sabotage the hunt meets have been known to hurt riders and their horses is this not cruelty?the result in this ban will be enormous and perhaps in years to come when the towns are over run with foxes and domestic pets start to get nasty deseases or pet rabbits go missing and it effects the 'townies' then their vews might change too many foxes too much desease not enough food in the countryside so they will become you vermin intead of ours!good luck

Ron Harrison - Redditch
Yet again New Labour are trying to avoid the issue. Hunting with dogs is only successful on a few occasions. The animals caught are usually old or infirm or young unfit animals. Survival of the fittest is natures way. Yet again, New Labour are avoiding more important issues and wasting time. Why is there not a more relevant issue raising the passions like the Iraq war? That is the more barbaric activity!!!

Bert Kidderminster
The hunt suppoters claim that 59% of people support hunting, what rubbish! I have never seen anyone in this area conducting a poll. Most hunt supporters are right wing extremists who know that their kind are finished and are showing their bitterness.

Chris Martin - Hereford
At last something has given me back my faith in human nature, the banning of fox hunting. I never believed the Prime Minister would go through with it but I'm glad he has. What I think is a joke is the Hooray Henry's thinking they have the God given right to break laws and gallop roughshod over people like they do over peoples property during the hunt. They say foxes are vermin, it is us human beings that are destroying the planet not foxes. It is we who are the vermin and the biggest vermin of all are people who glory and gloat at the suffering of a defenceless animal.

Carolyn, Droitwich
The sight of the hunt is magnificent but that's where the 'glory' ends and it becomes 'gory'. Everything has a right to live without fear of being chased to exhaustion and/or torn to pieces.

Alan, Malvern
All these discussions are about foxes, but the bill will also stop the disgusting "sport" of hare coursing. I have not seen a hare locally for a very long time (and I would like to).

Marion Large/Worcester
I do not approve of Police brutality but they were provoked. There were missiles thrown at them and an attempt to breach the barriers.The police were protecting themselves. The point that no-one seems to have brought up is that some of the protestors had pain and terror inflicted on them which is precisely what they do to wild animals that have no defence. so really they had their 'come uppance'. the fact that so many are so determined to preserve their right to inclict pain and suffering on defenceless animals I find absolutely appalling. The protestors were defending themselves to a certain extent but a fox has no defence. more videos should be shown of the horrific happenings at a hunt but the hunts people go to extreme lengths to prevent the truth being shown.

Tom, Malvern Hills
The fox hunting debate is not a town/country issue. I (and many others) have been brought up in the country and do not agree that in the 21st century fox hunting is in any way a humane method for controlling foxes. Having farmers in the family, who have had more damage caused to property by the hunt than by foxes, shows that not all hunt members can call themselves countryside lovers. If the fox population needs to be controlled, then there are properly trained people available to quickly and accurately shoot foxes, rather than have a hunt persue them for hours until they are too weak to continue. I feel sorry for those that will lose trade if fox hunting is banned, but if the ban is phased in at least time will be given to these people to find alternatives, and for the dog breeding to be reduced. Hunting cannot be seen as an effective way to reduce the fox population. It is a slow and very outdated method.

Betty, Kidderminster
This issue is not about foxhunting anymore, but more about civil liberties and democracy. Mr Blair & Co may come to regret their actions come the next election.

Joan Hereford
When we are told foxes must be kept down and then on the other hand are told these are qactually bred in order to hunt. Double standards springs to mind. What are we to believe when to us it is so contradictotry? Whom dowe believe?

trevor till worcester
I am totally opposed to hunting on cruelty grounds and i do not see how it can be classed as SPORT I always thought sport was a contest between individuals or teams of equal or similar ability

s farmer
hunting should not be banned, it should be freedom of choise,this tradition is part of the countryside as is all other country sports.

Verity Worthington / Bewdley, Worcestershire
How can a government that supports the uneccesary killing of civilians in Iraq, make such a supposedly moral stance against the control of vermin? It does not make any sense to me. Our priorities are all wrong. Fox hunting is a British Institution, and I hope the Queen speaks up for us!

oliver
i think its stupid people should ban fox hunting as the dogs will have to be shot who hunt. i think thats more cruel than killing foxes! Also foxes will be killed anyway but with a gun which will cause a lot more as they may just get injured and have 2 suffer! dont ban hunting!

John in Worcester
I'm glad to see it banned about time. Lets just hope the hunting folk adhere to the ban

Bob, Ledbury
If hunters are really trying to control the fox population then why do they build artificial earths and encourage them to breed?

Charles, Evesham
Mr Blair will regret his obession with stamping out hunting at the next election. remember Tony - you're going to ned all the votes you can get. Listen to people who live in the countryside and forget trying to please wishy washy liberals who live in towns and think that driving a 4x4 means they have the right to talk about what goes on in rural areas

Jeff Malvern
Time to take off your red coats boys and girls and find something else to do on your horses. And don't tell me hunting is the only way to control foxes. Scotland banned hunting and I don't see them overrun with foxes. This is the 21st century - get a life.