BLOODY POOR SHOW

THE FOX HUNTING/SABBING SEASON IS BACK ON - BUT WILL THIS BE THE LAST YEAR BEFORE THE TORIES GET IN AND REPEAL THE BARELY ENFORCED SHAM BAN? 

While the papers have all been running photos of blood-rich seas to mark the start of the whaling and dolphin hunt season in Japan, closer to home, bloody animal abuse scenes not so far away...

Around the country, fox hunts are back out at dawn as Cubbing season (the hunting of fox cubs) kicks off. Hunts around the country are out from first light up to seven days a week, training their new younger hounds to develop a blood thirst by setting them on young fox cubs.

Whilst the main hunting season starts mid October, Sab groups are already gearing up for another season of sabotage and monitoring.

The Hunting Act – which supposedly banned fox hunting - has withered away under everybody’s eyes (see SchNEWS 623) and now it looks like the Tories plan to repeal it if elected. With both Anti and Pro sides agreeing that the Act is an unworkable law - and prosecutions against Hunts for illegal hunting being dropped left, right and centre - the Police have stated that they will no longer monitor hunts for illegal practices. But ban or no ban, it’s been business as usual for both Hunts and Sabs since the Act came in in 2005.

The Hunt Regulation Authority (HRA) is now being created to win back public support for hunting and create a so-called blueprint for the repeal of the Act. The Countryside Alliance, with the backing of Tories including William Hague and Edward Garnier (the shadow Justice Minister), are fully gearing up for a repeal. And as it looks quite likely that David Cameron (a hunter himself) could be the next prime minister, the Act could be a goner in the next couple of years (as predicted back in SchNEWS 658).

Just last week, the Tory Sussex MP and shadow Environment Minister, Nick ‘Wotta’ Herbert, was exposed for having accepting various four figure campaign ‘donations’ (£1,500 from gun seller and hunting outfitter William and Sons, £2,000 from grouse-shooting big businessman Michael Cannon and £2,000 from the Altnaharra hunting, fishing and shooting estate) – just days before announcing that the Tories new manifesto commitment will be to hold a free vote on hunting.

Meanwhile, in theory, any hunt breaking the set rules of the HRA could have a disciplinary procedure brought and face a fine, suspension, or at least a mild slap on the wrist. Anyway, with a new wildlife-killing-for-fun season about to get underway, it’s time again to pull on yer boots on and get sabbing or monitoring now...

* See www.hsa.enviroweb.org