Hunts claim surge of support for Act repeal
HUNDREDS of hunt supporters turned out to back the traditional Boxing Day meets.
More than 300 people met outside the Half Moon pub in the heart of Tiverton at 11am before watching the hounds being led through Fore Street into the Mid Devon countryside.
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Horses returned to this year's gathering after being halted by the treacherous weather conditions in 2010.
Kelvin Thomas, hunt master for Tiverton Foxhounds, said: "We have had two or three years of really bad conditions and we have struggled, but it is lovely to come in on a perfect day – I am really very pleased."
There were also large numbers of supporters at the East Devon Hunt Boxing Day meet.
The hunt starting at Honiton Cattle Market.
The Boxing Day hunt is the traditionally the biggest meeting in the hunting calendar.
It was the seventh year since the Hunting Act was passed, which outlawed the hunting of wild animals with hounds.
The Act means hunts must not set out to deliberately chase animals.
Jim Paice MP, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food with responsibility for hunting, visited the kennels of a hunt to show his support.
The Minister said: "I personally am in favour of hunting with dogs – and the Coalition Agreement clearly states that we will have a free vote on whether to repeal the Act when there is time in the Parliamentary calendar to do so."
Pro-hunt campaigners say they are hoping that the controversial Hunting Act will soon be repealed.
They estimated that more than 250,000 people turned out to over 300 hunts across the UK.
Alice Barnard, of the Countryside Alliance, said: "It is a point of pride for rural communities across Britain that, despite the prejudice and ignorance of some, hunting remains as strong as ever.
"This Boxing Day up to a quarter of a million people came out in support of their local hunt.
"Added to this, the visit of the hunting minister to a hunt kennels is a very welcome and strong show of support from this Government.
"The Countryside Alliance is delighted to be in such a strong position to push for the repeal of the expensive and failed Hunting Act."
2 Comments
by superstar999
Saturday, December 31 2011, 10:43AM
“I agree that the current legislation is not very good. It needs to be replaced with something more robust that actually stops all hunting; including this pretend hunting which goes on now. I was driving along the road from Broadclyst a few eeks ago and found it difficult to get past cars whcih had been parked with no consideration for other road users by so called hunt supporters. My young children were quite frightened by the sight of all the horses and hounds that suddenly flew across the road in front of us as they crossed from one field to the next.”
by woe_is_me1
Thursday, December 29 2011, 11:21AM
“A quarter of a million people. There have been a damn slight more out in support of far more meaningful causes in recent months but this rotten government has not taken the slightest bit of notice of them, rather ridicule and bait them. Oh my mistake, they weren't wealthy.”