Let us hope hunting with dogs in Northern Ireland is banned without delay

It’s little surprise that a vast majority — 78%, to be exact — of respondents to a consultation on hunting with dogs support a ban on this archaic, barbaric practice in Northern Ireland

If groups of humans hunted dogs or cats for fun, we wouldn’t call it a sport — we’d call it abuse. And that’s exactly what it is when the same is done to foxes.

From the terrifying chase that can cause them to rupture organs when fleeing the hounds to the moment they’re surrounded by dogs, petrified and exhausted, and ripped apart, every minute of the hunt involves cruelty to animals.

Common decency says that we should protect the most vulnerable and helpless in society, not destroy them — much less derive pleasure from doing so.

For this reason, hunting of any kind has no place in modern society, and it should have ended years ago.

Let’s hope — for everyone’s sake — legislation banning this blood sport is passed without delay.

Sascha Camilli, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), London

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