Letter: Debate on hunting with hounds in Northern Ireland should be guided by evidence, not emotive rhetoric
A letter from Gary McCartney:
Claims that foxhunting with hounds is “inherently cruel” rely more on slogans than evidence.
Hunting has long been part of responsible countryside management, not an exercise in cruelty.
Foxhunting is a tradition, bringing communities together. People follow hunts for many reasons - equestrian interest, dog work or community - but those motivations don’t change the fox’s experience. To label them all as sadistic is unfair.
Where fox control takes place, hunting can be more humane than alternatives, which often cause prolonged suffering.
Lord Burns noted that when foxes are caught by hounds, “insensibility and death will normally follow within a matter of seconds”, given the size and weight disparity between fox and hounds.
Scotland, the last devolved nation to review hunting legislation, still permits the use of hounds approved by Nature Scot. If hunting were truly cruel, how could this continue?
MLAs should focus on real priorities people are facing and remember John Blair’s last private members’ bill: its strict liability and broad definition risked criminalising ordinary dog owners and other lawful country pursuits.
Debate should be guided by evidence, not emotive rhetoric.
Gary McCartney, Countryside Alliance Ireland NI director