Fox hunting
Nature
Fox hunting is a traditional activity involving the tracking, chase and, if caught, the killing of a fox, normally a red fox, by trained foxhounds or other scent hounds. A group of unarmed followers, led by a "master of foxhounds" (or "master of hounds"), follow the hounds on foot or on horseback.
Fox hunting with hounds, as a formalised activity, originated in England in the sixteenth century, in a form very similar to that practised until February 2005, when a law banning the activity in England and Wales came into force. A ban on hunting in Scotland had been passed in 2002, but it continues to be within the law in Northern Ireland and several other jurisdictions, including Australia, Canada, France, the Republic of Ireland and the United States.
The sport is controversial, particularly in the United Kingdom. Proponents of fox hunting view it as an important part of rural culture and useful for reasons of conservation and pest control, while opponents argue it is cruel and unnecessary.
Source: Wikipedia
Claim
Fox hunting is a greater countryside nuisance than foxes.
Counter-claim
1. Foxes take at least 250,000 live lambs every year in the UK. They also prey upon poultry, piglets, game and other ground-nesting birds. Shot foxes may take days or weeks to die from maggot-infested wounds, and foxes are often trapped in snares for many hours or even days until finally dispatched by unspecified methods. Only hunting can guarantee that the fox is killed within a matter of seconds. It is not torn apart by a pack of hounds while still alive. After exhaustive investigation, many studies have concluded that controlling foxes by hunting involves less cruelty than any other practical method.
2. Foxhunting's primary purpose is fun. It gives great pleasure to many people from all backgrounds and income levels. It is an important part of the social fabric of many countries, e.g. the United Kingdom. But fun is not its only purpose. Foxhunting also helps control the fox population where required by the owners of property that foxes kill. Furthermore; it creates employment and trade. It contributes significantly to the conservation of the landscape and its wildlife. It is well organized and conducted according to strict rules.
3. Hunting with dogs takes place in all continents (except Antarctica) and many countries. It has wide Scientific Support, for example it has been approved as a method of scientific wildlife management by the California Fish and Game Commission and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in a State noted for its tough stance in protecting the environment.
Broader
Web page(s)
Strategy(ies)
Value(s)
Type
(E) Emanations of other problems