A hunting event has reignited the debate over rural traditions and animal welfare, exposing deep divisions.
The trail hunting event took place at Bow Wood, Upton Snodsbury, near Worcester on Saturday, fuelling a debate about the continuation of the practice and the move towards a wider ban.
Hosted by Worcestershire Hunt as one of four flagship events across England, the day prompted a wave of public comments, many of which exposed how deeply divided people really are over the issue.
To some extent, Worcester remains at the heart of the debate as it was the former Labour MP for Worcester, Mike Foster, who proved instrumental in the campaign to end hunting with dogs in England and Wales, a ban which became law more than 20 years ago.
Yet, two decades on from the ban, the issue continues to provoke strong emotions on both sides as supporters vigorously defend the rural tradition and insist they adhere to the law.
Meanwhile, vocal critics insist trail hunting is nothing more than a ‘smokescreen’ for actual fox hunting, a claim vehemently died by county hunt organisers who now find themselves under renewed pressure from a Government pushing forward a wider ban.
This has come to the fore once more after the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs launched a 12 week consultation to gather perspectives on how to effectively enforce and implement a ban on trail hunting.
In March, Baroness Sue Hayman, Animal Welfare Minister, said: “We pledged to ban trail hunting in our manifesto and that is exactly what we intend to do.”
The comments on the Worcester News website reveal that the debate is not merely between organisations like Worcestershire Hunt, the Countryside Alliance and British Hound Sports Association on one side and the League Against Cruel Sports and other animal welfare organisations and hunt saboteurs on the other but a debate that plays out in the wider community, even within individual households.
TRADITION: For many, the hunt stands as a broader symbol of rural tradition and the wider economy and way of life in Worcestershire’s countryside (Image: James Connell/Newsquest)
Jane McGee said: “It’s a way if life explains why people do it, but it doesn’t defend it. Civilised societies move on from traditions they no longer consider acceptable.”
Jan Fox said: “Trail hunting is fox hunting.”
Trudy Marshall said: “Those silly little trumpeters never fail to amuse ne! And the thing is the huntsman seems to think it makes him look masterful.”
Louise Shipway argued it was ‘breaking the law’.
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However, Georgia Minchinto-Smith wrote: “The comments on these posts are always the same, and it’s honestly disappointing to see how many people are so quick to judge a community they have never taken the time to understand.
“Trail hunting is not just a hobby for the people involved. It’s a way of life. It’s years of tradition, an incredible amount of care, dedication, knowledge and passion, and the livelihoods of thousands of people and businesses that depend on this industry. It’s the people who breed, train and care for the hounds, the farriers, the vets, the horse producers, the grooms, the feed suppliers and so many more whose jobs are rarely considered when people demand a ban.
“It also gives countless ex-racehorses a second career and a new purpose after their days on the track are over. And the traditional hound breeds, along with the generations of breeding knowledge behind them, risk losing their future if the activities they were bred for disappear.
“You don’t have to participate in hunting yourself, and you’re absolutely entitled to ask questions and have concerns. But there is a difference between forming an informed opinion and condemning an entire community based on one side of a story.”
