Country people reject hunting ban

6 June 2000



Country people reject hunting ban

LESS than one in four country people want to see hunting with dogs banned, the Burns Inquiry has found.

Research for the independent government inquiry found considerably more support for the sport than recent opinion polls, reports The Independent.

The study undertaken by the department of city and regional planning in Cardiff revealed that only 22% of those surveyed favoured a ban.

Support for the hunt was strongest among men, older people, long-time country dwellers, workers in rural occupations such as farming, and lower social classes.

Only 25% considered hunting to be important to their lives, but 64% felt it important to the wider community.

Meanwhile, the RSPCA has published evidence which claims the case for a ban on fox hunting is stronger than ever.

The Guardian reports this is almost certain to conflict with Lord Burns, who it says is expected not to favour a total ban.

Veterinary surgeon Bill Swann says post-mortems reveal that the level of suffering inflicted on a fox by hounds mean hunting should not continue.

To emphasise these findings the RSPCA has published advertisements showing a dismembered fox under the slogan “Fox-hunting. After the debate, the post-mortem”.