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英国 Record 300,000 take part in traditional Boxing Day hunts
英国《每日邮报》报道，英国30万人无视议院有关狩猎禁令，于26日参加节礼日的盛大狩猎活动，创下了新的纪录。他们的狩猎活动都要出动大批猎犬，如今被反对狩猎者们密切关注。
英国议会下院2004年初投票通过了禁止使用猎狗捕猎狐狸的议案，但议案引发了英国社会的巨大争议。作为数百年来英国乡村生活的重要象征，在朦胧的薄雾中穿行，在灌木丛中纵马飞奔，在猎犬的引导下追击猎物，已经成为狩猎者生命中难以割舍的重要成分。
在英国，圣诞节后的第一个工作日称为“节礼日”，这一天按传统是老板向雇员赠送圣诞礼物的日子，也是英国人外出狩猎的日子。今年的节礼日——— 也就是26日，猎狐场面一如往昔那样壮观，但在猎狐骑手们的叫喊声和猎犬的吼叫声中，仍然夹杂着动物保护主义者的阵阵反对声。但动物保护者也不得不承认，他们的抗争根本不能阻止大批猎物被宰杀。
Record 300,000 take part in traditional Boxing Day hunts making a mockery of the ban
Record numbers turned out for the Boxing Day hunts yesterday - adding fresh fuel to criticisms of the 'ban' introduced under Labour.
More than 300,000 people converged on the countryside to take part in or cheer on the annual events across England, Wales and Scotland.
Pro-hunt groups used the turnout to renew calls to repeal the controversial 2004 Hunting Act, backed by a petition with thousands of signatures and Conservative plans to end the ban.
But anti-hunt campaigners also criticised the law, claiming the hunters were exploiting loopholes to act 'with impunity' in killing animals.
More than 300 hunts, including 194 fox hunts with packs of hounds, were held yesterday, according to the Countryside Alliance. More than 6,000 turned out for one in Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire.
The majority used 'trails' in which a scent of the quarry is laid down artificially. A dead fox is often used as a reward for hounds at the hunt's end.
But many took advantage of exemptions, including around 50 which used the 'bird of prey' exemption.
This involves a fox being flushed out by hounds into the path of a bird of prey. Many hunts now have their own eagle owl or golden eagle.
Other hunts use an exemption in which two dogs flush out quarry from woodland for shooting.
The Hunt Saboteurs Association has called for the Hunting Act to be toughened up by adding a 'recklessness clause' to be used where animals are chased and killed 'by accident'.
Spokesman Lee Moon said: 'If the public and Parliament knew what was really going on in the countryside then they would be shocked.
'It's hunting as usual, with hundreds of foxes and hares being tortured and killed in the name of sport every week. Nothing has changed.
'We've given the Hunting Act a fair crack of the whip but it's not stopping the killing.'
Pro-hunt campaigners argued the Act was confusing and the exemptions illogical and unclear.
They said it had failed to protect wild animals from unncessary suffering and had actually led to more foxes, deer and hares being killed by snares and shooting.
A petition launched last week to repeal the 'confusing, unnecessary and divisive' Act has already gathered 7,700 signatures, the Countryside Alliance said.
Spokesman Tim Bonner added: 'We believe that the evidence of the last four years is that the Hunting Act has just failed in every possible term.
'It does no good at all for animals' welfare, is a huge cost of police time, and puts innocent people at risk of prison.'
Mr Bonner claimed a low turnout of protesters yesterday was due to them being 'drowned out' by supporters in recent years.
The Hunting Act was controversially passed using the Parliament Act, which meant the approval of the House of Lords - which wanted to regulate hunting with dogs - was not needed.
It came into effect in England and Wales in February 2005 and followed a ban in Scotland introduced two years earlier.
The Act was brought in to outlaw the hunting of foxes, as well as deer, hares and mink with dogs, as well as organised hare coursing.
But opponents have argued against it on grounds including there was no evidence of cruelty and it provided a means of controlling animals numbers.
Tory leader David Cameron has said he will offer a free vote on the matter if he becomes prime minister.
Conservative MP Edward Garnier QC has been chairing a group drawing up plans for a tribunal that could punish huntsmen and women who broke rules - such as trespassing, causing a nuisance or using terriers to dig out foxes - or brought the sport into disrepute.
Breaches of animal welfare or criminal laws could still lead to prosecution.
The Home Office yesterday insisted the Act was 'working and is legally sound'.
A spokesman added: 'We have no plans to introduce any changes to the legislation.' |
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Members of the Albrighton Woodland Hunt gather before the start of their Boxing Day meet at the ance
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A hound from the Ashford Valley Hunt nuzzles a young girl
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The Huntsman (L) leads in the Bicester Hunt with Whaddon Chase in the Boxing Day hunt in Winslow, ce
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Members of the Ashford Valley Hunt gather in Tenterden High Street for the annual Boxing Day hunt
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发表于 2008-12-27 11:24:07
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