From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Ananova, 21/11/00 Animal rights campaigners have delivered a damaging blow to the bill aimed at banning fox hunting by claiming it could encourage cruelty to animals. The Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals made the admission to MSPs taking evidence on a controversial private members bill to outlaw hunting with dogs. James Morris, speaking on behalf of the society, told the Rural Affairs Committee that banning the use of terriers underground could cause unnecessary suffering for orphaned cubs whose mothers had been shot. "If you do not shoot the vixens for a period then the cubs will be old enough to survive," he told the committee sitting in Edinburgh. Mr Morris said that would be cruel as they would be left underground to starve. He said: "If any animal was shot, then I think the cruelty would be greater if you leave the cubs to die." He added: "As the Bill stands, I fear that we would have to support allowing terriers to go underground. Some underground activity would be necessary to avoid cruelty to the cubs." The comments were a blow to supporters of the Bill because one of its key principles is that hunting dogs should be banned from going underground. The blanket ban is based on the fact dogs have been involved in fights with adult foxes while pursuing them underground. If the Bill succeeds it will outlaw the use of footpacks and terriers for underground work as well as mounted hunts, which have attracted the most public attention. Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___________________________________________________________ T O P I C A http://www.topica.com/t/17 Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Your Favorite Topics
