The Pros And Cons Of Banning Fox Hunting

Ban fox hunting

Fox hunting is a very controversial issue. Some people regard it as an important traditional sport, while others say it is an inhumane game. This difference of opinion leads to many disputes, which involve even governments. Most of the arguments occur in the UK, where hunting is developed to a great extent. There are even special organizations opposing this activity. Legal actions have been taken in order to impose a ban on hunting, but no significant contribution has been made up to now. People that are for the sport also put forward powerful arguments. So, is fox hunting cruel and unnecessary?

In my opinion it is cruel and unnecessary. There are many reasons for a human to hunt a fox but none of the are adequate. These
Despite being regarded as a pest by some, foxes are not considered to be as much of a problem as rabbits1. As rabbits make up the majority of fox diets (in arable and pastoral landscapes) and are held responsible for £100 million of agricultural damage2 in comparison to the £12 million foxes cause3, they are by no means a main culprit of damage.
In studies the most common reason given to cull foxes was to reduce fox predation on livestock and game. Studies however have shown that lamb mortality due to foxes is so low as to be considered insignificant4 . It is a fiercely debated topic whether fox predation has a significant impact on wild game populations5. Studies into fox predation on pheasants during their time in release pens concluded that fox predation is perceived as a minor problem and that the average percentage loss was between 1% - 3% 6.
Foxhunting is pest control or a significant method of controlling numbers
In 2006 the estimated fox population was 250,000 before the breeding season7. It is estimated that around 400,000 foxes die each year. The registered packs are estimated to kill approximately 21,000-25,000 foxes a year and so are responsible for 6.25% of the overall fox mortality in a year. The following table summarises the results from a questionnaire based research project on the methods by which foxes were killed on their
It has been shown that the winter culling of foxes has no impact on spring breeding numbers. In fact it has been suggested that fox culling can actually increase the number of immigrants into the area9.
It has been clearly shown that there can be no reasonable cause to cull foxes for reasons of population control, health or fitness. The effect on the population simply is not a significant factor. To suggest that chasing and killing foxes is in some way for their own good or of any benefit to the overall fitness of the population is delusional in the extreme and insults the large amount of scientific work done in the area of fox habitats and populations.
Further to this foxhunts have traditionally been responsible for building and maintaining artificial earths. These are designed to encourage foxes to live and breed in hunting areas to maintain a supply of foxes to be hunted. In 2011 a League investigation uncovered artificial earths across England being supplied with food10. This further indicates that the purpose of fox hunting is not to control fox numbers.
Foxhounds kill foxes with a nip to the back of the