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CAMPAIGN
NEWS
HUNTS BREAKING THE LAW - CUB HUNTING IN DORSET 2010
HUNT SABS HAVE JUST PUT THIS FOOTAGE UP ONTO YOUTUBE. IT MAY NOT SHOW MUCH TO THE PUBLIC, BUT ANYONE WHO UNDERSTANDS HUNTING WILL KNOW. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPAWXs8r9h4 MESSAGE FROM ED MILIBAND - PLEASE SUPPORT HIM! "I fully support the ban on hunting with dogs which was a milestone in animal welfare law. The chasing and killing of these wild animals for so-called sport has no place in a civilised society. If I am elected leader I will vigorously defend the ban and fight any attempt to repeal it by the coalition government.' ---- If you are a member of the Labour
party or an affiliated union then please join me in giving your first preference vote to Ed.
ANTI-HUNT CAMPAIGN TO BE HELD IN WREXHAM - SEPT 18th 2010 Have decided our next campaign will be in Wrexham on the 18th Sept. This is a national campaign regarding
defence of the hunting act, so need all available people to take part. If you know of anyone who would give us a
couple of hours, then that would be great! Ask anyone you know who cares about protecting the ban to come along and to be
part of the campaign. I hope to have fox masks and leaflets from Viva and I also have my own up to date banners, so
your presence at the demo is all that is needed. If you want to make a small donation to Viva, then that's
up to you - it will help towards their costs. PLEASE PERSUADE OTHER GOOD PEOPLE TO COME ALONG, EVEN IF YOU CAN'T. JudiXXXX
A NEW ANTI-HUNT CAMPAIGN BEGINS, TO HIGHLIGHT THE CONTINUED THREAT TO HUNT BAN.
Wales Against Animal Cruelty began their new campaign drive starting in Rhyl, to highlight the continued threat to the hunt ban by the new Coalition Government. August is traditionally cub-hunting season that sees many cubs killed by hounds. Hunts need to train young hounds to become efficient killers and fox cubs are easy prey for their hounds because they're inquisitive young animals that have not learnt to be wary. This is why most foxes killed by hunts are cubs butchered in their first year. The new Conservative/Lib Dem coalition are being very cagey about when MPs will have the chance to vote on a parliamentary motion that will decide whether to hold a free vote on the ban. This is why we are campaigning now to make the public aware that hunting is still very much on the Tories political agenda. The cabinet is mostly made up of pro-hunt supporters, some even hunt themselves, so it's imperative that we keep the hunting issue alive in the public mind so that they are aware of the risk to this hard fought for legislation. It did after all take over eighty years to bring about. We intend taking our campaign message for stronger enforcement of the hunting act to every major town in North and Mid Wales and we also will be urging our South Wales colleagues to do likewise. This is one law that should not be destroyed by this new Government which is riddled with hunters - it should be strengthened. Dear Friends, Following the recent historic ban on carted stag hunting in Ireland, campaigners against blood sports are hopeful that the Irish government will follow up this achievement by banning the horrific practise of live hare coursing, in which hares are used as live bait in contests between competing greyhounds. Here is a link to a film of what hare coursing in Ireland involves: www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFdjBy5S8k8 Thousands of hares are captured annually in Ireland for this “pastime”…to be chased and terrorised in wired enclosures for “fun” and “entertainment”. Many are mauled to death; others die of stress-related ailments or internal injuries after being released back into the wild following the coursing events. Other hares, mainly the ones deemed unsuitable for coursing, are used to “blood” dogs as part of their training. This involves feeding them live to greyhounds. The greyhounds also suffer injury, ill-treatment, and neglect in coursing. A decision will be made by the Irish government shortly (at some point before the end of August) on whether to permit yet another season of this barbaric blood sport. The hare-coursing season itself, if allowed to go ahead, would begin in the final week of September. The Irish government is sensitive to outside opinion as tourism is one of our most lucrative industries, so messages from abroad can influence the decision. Can you congratulate Ireland’s Environment Minister John Gormley on his achievement in banning carted stag hunting…a brief message will suffice…And ask him to now consider banning live hare coursing in Ireland? You can contact him at: minister@environ.ie Thanking you, John Fitzgerald, Campaign for the AbolitionOf Cruel Sports PS. It would of course be most helpful if you could pass this appeal to another group or campaigner. Thank you!
Majority say yes to pigeon cull - please vote NO
now:
HARE PRESERVATION TRUST News Bulletin 9216 July 2010 Enforcement of Hares Preservation Act Following an alert of a pub in East Yorkshire selling pies containing hare during the 1 March - 31 July prohibited period we had an excellent response from David Jenkins, Force Deputy Director (Wildlife Crime) of Humberside Police. The incident eventually proved to be a genuine oversight on the part of the pub concerned. Speaking of his other work on wildlife protection David said: “Humberside Police now run a very proactive response to all poaching, particularly day time hare coursing and we are already in preparation for the next "season" which is not too far away! Our new Poaching Policy will be in place along with improved training for staff. Force Wildlife Crime co-ordinators will be meeting later this month and we intend to co-ordinate a Regional response to targeting offenders who cross County borders. This region will include every Force north of Lincs, Derbyshire up to Scotland. We also operate very closely with Farmwatch members and run a fast text messaging system to alert all members to offenders vehicles. This has proved to be extremely effective. We also take positive action against offenders.” Leveret upsets domestic chores!Linda Fisher e-mailed us recently to say she has a leveret in her garden which has made its form against one of the trees and seems to be around for most of the day. Linda said: “I don’t know much about hares but am amazed that this leveret sleeps in the same place every day. It means that mowing the lawn and hanging washing out is severely restricted - but worth it.”Police success against hare coursing PC Paul Marina, who works in the North Herts rural area has reduced coursing incidents by 70 per cent since 2003. PC Marina, who has worked for the police for 27 years and is considered one of the country’s top hare coursing authorities, has a 100 per cent conviction rate once the illegal coursers are prosecuted in court. He said: "We operate a zero tolerance policy. "When I started, there were around 120 incidents related to hare coursing every year. Last year there were 24. Last year, out of 26 call-outs, we arrested 13 people, of which, 12 were convicted or cautioned in connection with hare coursing." It is heartening to hear of this success against a barbaric pastime which Harold Wilson attempted to ban in 1969 and 1975 with support from no less a Conservative than Margaret Thatcher on both occasions. More snaring incidents A missing dog was found alive recently after surviving three weeks trapped by her neck in a crude wire snare in Abbottsford, East London. The “miracle” golden retriever, Rosebud, is thought to have survived by drinking dew from the leaves of plants around her. Also, a badger found wounded in a snare in the Scottish borders has been treated for its injuries at the Royal Dick Veterinary Hospital in Edinburgh and released back into the wild by the Scottish SPCA. These shocking incidents show, yet again, the indiscriminate nature and cruelty of snares and they must be banned. All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.Edmund Burke (1729-1797) HPT PO Box 70 Crediton EX17 4ZQ info@hare-preservation-trust.co.uk Panorama on BBC1 tomorrow evening at 7 is on the 'fox attack'. No doubt it will be biased! Hope I'm proved wrong!
Our poor much misunderstood foxes are already the most persecuted animals on earth. Judi
LUSH CRITICISED FOR HELPING HSA - Hunt Saboteurs Association.
NATIONAL MEDIA, LESS THAN TRUTHFUL - so what's new? Not a headline ever likely to be seen, but far more accurate than those published. Here is a much more honest summary, but far too boring for the media. June 16th 2010 The Advertising Standards Authority dismissed almost all of the
complaints concerning the LUSH/HSA campaign. 1/ The campaign did not unfairly denigrate hunts
and hunters; 2/ the claim "a whopping 75% of the population want to see hunting with
hounds remain a criminal activity" is substantiated by evidence; 3/ the claims "Hunting
hounds usually lead short lives and are often killed ... when they are no longer useful" and "When hounds are no
longer useful to the hunt, they are usually killed ..." were substantiated by evidence from the Burns Report. This quoted
the CA and MFHA confirming that foxhounds were often put down when they were no longer useful to a hunt, which at the time
was estimated to be around 3,000 hounds a year. 4/ the videos offered were not misleading; 5/ the claims "Scientific studies show that hunting with hounds plays an 'insignificant' part of
regulating fox numbers" and "Scientific reports indicate that hunting with hounds plays an 'insignificant'
role in controlling fox numbers" were substantiated by evidence. The only claims considered to be insufficiently substantiated were 1/ the
implication that hunts were intentionally and regularly breaking the law 2/ the implication
that the Hunting Act was not being properly enforced 3/ "Hunting hounds usually
lead short lives and are often killed and fed back to the pack when they are no longer useful" and "When hounds
are no longer useful to the hunt, they are usually killed and their bodies sometimes get fed back to the pack" The adjudication is here but it is also copied immediately below with some comments in blue by me - Peter B. Issue 129 complainants raised a number of different issues. They challenged whether: 1. ads (a), (b) and (c) were offensive to, and unfairly denigrated, hunts and hunters; NOT UPHELD 2. the claim "... a whopping 75% of the population want to see hunting with hounds remain a criminal activity" in ad (c) was misleading and could be substantiated; NOT UPHELD 3. ads (a), (b) and (c) misleadingly implied that hunts were intentionally and regularly breaking the law; UPHELD,not surpisingly, as though it is true, the evidence is not sufficient. 4. ads (a), (b) and (c) misleadingly implied that the Hunting Act was not being properly enforced; UPHELD, not surprisingly. I believe it to be unenforceable when the rabble falsely claim to be trail hunting. And similarly for beagling when they claim they are chasing rabbits or whatever, and mink hunts claim to be hunting rats or whatever. The three deer hunts are claiming research and observation. The Act is enforceable in respect of coursing, and many convictions indicate that it is being enforced. 5. ads (a) and (c) misleadingly implied that any form of hunting with dogs was illegal; NOT UPHELD 6. the claims "Hunting hounds usually lead short lives and are often killed and fed back to the pack when they are no longer useful" in ad (a) and "When hounds are no longer useful to the hunt, they are usually killed and their bodies sometimes get fed back to the pack" in ad (c) were misleading and could be substantiated; UPHELD BUT only because of the small part relating to the claim of feeding dead hounds back to the pack. The major part was NOT UPHELD See this extract from the adjudication. We noted the Report quoted the CA and MFHA confirming that foxhounds were often put down when they were no longer useful to a hunt, which at the time was estimated to be around 3,000 hounds a year. We therefore considered that the claims "Hunting hounds usually lead short lives and are often killed ... when they are no longer useful" in ad (a) and "When hounds are no longer useful to the hunt, they are usually killed ..." in ad (c) were unlikely to mislead. That is not something the rabble wish people to know about. 7. the leaflet (a) and online sales promotion (c) were irresponsible, because claims such as "If you want to get involved in direct action ..." in (a) and "... the hunt sabs take direct action to save animals ..." in (c), promoted direct action against hunts and were likely to provoke violence; NOT UPHELD 8. the videos on the online sales promotion (c) were misleading because it was unclear whether they were filmed before the Hunting Act came into force; NOT UPHELD 9. the claims "Scientific studies show that hunting with hounds plays an 'insignificant' part of regulating fox numbers" in ad (a) and "Scientific reports indicate that hunting with hounds plays an 'insignificant' role in controlling fox numbers" in ad (c) were misleading and could be substantiated. NOT UPHELD Assessment 1. Not upheld The ASA considered that it was clear that the focus of ads (a), (b) and (c) was on the 2004 Hunting Act and the illegal hunting of foxes with hounds, rather than on all hunts and hunters. Although we acknowledged that some hunt supporters might object in principle to ads for an organisation such as the HSA, we did not consider that such advertising was likely to cause serious or widespread offence. Furthermore, because we considered that consumers would understand that the claims in the ads related to illegal hunting specifically, rather than to hunts or hunters in general, we also concluded that ads (a), (b) and (c) had not unfairly denigrated hunts and hunters. On this point, we investigated ads (a), (b) and (c) under CAP Code clauses 5.1 (Decency) and 20.1 (Denigration) but did not find them in breach. 2. Not upheld We considered that the claim ... a whopping 75% of the population want to see hunting with hounds remain a criminal activity" implied that a representative survey of the UK population had recently been carried out to gauge support for the continuation of a hunting ban. We noted the claim was based on the results of an independent survey of 2003 adults, taken shortly before the online promotion appeared, which showed that 75% of those polled believed that fox hunting with hounds should remain illegal. We concluded that Lush had substantiated the claim and that it was therefore not misleading. On this point, we investigated ad (c) under CAP Code clauses 3.1 (Substantiation) and 7.1 (Truthfulness), but did not find it in breach. 3. Upheld We considered that the claims "Despite the Hunting Act taking effect ... organised hunts around the country are still chasing and killing foxes" in ad (a), "THE HUNTS ARE STILL AT IT! ... Unfortunately there are still hunters who are intent on breaking the law ..." in ad (b) and "Since the Hunting Act came into force in 2005 there has been widespread breaking of the law by foxhunts" in ad (c), along with repeated references in the ads to hunts breaking the law, would be understood by consumers to imply that some hunts were regularly and intentionally breaking the law. We also considered that those claims were objective claims capable of substantiation. We noted that Lush had offered to provide testimonials from people who had witnessed hunts breaking the law. However, we understood that the CAP Code stated that testimonials alone did not constitute substantiation for a claim and that opinions expressed in them must be supported, where necessary, with independent evidence of their accuracy. We noted the pledge on the Hunting Declaration website and newspaper articles that reported alleged breaches of the law, which Lush had supplied as evidence for the claims. However, we understood that the Hunting Declaration website had not been updated since 2004 and that the newspaper articles were dated 2006, soon after the Hunting Act came into force. We considered that that evidence was not sufficiently robust to support the claims that hunts were intentionally and frequently breaking the law. We therefore concluded that the claims had not been substantiated and were misleading. On this point, ads (a), (b) and (c) breached CAP Code clauses 3.1 (Substantiation) and 7.1 (Truthfulness). 4. Upheld We considered that the claims "... police have stated it's not a priority to enforce the law and have left the hunts to continue their blood sport with little fear of prosecution", "Until the law is tightened up and properly enforced ..." and "Hunt saboteur groups go out ... and do the job Westminster and the police have failed to do" in ad (a), "Please do your bit by actively enforcing the law of the land ... other animals cannot be safe until you make the commitment to take action" in ad (b), and "police are not making an enforcement a priority, so for hunts, it's business as usual", "It's disgraceful that the Hunt Saboteurs Association ... are obliged to enforce a law ..." and "... usually police don't collect evidence or prosecute hunts ... If police got more involved in enforcing the act [sic] ... a lot fewer animals would suffer" in ad (c) implied that the law was not being properly enforced by the police. Whilst we acknowledged that the ad (c) also stated that "many people have been prosecuted under the new law", we did not consider that that statement alone countered the overall impression created by ad (c) that the Hunting Act was not being properly enforced. We understood that, because the Hunting Act was the law of the land, the police had a duty to enforce it and that the ACPO guidance suggested that they would do so proportionately and according to priorities. We also understood that a number of prosecutions had been instigated since the passing of the Hunting Act. We recognised that, for a number of reasons, there might be difficulties in gathering evidence of illegal fox hunts, but we also noted that we had not seen evidence to suggest that, if the police were in possession of such information, that they would not enforce the law. We therefore concluded that on this point the ads were misleading. On this point, ads (a), (b) and (c) breached CAP Code clauses 3.1 (Substantiation) and 7.1 (Truthfulness). 5. Not upheld We noted ad (c) explained that the Hunting Act outlawed the chasing and killing of foxes with packs of dogs and whilst it was legal to hunt with hounds, it was illegal to use those hounds to chase and kill wildlife. We also noted ad (a) referred to hunting and killing foxes with dogs as a breach of the Hunting Act, and explained that saboteurs were needed to monitor and sabotage those instances of illegal hunting. We considered that it was clear that ads (a) and (c) referred to the illegal hunting of foxes with hounds in particular, and concluded that consumers were unlikely to believe they implied that all forms of hunting with hounds was illegal. On this point, we investigated ads (a) and (c) under CAP Code clause 7.1 (Truthfulness) but did not find them in breach. 6. Upheld We understood that the 2000 Burns Report was an independent, comprehensive inquiry into the issues surrounding hunting and, in the absence of more recent research, we considered it to be an authoritative report on the subject. We noted the Report quoted the CA and MFHA confirming that foxhounds were often put down when they were no longer useful to a hunt, which at the time was estimated to be around 3,000 hounds a year. We therefore considered that the claims "Hunting hounds usually lead short lives and are often killed ... when they are no longer useful" in ad (a) and "When hounds are no longer useful to the hunt, they are usually killed ..." in ad (c) were unlikely to mislead. We also noted the newspaper interview from 1992 and details of the HSA reported incident from 1997 provided by Lush. However, we did not consider that anecdotal evidence, which was also dated, was sufficiently robust substantiation to support the claims that hounds were fed back to the pack when their hunting lives were over. Because we had not seen evidence to support those particular claims, we concluded that they were misleading. On this point, ads (a) and (c) breached CAP Code clauses 3.1 (Substantiation) and 7.1 (Truthfulness). 7. Not upheld We noted ads (a) and (c) invited consumers to become involved in direct action by joining the HSA, supporting them either financially or by becoming a hunt saboteur and described the kind of activities they undertook as part of their campaign. We understood that Lush defined "direct action" as action used to obtain demands, but we considered that that in itself did not necessarily suggest violent means. We noted there were no descriptions of violent acts in the ads, and that ads (a) and (c) referred to using "peaceful means to protect wild animals" and "non-violent means to protect hunted animals" respectively. We therefore did not consider that the ads suggested that violence would be used to achieve the HSA's aims, or that such acts would be required by joining or supporting the HSA. Whilst we acknowledged that the actions described in the ads, such as using hunting horns or harmless sprays to cover the fox's scent, could be disruptive, we did not consider that they would be regarded as violent activities by most people. We therefore concluded that ads (a) and (c) did not condone, or were likely to provoke, violence. On this point, we investigated ads (a) and (c) under CAP Code clauses 2.2 (Social responsibility), and 11.1 (Violence and anti-social behaviour) but did not find them in breach. 8. Not upheld We noted the videos were not dated, but nonetheless understood that they were all filmed after the passing of the Hunting Act. However, we considered that, because the videos were illustrative of the kind of action the hunt saboteurs were currently involved with, consumers were unlikely to be misled by the omission of the dates of when they were filmed. We also noted some of the photographs were taken before the Act was passed, but because we understood that they were also illustrative of activities currently undertaken by hunt saboteurs, we did not consider that they were likely to mislead consumers about the kind of action taken by the hunt saboteurs, the reaction from hunt supporters and riders, or the outcome of a hunt. We therefore concluded that the videos and photographs were not misleading. On this point, we investigated ad (c) under CAP Code clauses 7.1 and 7.2 (Truthfulness) but did not find it in breach. 9. Not upheld We noted the claims that hunting with hounds played an insignificant role in the control of fox numbers, in ads (a) and (c) were based on the conclusions of independent scientific research carried out for the Burns Report and also by further subsequent research. We therefore considered that the claims had been substantiated and concluded that they were unlikely to mislead. On this point, we investigated ads (a) and
(c) under CAP Code clauses 3.1 (Substantiation) and 7.1 (Truthfulness) but did not find them in breach BOYCOTT ALL NATIONAL NEWSPAPERS FOR TWELVE MONTHS, IN PROTEST AT THEIR VINDICTIVE CAMPAIGN AGAINST OUR BELOVED FOXES, AND THOSE OF US WHO LOVE THEM.
Please vote NO to the repeal of the hunting act. Kyouken Okami's (age 14yrs) tribute to our fox campaign.
A very beautiful and moving tribute - well worth a visit. And although it was not Kyouken singing, I felt she did a good job of using some of our film footage (that was used on Judi's Song) to great effect. Kyouken is a very compassionate girl and for one so young, I must say she's a really talented film maker. Thankyou Kyouken, for this lovely film. visit KyoukenOkami's channel while MPs consider how they will vote on hunting act repeal, Minority Pastime goes live on http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiemoviesonline.com%2F&h=46a6b . Please pass on the link so that as many people as possible see the film. LIB DEM'S SELL OUT OUR WILDLIFE www.Save-Me.org.uk
Please join Brian May's SAVE ME campaign and help save our wildlife. Help us to spread the word by getting every single one of your family, friends and colleagues to sign up to the SAVE ME pledge. We need more people to stand up and be counted. This is a fight to stop barbaric hunting with dogs being brought by the new Prime Minister, David Cameron, who has pledged to overturn this very hard fought for ban as soon as possible. All we want is for everyone who cares about animals, to add their names, and to say NO to the Tories bringing back killing with dogs/hounds. It will cost you nothing, but I promise, it will make you feel really good about yourself. Thanks, Judi Fox hunting repeal under threat
after coalition talks
Thanks to the Camclegg twins - hunters are
now in charge of the Justice Dept! No wonder the weather in Britain has been so unseasonably cold - the dementers have taken control. Although the Tory leadership have shelved plans to repeal the hunting act for the time being,
unfortunately they are acting true to form having placed a former founder of the Countryside Alliance - British
Field Sports Society - Nic Herbert a hunter, as Minister for police reform. Let's not forget that his
new position is within the Justice dept and as such this dept are also in charge of the Crown Prosecution
Service. I suspect that any illegal hunting is going to be ousted before it even gets a chance to go to court. Samantha Cameron's father is vice chair of the Hunting Repeal Committee,
now known in Government circles as The Great Repeal Committee. So
with Edward Garnier as the new Solicitor General within the Justice Dept, it looks bleak for any anti-hunt people wanting
justice against any extremist criminal hunts. In
other words, the Countryside Alliance are now running the government and so have their own people in key positions
ready to repeal the ban. Imagine how problematic prosecutions under the Hunting Act are going to be with a former official
of the C/A in charge of matters of justice! You can be sure
that Garnier's appointment to this role was designed to ensure that any hunt monitoring activities will
be curtailed using various means. I personally will
never recognise any law that allows bullies to torture animals to death for sick gratification, or those hunt thugs who
intimidate anyone who disagrees with them. Killing for fun 'is' a sickness that deserves contempt! I will be out monitoring the hunt much more than I ever did before, no matter
how many new laws are brought about to stop us by hunters within this now seemingly corrupt Government. These new moves have long been on the cards which many of us predicted
in the event of a Tory government and that we tried to inform the animal loving public about. It's a crying shame that we are now faced with the difficult task of trying
to save the ban (and spare animals a horrible death) let alone trying to get the law strengthened, as Labour's
Hilary Benn had promised before Labour's defeat. What
an unholy mess!!!!
We must not let Britain go to Cameron's hunt dogs.
Cameron is now Prime Minister, God help us! This fox hunter, deer shooter has crept into power and will no doubt want to reward his cruel hunt supporters with a return to barbaric hunting. These people gave millions in donations to the Conservative party to help them fight and win this election. Billionaire Lord Ashcroft, was one of them, and he is going to want his money's worth. William Hague an avid supporter of hare coursing was the one who helped get Ashcroft his peerage back in 2002. All these hunt thugs care about is getting their legal right to torture animals to death again. They don't give a toss about the economy. And they obviously haven't suffered monetary problems as a result of a Labour Government, otherwise how come they've been able to give millions to Cameron to fight the election? We compassionate folk have a huge fight on our hands - we cannot and we will not allow hunt criminals to get their jollies off killing animals for fun again. This would show Britain up as an immoral, bloodthirsty country that is still being ruled over by the rich, corrupt and powerful. Let's take this fight all the way - our wildlife deserves our protection. And let's not forget, corruption wherever we find it should stamped on and stamped out!! The most disturbing thing about the Lib Dems decision to cosy up with the Tories, is that many people including many animal rights people voted for them because of their commitment to animal welfare, and ofcourse their promise to safe guard the hunt ban and even to strengthen it. If Nic Clegg reneges on this, then his party will get even less support next time around from the electorate. In fact it could all but destroy the Liberal Democrats. Prime Minister David Cameron is 100% pro-hunt. So let's make sure we fight even harder to expose his pro-hunt agenda. It won't be too long before we in Wales are heading for the Welsh Assembly elections. Let's make sure we only vote for compassionate AM's of whichever party. In other words anti-cull, anti-hunt candidates. This is one fight we cannot afford to lose. Judi GULLIBLE BRITISH PUBLIC & DIRTY MEDIA PLOT!! The savages have taken control! I would like to thank all those who voted for Chris Ruane, our Labour Party candidate who defeated Tory candidate Matt Wright with a good majority. I would also like to extend congratulations to Labour's anti-hunt candidates Mark Tami, Ian Lucas and David Hanson for their outstanding success. Labour in Wales did really well, considering the dirty media plot that has been demonising
Labour since the ban was made law. The English are obviously a gullible lot - taken in by
a millionaire fox hunter. It won't just be the foxes screaming as they get their guts ripped out by hounds,
Cameron will rip the guts out of this whole country in more ways that one. Lets just make sure that he doesn't
get his way on civil liberties, because it will make criminals of decent compassionate anti-hunt people. WAAC delivered in excess of 17,000 anti-hunt leaflets door to door and I like to think that animal
lovers and those appalled by Cameron's plan to overturn the hunting act, contributed to Chris Ruane's overall
success and that of Mark and Ian. It's been a really tough fight for WAAC in
North Wales, and we still have a massive uphill struggle to keep the ban and to stop Cameron from rewarding
his hunting (criminals) supporters with a repeal. But we will do everything within our
power to make it known to the wider public the truth about Cameron's rise to power and the hunt's blood money
that went into funding his election campaign. Killing with dogs is a savage and cruel sport
and should never again be allowed to happen with the blessing of any government I
once read that a nation can be judged by how it treats its animals - Cameron is now Prime Minister of Britain - a cold and calculating man, who
for recreation, enjoys killing animals. In other words, we are now being ruled over by a savage in Britain.
And it won't just be the animals who will be badly treated if he gets his way, it will be people too - even
those poor fools with very little money who stupidly voted Tory. It looks like
Winter could be here for a long time to come - get ready for real poverty, the ruling class has taken back control
from the gullible poor.
Judi Hewitt Matt Wright the Tory Candidate tried to get the police to have us removed 'from outside' the polling station. When that didn't work, his aide tried to say my banner had an upsetting image. Then they tried to say I couldn't show David Cameron's (airbrushed) face. Matt Wright showed total arrogance when he refused to answer any emails I sent to him over a very lengthy period (six months). I stood up to him at a public meeting in Rhyl just a few days earlier, where I informed the public of his stance on the hunting issue, and how he supported a free vote (that I've no doubt he would have used to overturn the ban) the only protection foxes, deer and hares have ever had from a goverment. Good riddance Mr Wright! You were soundly beaten and 'rightly' so!' Don't come back! We got lots of support from members of the public in agreement with us - the only ones to complain were the Tory party and one or two of their supporters - an old couple who drove past to go into the polling station. They put their car window down and said gruffly "Go away". Obviously these miserable old people haven't yet heard that we are now live in a Democratic country where people are supposed to have freedom of speech. Judi
SONG FOR THE FOXES
Words & music by Roger Burke - Sung by singer turned activist Judi Hewitt JUDI'S SONG - For The foxes  3 min 47 sec - 11 May 2010 Uploaded by judi756 www.youtube.com And so it begins.... Daniel Kawczynski is the REAL
face of Cameron's so-called 'modern' conservatism! See news report at link below which includes segment of the
Vote OK video. I warned
people back in 2005 that the first election Cameron fought as head of the Tory party would be the one where all the plans
of the hunting fraternity came together. I was told by some
people in our movement that I was a maverick and that the Tories would never touch it. We are now one week away from
a real danger of these people having all their objectives fulfilled. Please help spread the message in the remaining days wherever you can..Cameron WILL re-legalise bloosports! Chris
I couldn't agree more Chris! A very worrying time for those of us trying to stop cruel Cameron and his top men (all avid lovers of hunting) from overturning the barbaric 'sport' of killing using dogs. And if you believe the polls, it's hard to believe that the public are being taken in by this blood-sports fanatic! Do they really believe that this Tory party are going to make them richer? Dream on - he's there because the blood-sports sadists wanted him there!!!! The C/A have used the press to great effect! For this they should be congratulated! Between them, they have systematically dismantled Labour and all because they could not stand the thought that the public had said 'no' to their vile fun. It's a national disgrace and the public will be just as much to blame as Cameron if hunts are once again allowed to set a pack of dogs on to a terrified animal for the SHEER FUN of seeing it torn apart by a pack of dogs baring snarling, gnashing teeth!!!!!! I'm heartbroken that this could soon be business as usual for thug hunts so I'm stating here and now that I will never recognise hunting as legal again, and I personally will do all that is in my power to try to spare a few foxes at least from the brutes who have consistently broken the law and could soon be rewarded by the Tories for it! I don't want to be a hunt sabatuer, but I could soon find myself trying to disrupt hunts. I will also be checking out land - all land that is hunted over to look for artificial earths (hunts leaving carcasses around an earth to encourage foxes to breed). There is no way it will ever be business as usual for hunts - they are too despised now by many people. After all, the truth is out about fox, deer and hare hunting. Judi CHECK OUT THIS LINK AND READ AN EXCELLENT BLOG BY ALAN KIRBY, A POWA ASSOCIATE
http://alanpowa.wordpress.com/
Below are excerpts from the rural manifesto
launched today by Hilary Benn.
In addition, the manifesto was a great deal toned down in its
support for shooting (one sentence about 'responsible shooting' only with none of the style of language
of previous election manifestos) and even having the words 'consider banning snares' will upset the shooting
lobby a great deal. This is all
evidence that we are making a lot of progress on these matters and further evidence (if any were needed) of how absolutely
essential it is we get a Labour government back in.
IMPORTANT
MESSAGE FROM OUR COLLEAGUE, CHRIS GALE I am delighted that today my party, Labour, has launched a comprehensive manifesto (attached) on green issues which includes some very important animal welfare commitments. All this would be wrecked if we get a Tory government and the Liberals cannot be trusted on animal welfare, along with much else. It was worth the wait for this document and it includes a major development, not only a commitment to ban wild animals in circuses (opposed by the Tories) but a commitment to review the Hunting Act code of practice. 'In the next Parliament we will ban cages for game birds and wild animals incircuses. We will continue the review of wildlife crime legislation, including the The gamekeepers exemption in the Hunting Act is something many of us have long called for the removal of.This
would seal the fate of the hunters who exploit this loophole.This manifesto commitment to review the Hunting Act provisions
and tighten it up is a major milestone. The Prime Minister,Ed Miliband and Hilary Benn have shown clear and decisive leadership
on these matters. We would have none of this progress and commitment to continue to improve animal welfare without a Labour
government. IT
IS ABSOLUTELY VITAL THAT WE SECURE A FOURTH TERM LABOUR GOVERNMENT! Chris "At least 75 per cent of Britons are on our side. That's about 45
million people. The only hard thing is getting them all to realise what is happening, in the 3 weeks left before Election
Day. If we can just harness the power of the great majority of animal lovers in this country we CAN still make a difference.
We are in the right. That helps too." Brian May PLEASE REGISTER YOUR SUPPORT (CLICK ON THE BANNER BELOW TO TAKE YOU TO SITE)-THIS IS A HUGELY
IMPORTANT CAMPAIGN TO SAVE THE HUNT BAN LAUNCHED BY WORLD RENOWNED ROCK GUITARIST AND SCIENTIST BRIAN MAY. PLEASE FORWARD FAR AND WIDE TO ALL YOUR CONTACTS AND ASK THEM TO REGISTER THEIR SUPPORT ON THE
SITE AND TO FORWARD ON THE LINK TO ALL THEIR FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES. Many thanks! Chris
Country mag's racist slur on black MPThe leading article in the Earth Dog-Running Dog publication criticises the MP, an opponent of fox hunting, for being "typical of her species", and claims people living in her East London seat are "drug abusers", "muggers" and "scroungers". The magazine proclaims itself to be the house journal of terrier men who are an integral part of fox hunts, and those who hunt with lurcher dogs. The magazine carries the logo of the BFSS. Editor David Harcombe, who wrote the editorial, says he has no regrets. A terrier man with the Cwrtycadno fox hunt in mid-Wales, he said: "I resent Oona King. She is the daughter of some immigrant ... telling us what to do. What right has she got to criticise the people of this country? How dare she attack us when her and her kind are always asking for special privileges for minorities?" Ms King, MP for Bethnal Green and Bow, had appeared on Question Time when she spoke against hunting. Mr Harcombe, the founding editor of the magazine, wrote in his editorial: "Unfortunately she is typical of her species. If she really wants to dictate then let her tell her drug- abusing constituents what to do ... when I was in the forces many years ago ... I often passed through her constituency late at night, on the Tube - could I do that now in safety without the very real risk of being mugged, assaulted, or even murdered? "I am British and proud of it. We ... are being eroded by all-comers descending on our land and taking advantage of all we have earned for ourselves. They claim 'rights' and then tell us that we have no rights." Mr Harcombe said the magazine has a circulation of about 4,000. It has trade membership of the BFSS. Ms King said: "I am appalled by this outburst. I am sure the majority of decent, law-abiding people living in the countryside will be equally appalled. In politics, you learn to accept criticism and even personal insults, but this description of the people living in Bethnal Green and Bow ... is beneath contempt." Excellent new campaign launched today by Brian May. See also:
VIXEN & HER CUBS KILLED BY LLANBRYNMAIR HUNT
A vixen and her cubs were cruelly killed by a local hunt last week (April 3rd 2010) on a hillside known as Newydd Fynyddog (about 14 miles south of Machynlleth) in Mid Wales. My courageous colleague Keith Hartley, who witnessed the atrocity, albeit through binoculars, was kind enough to provide the above photo's of the murdered vixen, and the earth where she and her cubs were sadistically killed. The police did eventually respond, but it took three calls to get them to the scene. The delay meant that this evil scum had time to put their dogs in to the earth to flush out the frightened vixen and rip apart her terrified cubs. The vixen was shot after she fled the earth and her remains were left at the scene. I am calling on anyone in and around the area to contact me, if they feel they can either help out or monitor these sick people. The local huntsman in the area is Mr John Corfield, but it's not absolutley clear whether this man was one of those responsible. However, this hunt are known to use a white Ford Transit van which was at the scene - the police did take their details, so you can draw your own conclusions. Please complain to the hunt Secretary Edward Evans, Tel 01650 521212 to ask why they are 'seemingly' still killing foxes despite the ban. Please keep your complaints polite. I'd just like to add - what kind of mindset do these people have? How do they sleep at night knowing that their victims are lying alone in the dark, blooded, cold and lifeless? Because no decent human being could ever do to an animal what these barbarous sub humans find so easy. They torture defenceless animals to death without a thought! These awful people also have no idea of the effect their perverted pleasure has on decent compassionate people. God damn them!!
Please go onto the following site and send emails to your local parliamentary candidates. We are only a few weeks away and we need them to know that people who care deeply for animals are important would be voters BATTLE TO KEEP THE BAN FIVE REASONS NOT TO VOTE TORY BRITAIN AT CROSSROADS-SIX WEEKS AWAY FROM VICTORY OR CALAMITY FOR
OUR WILDLIFE AND COMPASSIONATE VALUES SIX WEEKS TO SAVE OUR WILDLIFE FROM CAMERON There are now just six weeks left
until we face an election which will define the future for animal welfare in this country and our status in the world. If David Cameron becomes Prime Minister it
will be the equivalent of the Countryside Alliance being given the keys to Downing Street. The Tory leader and his henchmen would unleash a war on our wildlife and all the progress we have made
will be swept away. We could be just six weeks away from Countryside Alliance Chief Executive Simon
Hart becoming a Tory MP. We could be just six
weeks away from the cruel and the cowardly popping the champagne corks as their long planned smashing of the Hunting
Act becomes reality. The Tories would repeal the Hunting Act and also introduce a slaughter of badgers across England. PLEASE DO WHATEVER
YOU CAN IN THESE REMAINING DAYS TO HELP STOP THIS CALAMITY. There are seats in every region where the majority over the Tories of the sitting anti-hunt
MP is very slim. PLEASE HELP THESE CANDIDATES WITH WHATEVER TIME YOU CAN SPARE. Please also remember
that a vote for fringe and minor parties like the Greens will simply help the hunters and mean the loss of
anti-hunting MPs and their replacement with pro-hunt Tories SIX WEEKS TO STOP THE CALAMITY-SIX WAYS TO HELP 6 WAYS
TO HELP
WE KNOW THE WHOLE CRUEL TRUTH ABOUT HUNTING WITH DOGS, BUT FOR THOSE WHO DON'T BUT
WHO WANT TO FIND OUT - THEN PLEASE VIEW THE FILM FOOTAGE ATTACHED.
Be warned - it contains horrific and graphic images of hunt cruelty. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtLEcInu9Us Although muddy, the fox was a young male, that had been disembowelled and the tail taken,
and still warm when filmed. LETTER FROM 'ANIMAL'
IN PORTUGAL
Badger Rally in Cardiff March 8th 2010 Betty Lee from Clwyd Badger Group, Mold co-ordinator
Hugh Roberts and Judi Hewitt founder of Wales Against Animal Cruelty, joined hundreds of people in Cardiff to protest
outside the Welsh Assembly, against the badger cull which is expected to start this April. The organisers of this rally did a brilliant job to get so many people to stand up for the innocents about to be massacred. The main speaker was John Evans from 'Save the Badger' who did a great job, but there were also speakers from various other major animal welfare organisations, including VIVA, Wildlife Trust, Badger Trust and Animals Count. There were even some land owners speaking out which included organic farmers. All were adamant that killing badgers was the wrong approach to tackling bTB. We believe that the massacre of these innocent animals is being undertaken because the majority of the farming industry are reluctant to take responsibility for their own farming failures. We also believe that bTB is very profitable to farmers. Campaigners are also concerned at the rumours that some members of the British Association for Shooting and Conservation, BASC (hobby shooters) have been employed by WAG and are already in training for this gruesome slaughter. Some say it is being undertaken on a site in North Wales in preparation for the killings to start in Pembrokeshire (South West Wales) this April. It's worrying that badger cubs born
later than others, will be too young to fend for themselves, and so will be left to die slowly in their setts. There's
no hard and fast rules that says all cubs will be independent by the time the killings are expected to start, in
about three weeks time.
If David Cameron gets the keys to number 10, it will roll back our fight for wildlife for decades to come. Basically, it will be a return to the dark ages. It will once again be legal to torment animals to a horrible death for the gratification of a minority who just want to abuse them for fun. How can any party call themselves progressive and compassionate (as the Tories have) yet want a return to barbaric killing with dogs? This is the best animal welfare act ever brought in by any government and the leader of the Conservatives, David Cameron wants to reverse a very hard fought for ban on cruelty. It's enough to make you despair! However we did get to see David Cameron, who went by us in a flash. And even though it was only for a split second, it was long enough to see his face go red with anger when he saw our banners and decided to ignore our questions. All we really saw of him was his disappearing back. The Tories are trying very hard not mention the hunting act, but I believe their silence speaks volumes. It tells me that they know full well that most people would be appalled to discover that Cameron wants to overturn this animal welfare act. This is why we are so determined to get to as many voters as possible before the election.
WAAC TAKE TO THE STREETS OF BETWS Y COED Campaigners from Wales Against Animal Cruelty took more signatures, this time in Betws Y Coed, whilst campaigning against the Tory threat to the hunt ban. David Cameron has pledged to get rid of the hunting act, which comes as no surprise since Mr Cameron has a love of blood sports. He and his wife are fox hunters and Mr Cameron also likes deer shooting. Since starting this campaign last Autumn we have accumulated just over 11,000 signatures from all around North Wales. This figure should continue to rocket in the coming weeks as we continue our campaigns throughout towns in North and Mid Wales. We have also been doing door to door leafleting and so far we have completed thirteen towns and villages. .We're hopeful we can keep this ban with the help of the British public. WAAC will continue to fight to close loopholes in the hunting act. We have already written to Hilary Benn with a number of suggestions that would put a stop to extremist hunts who think they are above the law. We've also been urging the public to check out our website to see for themselves the truth about hunting with hounds and also to get the latest news from around the UK. KEEP RABBIT RESCUE CENTRE OPEN
Please sign this petition and forward to your contacts http://www.petitiononline.com/rabbit10/petition.html http://www.rabbitresidence.org.uk/ PLEASE PASS WIDELY-THANKS CAMERON'S BARBARIC BRITAIN Today I am a launching the final phase of my e-mail campaign in the
run up to the election which is now just weeks away. We are approaching a critical crossroads and there is no room for half-hearted
approaches or holding back on taking the fight to the Tories. I am sending this e mail to the
General Secretary of the Labour party and Hilary Benn and asking them to put the excellent and hard hitting new IFAW IN ACTION video on every Labour website, the main Labour site, MPs websites, the Labour You Tube page and so on. This video
shows Cameron's barbaric Britain, what he would bring back to our countryside. It
is this slogan I want to hammer home in these remaining weeks. This is the last chance saloon for our wildlife and civilised
values and we must show exactly what it is that Cameron represents and exactly what the
consequences for our wildlife would be of a Tory election win. I am also with this e-mail urging Labour
officials to get this video link and stills from the film into supportive newspapers such as the Daily Mirror and to
ask that Labour PPCs do a press release alerting the public to the contents. The film can be embedded on websites using the code below: <object width="425"
height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/hXs3WFndvb8&hl=en_GB&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess"
value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/hXs3WFndvb8&hl=en_GB&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"
width="425" height="344"></embed></object> The link for the film is: This film should be everywhere where Labour has an internet presence. Chris
CRUELTY IS EXPOSED!!!! use code below to embed on your website or blog etc. <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/hXs3WFndvb8&hl=en_GB&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed
src="http://www.youtube.com/v/hXs3WFndvb8&hl=en_GB&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"
width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
I sent IFAW a letter about this yesterday. Sadly scenes like this are still repeated daily across the UK due to the weak legislation. I received a debrief from the CPS in January after they dismissed yet another complaint - backed up with video footage of a fox kill. The lawyer informed me that to prove 'intent' I would probably need footage of a hunter shouting 'kill the animal', otherwise it will be just an accident!! Its a real shame that IFAW and LACS appear to be content with weak legislation and that they failed to endorse the campaign by POWA to tighten up the hunting act by removing the word 'intent. But hey.....as long as the donations come in. It seems mad to me that under this legislation terrierwork is still legal. In the words of a Mid
Wales terrierman to me "the labour party didn't ban terrierwork, they legalised it!" Hence look at magazines
like earth dog running dog, etc and you will see page after page of foxes being killed by terriers.....all protecting game
birds as per the legislation!!
Anti-hunt campaigner. Hunting ban and Tory repeal featured on Politics Show West today, see link below STARTS AT 29 mins 48 SECONDS Dan Norris MP for Wansdyke did a really good job. James Barrington of the Countryside Alliance will give you indigestion like anything unpleasant and past
its sell-by date. http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00qy3by/The_Politics_Show_West_14_02_2010/
BE WARNED, TRAITOR TO WILDLIFE JIM BARRINGTON, ACCUSING ANTI-HUNT OF BEING CLASS DRIVEN - HE REALLY IS A PRIZE IDIOT!!! Could I please ask for you to spare a few minutes to sign this petition regarding the hunting ban. It
would be excellent if you could pass the link on to as many people as possible.. http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/loopholes/?signed=fde83eb.38138d HOW COULD ANY DECENT PERSON WANT TO VOTE TORY OR PLAID CYMRU WHEN THESE PARTIES WANT
TO GIVE HUNT THUGS (LIKE THOSE IN THE FOLLOWING FILMS) A LEGAL RIGHT TO RETURN OUR BEAUTIFUL COUNTRYSIDE INTO THE
BLOOD SPATTERED KILLING FIELDS AGAIN, AND FOR WHAT? SO THAT HUNT SUPPORTERS CAN HAVE THEIR OWN SICK PLEASURE
BACK WITHOUT THE WORRY OF BEING PROSECUTED FOR ANIMAL ABUSE? WHAT KIND OF GOVERNMENT WOULD SAY IT'S OKAY
TO ALLOW SUCH GROSS CRUELTY? WHAT DOES THAT SAY ABOUT 'US' AS A SO CALLED CIVILISED SOCIETY IF WE ALLOW
SUCH A MONSTEROUS GOVERNMENT INTO POWER? MESSAGE FROM, A MINORITY PASTIME We have 500 supporters - that's a great start. I'd like to see if we can double that number by, say, Monday... and begin to get the message out. How? Well this is it - if each one of us could personally invite one friend who maybe doesn't know about this issue that could do it. Couldn't it? http://www.facebook.com/l/36ffc;www.aminoritypastime.net With thanks, Mic -------------------- To reply to this message, follow the link below: http://www.facebook.com/n/?inbox%2Freadmessage.php&t=344899501801&mid=1e873f7G5af3361ac430GeeeccG0&bcode=2gol_ A Minority Pastime is an independent documentary feature film
due for release in Spring 2010 New trailer for the film below, see 'trailer 2010'. http://www.aminoritypastime.net/
Newly uploaded footage New footage of David Cameron's hunt. These people are the real face of Cameron's Tory party and will be rewarded with the swift re-legalisation of stag hunting, hare coursing and fox hunting should the Tories win the election. There
is no such thing as a safe Tory vote if you value compassion, decency and a future for protecting our wildlife
from the cruel and violent in society. KEEP TORIES HISTORY
More
footage... This is the reality of what David Cameron's Tory party represents. You will not see this footage
on TV in the run up to the election because it shows the reality of the people who installed Cameron as leader of the Tory
party in order to ensure hunting will be legalised should the Tories win. When Cameron
and Nick Herbert talk about hunting they deliberately use language that masks just what it is they support. These films uploaded
by my colleagues (who show incredible bravery in going amongst these thugs) cut through that Tory/Countryside Alliance
double-speak so beloved of the media. If more people saw just what kind of
people they would be associating with by voting Tory it would damage the Tories immensely.
Clwyd
Badger Group pledges support to new campaign group 'Save the Badger'.
The WAG is undemocratic: the public response against the cull must be overwhelming as just from our areas we know thousands of signatures and emails and a great many letters against the cull have been sent out. Could we find out just how many of these communications the WAG is going against? The cull is not planned on scientific grounds – as we all know, even the chief vet Christianne Glossop admits this. Her excuse is that her only interest is to eradicate bTB, not to learn anything. If she did follow science she should have listened to Prof Bourne! So she neither wishes to listen to best current scientific advice nor to learn from her planned cull! Eradication of bTB is impossible except possibly in the very long term and never with current farming practices. CG knows only too well how the tests miss reactors AND that some farmers are tempted by our generous compensation to actually plan for bTB (Recent case of farmer injecting cows with dirt to get positive TB result. He may be a tiny minority but the general poor level of animal husbandry and cattle movements create an impossible task.) Previous badger slaughter in Britain has never lead to anything like eradication of bTB. The case in Ireland where whole areas have been cleared of badgers by the horrifically cruel use of snares should be a lesson for all civilised countries. In fact bTB in 2007 after years of slaughter, far from being ERADICATED, is back up to 2002 levels. Further afield she refers to New Zealand and destruction of possums (non native) because of bTB and wild boar in Spain as wild life carriers being killed in bTB areas as some sort of justification for the Welsh cull. Is this relevant to Wales and has bTB been eradicated there? When in Pembrokeshire, after all the badgers have been eradicated – but the disease has not – please can the taxpayer have a break. Farmers who then get cattle with bTB SHOULD NOT GET A PENNY OF COMPENSATION. It could only be bad husbandry, poor testing and illegal movements! (as we have known all along – and inspite of CG’s best but naive intentions). Finally, the whole business of farm subsidies and compensation which has contributed to a nose dive in biodiversity (where are our most biodiverse sites? Not farmland! Many brown field sites are far richer and that is saying something!) and cost the tax payer £billions needs total re-evaluation. Foot and Mouth, mad cow disease and bTB are but three of dozens of farm stock diseases. The real cost of ‘cheap’ food is hidden, paid for by the tax payer without his/her consent, and not by the customer. And bad husbandry is rewarded! This should stop. From Betty Lee, Clwyd Badger Group
WAAC TAKE ANTI-HUNT CAMPAIGN TO RHYL Since starting this campaign last Autumn we have accumulated just over 10,300 signatures from all around North Wales. This figure should rocket in the coming weeks and months as we take in every major town in North and Mid Wales and leaflet every village door to door between now and the general election on May 6th. We would like to thank Labour MP Chris Ruane for his unstinting support for our anti-hunt campaign. And I would also like to thank him for his personal letter to me, stating that he will continue to do his utmost to ensure the ban continues and is properly enforced. I will of course keep the pressure up on Mr Ruane to ensure he keeps his word should he win another term in office. WAAC will continue to fight to close loopholes in the hunting act. We have already written to Hilary Benn with a number of suggestions that would put a stop to extremist hunts who think they are above the law. ANTI HUNT CAMPAIGN HELD IN COLWYN BAY AGAINST PRO HUNT MP DAVID JONES Wales Against Animal Cruelty held a campaign in Colwyn Bay (Saturday, 30th) in protest at Clwyd West MP David Jones, who supports David Cameron's pledge to overturn the hunt ban. WAAC Spokesman Graham Marks said, "It's inconceivable that any MP or candidate
would want a return to killing with dogs." Our
message to the public, please don't vote for anyone who supports a return to cruelty. The ban on
hunting took eighty years to bring about and it terrifies us that we could be heading back to the dark ages. Hunting
has little to do with so called pest control and everything to do with entertainment. The Countryside Alliance have long used the argument that hunting with
hounds is their human right. They lost that argument in the European Court of Human Rights, but it hasn't stopped
their supporters continually spouting off about a right to kill wildlife. We have a hard fight ahead of us, and very little time to get our message
out, which is why we will be visiting every town throughout North Wales, leafleting in rural areas and doing
street campaigns in all the major towns, between now and the election.
ELECTION 2010-GREENS ARE NOT GOOD FOR YOU This coming election is the most important for decades
and in many constituencies the result will be down to just a handful of votes. Some people on my e-mail list (thankfully only a
few) say they will be voting for the Green Party and whilst I respect their sincere wish to do the best for animals,
I have to say I think they are being duped and are wrong on all levels.The Greens can say an awful lot
because they will never be in power, they do not have to take responsibility for their actions because they will never have
any at a governmental level. In
recent months I have been doing a lot of work to help face down the Tory threat and highlighting the Hunting Act repeal pledge
of Cameron. I have been barracked at more times than I care to remember by people
who are supporters of the Green party and who tell me that 'hunting is good for conservation', its a 'tradition'
and so on. These are not just people who say they support the Greens but well-known members! There is a strong thread in the ranks of the Green party who see animals
simply as a resource and they want some kind 'utopia' based on feudalism and a ruralist agenda. This kind of
right-wing agenda advocated by The Ecologist magazine (the editor of which is the arch pro-hunt Tory candidate Zac Goldsmith,
whose brother has donated to the Greens) is encapsulated by the likes of Tracey Worcester, a leading 'environmentalist' who
lives on the estate of the Beaufort Hunt and is married to Duke of Beaufort's heir! The Green party itself includes
Jonathan Porritt, a close friend of and adviser to Prince Charles. Last year two Green Party councillors referred to pigeons as 'vermin' and actively sought
their extermination in their district. The environmental movement is full of such people. Many people do not realise that The Soil Association was founded
by people who were leading fascists. In the battle to stop a badger slaughter in England it was leading people in the
organic movement (backed by their pal Prince Charles) who were actively calling for badgers to be killed. The battle to secure a better future for animals does
not come from running away to the woods and allowing the Tories and their hunting allies a free run, it comes from level headed
and practical politics. Labour needs to do a lot more and as you know I will
always speak out strongly and campaign on issues that need addressing. However,
I know (as I am sure many of you do too) that if we are to keep the progress we have made and have ANY chance of more in future
then we must keep a Labour government in place. The alternative is a Tory government with former senior Countryside Alliance officials sitting in Downing Street. The hunters
and shooters are actively seeking to bring about that nightmare so their barbaric activities can be secured into the future.
They will be more than happy if the Greens,'Speak Political or 'Animals Count' take the votes of animal welfare/rights
campaigners. I do not pretend Labour is perfect but I hope people will see that
in the battle ahead we must keep in place a party that has given us more progress than we ever had before and which offers
our only chance of more. Please look behind the Green hype and ask yourselves what is their real agenda. Don't sacrifice decent, compassionate
anti-hunt MPs and people who are working hard within Westminster to take forward our issues at the heart of
government where it really counts. Manning the barricades and shouting is one thing but unless you have practical political clout at a governmental
level you are whistling in the wind.The Greens and other fringe outfits (who have and
will always have zero influence) are happy to play at politics at the expense of real progress. Chris
Thanks for this Chris - as ever you seek to expose the truth. I just hope that people will understand how crucial it is that we vote to keep the ban and if it means giving Labour another win (it will show the Tories that the public will not stand for a return to cruelty) then so be it!
House of Commons - Early Day Motion The following EDM was tabled on 26 January 2010. Nick Ainger
This link takes you to the blog of Geoffrey Woollard, standing as an Independent in Cambridgeshire.
It is notable for his excellent views on hunting which are scattered throughout his blog. Here is an extract from
the first you will come to. He is Mr Nick Herbert, who is the Conservative 'Shadow' Defra Secretary (and
who makes the right noises, agreeing with Hilary Benn, regarding the need for increased home-grown food production), but whom
I have known since he worked as a junior at Conservative Central Office. I was on a national committee that he served as secretary
and I discovered then that he was less than competent. Indeed, I actually taught him how to write minutes and about how it
was needful to get said minutes out in good time. Anyway, Master Nick has 'done well' since, but he is definitely a bête noire for me because, ever since he was a leading light in what became the Countryside Alliance, he has worked night and day for the retention and then - post the 2004 Hunting Act - the un-banning of fox hunting, hare coursing and stag hunting. I have a particular hatred for hare coursing, having fought it for the best part of five decades and that is one of the reasons why I plan to stand at this General Election. There are, of course, several other reasons. In my opinion, Mr Herbert is too narrow in his known interests to become a Cabinet Minister in Mr Cameron's prospective government. He is obsessed with blood sports to the point of depravity. I am not saying that he is personally depraved but participation in the blood sports that I have mentioned is a form of depravity. I oppose the un-banning of fox hunting, hare coursing and stag hunting. Mr Herbert opposes me. Well, let battle commence. Bernie would like you to visit the following online campaign, by iPetitions:
WAAC demo (supporting Viva) was held in Denbigh (Friday 22nd January) in protest at the Welsh Assembly's plan to kill badgers. Spokesman Graham Marks, for Wales Against Animal Cruelty (WAAC) said," We want this Welsh Assembly to know that although we're far from the Senedd, they cannot continue to ignore us.. It's disgusting that WAG plan to go ahead with their killing programme, despite overwhelming scientific evidence that has shown culling badgers does not work. This Welsh experiment has nothing to do with science and everything to do with appeasing the FUW. We believe that It's a cruel cull based on prejudice and superstition. The fact they will start killing badgers before the Badger Trust's Judicial Review is contemptuous. We had an excellent reponse from the public which has given us more encouragement to carry on our fight to save
badgers from a senseless inhumane slaughter. It's complete madness to kill these animals when they can be immunised." During the protest, WAAC had a meeting with pro-cull AM Brynle Williams, but could find no mutual agreement, apart from both sides admitting that Defra's plan not to microchip trapped badgers in England and instead paint mark them, is stupid. Meanwhile WAAC will continue to protest against the badger cull, until AM's who support this extermination programme are voted out in the 2011 elections." True face of David Cameron's 'vile' hunt supporters Click onto the following film.... http://www.youtube.com:80/watch?v=fCb6UhJLRes This film (newly posted with more
to follow) shows the true face of David Cameron's hunt supporters. These are the cruel and
the violent who will have their man in power should the Tories win the election. The hunters are at the centre of the
Tory election machine across the country. David Cameron is the Countryside Alliance candidate for Prime Minister. He would deliver the re-legalisation
of hare coursing, stag hunting and fox hunting swiftly. People who engage in debased violence towards sentient creatures for enjoyment could soon be in power
in this country. They would take us back many decades and launch a war on our wildlife and those who seek to defend it. We must work to stop the Tories taking
power. It is the fight of our lives and one we must win. Once they are in power it will be too late. TORY MP & HUNT SUPPORTER NIC HERBERT - FROM NOW ON WE'RE GOING TO
HUNT THE SABS Tory Shadow Environment & Rural Affairs Spokesman Nick Herbert MP is speaking at the University of Chichester on Thursday 28th Jan at 6:30pm. See details attached and below plus pic of Herbert. Herbert was one of the
founding members of the Countryside Alliance and was formerly Political Officer at the British Field Sports Society. One
of his quotes during his time at the BFSS.... "From now on we're going to start hunting the
saboteurs" Should the Tories win the election this bloodsports fanatic will be in charge of
Defra. He is one of Cameron's key bloodsports lieutenants. If people in the region can organise a peaceful
demonstration outside the venue on the evening of the talk that would be excellent. Thanks Chris
Report from Flint & Denbigh protest
& Brian May's message of support See pics from Denbigh re our protest against the Flint & Denbigh Hunt. I've attached two pics - but the one with the Mayor has to be the winner. This year he was not part of the hunt ceremony and instead stood with us to have his picture taken. For once the fox had a say in this years Boxing Day parade. We would have had more support, but many people who promised to attend stayed away for fear of reprisals by hunt supporters. Having said that - there were plenty of people in agreement with us. Only a handful took leaflets and deliberately screwed them up throwing them back at us. One elderly hunt supporter stood stony faced and very slowly tore one of our leaflets up in front of us to make a point. But what really sickened us were the parents of two young children who were encouraging their kids to remove our banner from a railing. And when they couldn't remove it, they encouraged them to jump up and down on the part of it that was trailing on the ground. It took guts for us to stand in the midst of hunt supporters and even more guts to speak out openly through a megaphone about hunt cruelty. It felt a bit like David and Goliath, but I'm a firm believer that good will always overcome evil in the end, so it was worth being intimidated by the odd huntsman. See Brian May's message below. Judi Hewitt's
Boxing Day Speech - for Wales against Animal Cruelty. I just wanted to voice my support for your personal campaign, Judi. Your speech for Denbigh
is well-judged and entirely convincing ... you speak the truth plainly. Fox-hunting
is a disgusting, despicable, and ultimately indefensible activity. I applaud you for speaking out. I wish you
luck, and all power to you. I hope to join you in
this fight in 2010 - in my own peculiar way, but nevertheless with my whole heart. Bless
ya ! Love Bri
WANT TO KNOW WHY THE ABOVE BOXING DAY PROTEST IS ALL IMPORTANT, THEN
CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW FOR A BIASED BBC PROGRAMME PLEASE
PASS WIDELY! THANKS It runs from 03.16 to 08.06. PLEASE COMPLAIN TO BBC PLEASE
ALSO DO A SEPARATE MAIL TO OFCOM (BROADCASTING REGULATOR) PROTEST IN MOLD AGAINST AM BRYNLE WILLIAMS. Dec 4th 2009 No doubt Brynle Williams was hoping we would all accept the killing of badgers; unfortunately for him, we're not going anywhere until this Welsh Assembly Government have reversed their biased cull policy. That's why we decided to take on Brynle at his surgery in Mold. It must have come as a shock for him to see people outside Mold Library protesting against a policy that he has been such a key player. Sadly we never got to speak with Mr Williams about our concerns because while we were waiting by the front door, an agitated Brynle was seen to leave by the side of the building - hurrying down fire escape steps, escorted by a police officer. When cornered briefly by a protester, he was asked politely if he would speak to us, he replied gruffly, "No, everything I've had to say is on record", then he scuttled off like a coward. We wanted to ask him why he'd insisted on going against sound scientific evidence. The original trials killed over 11.000 badgers, only to prove it doesn't eradicate bTB, long term. We wanted to know who the hired badgers killers are going to be? How much public money is going to be paid to any hobby shooters employed to do the grisly job? How much tax payers money is to be spent on the thousands of gruesome cage traps, already on order? Why pro-cull AM's are ignoring public opinion in favour of pandering to the farmers? And why this WAG wants to start exterminating badgers when we are so close to an oral vaccine? We already know that even in closed herds some cattle have contracted bTB, but what is hardly ever mentioned by pro-cull AM's is how many of these reactor cases (prior to being tested), had been taken to agricultural shows where they could have picked up the disease. Plus Welsh Assembly AM's have no real proof that it's badgers passing TB onto cattle, yet they still want to steam roll into a horrible killing programme that will wipe out badgers from many area's in Wales. They refuse to accept that it's mainly intensive and bad farming practice that is at the root of this terrible disease. But the one statement that Brynle came out with at the annulment hearing in Cardiff and which angered me so much, was his talk about people catching TB off badgers. There have been vaccines for people against TB for many decades so his remarks were nothing short of ridiculous. I believe Brynle Williams was one of the main instigators of the badger cull. This is why WAAC will protest against this AM for as long as it takes to get him voted out at the 2011 elections. Pro-cull AM's can preach all they like about the cull not being extermination, but the fact remains, you don't order thousands of cages just to target a few. It will be wholesale slaughter of defenceless innocent animals; badgers being used as scapegoats to cover up filthy farming practice. Intensive farming has been at the root of this terrible disease for a very long time, and it's time something was done to help the many down trodden abused cows that continue to suffer because of an industry that quite literally milks them to death. The FUW and WAG are bringing shame to Wales, and they will go down in infamy if they don't call a halt to wiping out badgers. The Reverend James Thompson was present at the demo and had this to say about the badger cull, "The mental and physical procedures of dairy farming contribute to the poor creature being emotionally and physically exhausted by five or six years of age; and hence frequently sent off to produce beefburgers and other sources of fat saturated junk food. Please note badgers are not to blame, they are but scapegoats for farm cruelty and greed." Dr Adrian Stallwood, a senior emergency doctor and lecturer in Wales, who has actually treated patients with TB, said "The suggestion that bovine TB will result in a public health epidemic is absurd scaremongering. The Health Protection Agency, DEFRA, the British Thoracic Society - in fact, the whole of the medical profession - identify the risk to humans as very low or negligible. The vast majority of the very few cases of human bovine TB which occur each year in England and Wales are not caused by wildlife contact, but by reactivation of old lesions caused by drinking unpasteurised milk. This is not a health problem which is even on the radar. Despite
the rise in cattle incidence, UK bovine TB infections account for less than 1% of laboratory confirmed cases of
TB in people.These figures are similar to those in other industrialised countries. A study done in North Staffordshire in 2001 followed up 162 people who had close contact with cattle diagnosed as
having bovine tuberculosis, or who had drunk unpasteurised milk from a herd with bovine tuberculosis. Not one single case
of human Mycobacterium bovis infection was diagnosed on follow up. It is well known in the medical profession that human TB cases, and the mortality thereof, began to decline
well in advance of antibiotics or vaccination. What started the decline was the provision of proper nutrition, fresh
air and better living conditions. The slums of the nineteenth century, when one in four people died of TB in Europe and America,
are analogous to the appalling living conditions of modern intensive dairy herds. The modern dairy cow
is treated like a machine, and pushed to the limit. It is no wonder its immune system is unable to resist infectious
diseases. If we are serious about dealing with bovine TB,
we need to stop adopting wildlife scapegoats and undertake dramatic improvements in animal husbandry." Waac says - Let's hope Mr Brynle Williams reads Dr Stallwood's excellent comments; it should put this ignorant AM's mind at rest. Now all Mr williams needs to do is get a conscience and do something to stop the horrific badger cull before it gathers pace. PROTEST HELD IN TENBY - AGAINST SOUTH PEMBROKESHIRE
HUNT & SIMON HART
Nov 28th 2009
Anti-hunt protesters from West Wales Animal Aid and some from WAAC gathered in Tenby to protest against the South Pembrokeshire hunt who were parading through the town. Wearing what looked like fox fur, Sue Lane, Tenby's Mayor stepped up to congratulate the hunt master before handing him the stirrup cup. She ignored calls of 'shame on you' from the anti-hunt contingent, but I couldn't help thinking, that at times she looked uncomfortable. Former hunt master of the South Pembrokeshire Hunt Simon Hart, a high profile campaigner in the Countryside Alliance was predictably abscent. Like all those Tory pro-hunt candidates, he wants to keep his views regarding the destruction of the hunting act very quiet - he knows that the public has no appetite for a return to a cruel blood-sport. Never the less, the hunters parade attracted many anti-hunt protesters. I travelled the length of Wales to be present at this demo, and I wasn't disappointed. It was a pleasure to be in the company of so many wonderful anti-hunt people. Every protester was upbeat and determined to get the message across to the people of Tenby and surrounding district, that hunting should remain consigned to the history books. My South Wales colleagues and I were also concerned for the welfare of the hounds - we couldn't help noticing how some of them looked really thin. It was hard not to feel sorry for the dogs, because they're victims just as much as the foxes. All in all, it was a good day! All we need to do now is keep up the pressure. * My thanks to campaigner Michael Sharratt and his lovely wife Inga, for their warmth and hospitality. Judi
PROTECT
THE HUNTING ACT
The 18th November marked the fifth anniversary of the Royal Assent of the 2004 Hunting Act. It was a day on which this country made a clear statement that hunting with dogs had no place in modern Britain. But not everyone was pleased. There are those who've been lobbying for the ban's repeal since day one. They think they're getting closer to their aim but you can help stop them in their tracks. Click here to send a message to your local candidates, asking whether they support the return of this barbaric practice Those who want to see the return of the grotesque spectacle of hounds tearing foxes apart think that they can do so despite opposition from the British people. T hey know the public don't support using dogs to tear foxes apart - and they know that they can only make progress by keeping quiet about their aims and lobbying behind the scenes. Together we can expose their plans and bring public pressure to bear to stop this happening. Click to send a message to your local candidates and ask them what their view is - help shine a light on those who wish to repeal the ban Please note - Vale of Clwyd is currently held by ANTI-HUNT MP Chris Ruane for Labour. Matt Wright the Tory candidate once arrogantly informed me that he supported a PRO-HUNT stance. Please don't allow this man, who is not even local to the area, to destroy the best animal welfare legislation ever drafted, in pursuit of pandering to a minority of bloodthirsty so called huntsmen and women. Judi CAMPAIGN AGAINST BADGER CULL
Apart from the UNANSWERED question of who the hired badger killers will be, we'd like to know why Elin Jones insisted on the debate being a whipped one? It is shameful and needs exposing! She knew that most if not all the whips were pro-cull. Carl Sargeant was Chief Whip for Labour and what's more he's pro-cull. It was this man who must have pressured Lesley Griffiths with threats that if anti-cull AM's did not tow the party line on this annulment debate, then badgers could suffer more as a consequence. This is tantamount to blackmail in my view and shows this WAG up as corrupt. I've decided that we won't
let this issue drop until all these pro-cull AM's have been defeated in the 2011 elections. Demo's against
the callousness of these AM's will pick up speed in the months leading up to and just before the elections,
even though they're about eighteen months away. I'm sure these AM's will hope we will all forget and accept
the killings, but it will prove to be their biggest mistake. WHO WILL THE BADGER KILLERS BE? Questions that need an answer - Who will the badger killers be? Will they be farmers who go shooting and just happen to have a shot gun licence? Will they already be part of a Gun Pack? (not nice people, I've known plenty over the years). Will it be the local hunt's terrier-men employed to do the job? After all, these people have guns to shoot terrified foxes after they've dug them out. Will they be paid for it? Will it be money for the boys? In other words money for hunting/shooting pals? WE WANT TO KNOW? WE THE PUBLIC HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW WHERE THIS BLOOD MONEY IS GOING? We've
given our precious time up to help stop this cull. We did it because we care about animal welfare - we never
wanted to see a repeat of all those filthy trials that proved killing badgers made no difference whatsoever to
TB in cattle. So who are the people who will be employed
to do the Senedds dirty work? Who's going to do the killing? Who's
going to benefit from the suffering of whole generations of badgers?
Judi We're considering organising another BIG anti-cull demo to be held just before Xmas against
the badger cull - possibly to be held outside a local NFU office. We need EVERYONE, sick, poor, near or
far to attend. We need to send a very strong message to every AM that they're being used by the NFU and that
they'll pay for it at the 2011 elections. We were thinking it would be good to have
a BIG demo in North Wales and at the same time another in South Wales, but it will need someone to take the lead
in South Wales - organising press releases ect for that area, to inform the public of a forthcoming event. If
someone wants to arrange this with me, then please get in touch ASAP? I can help with any press releases, if there's difficulty. The message will be ETERNAL SHAME ON THE NFU AND THEIR PUPPETS IN THE WELSH ASSEMBLY.
Contact Judi on 07789156022 or write to waac@rocketmail.com **Thu 05 Nov 09** It's a black week for Wales. The saddest and most misguided decision has been made, ignoring the conclusions of the only proper scientific experimental study that has ever been done on the effect of 'culling' Badgers on the presence of Bovine TB (not communicable to Humans) in Cattle. The study itself reportedly caused the death of 11,000 of these lovely creatures. Such is science, and the world of money-making and lies that we live in. The conclusion of the study (and remember this is the ONLY proper science that has ever been done on this subject) : "badger culling cannot meaningfully contribute to the control of cattle TB in Britain”. These are the exact words used, for all to see, in the published report. (ISG 2007) What have you done, you disgraceful Welsh MP's? There is no mercy, no logic; only greed, the corrupt influence of interested parties, and ignorance. And these innocent creatures suffer the most terrible fate. I wish I could go out there and with my bare hands rescue every mother and father and baby badger - from the hands of these unspeakable butchers. A crime is being committed, against Life on Earth; of which we are a small, and, I'm tempted to say, verminous part. Dear people of Wales - are we really going to stand by and let this happen? Bri Please see Latest News on the badger cull. Betws-Y-Coed campaign against hunt ban repeal...
CAMERON, COMPASSIONATE [GREEN]
TORY LEADER, OR CRUEL HUNTER OF DEFENCELESS WILDLIFE - YOU DECIDE? If David Cameron gets the keys to No 10, it will roll back our
fight for wildlife for decades to come, and his disciples know it! There's no doubt in my mind that the Countryside Alliance orchestrated Cameron's rise to the head of the Tory Party, and now he has his followers in place in every marginal seat in the country, working towards a Conservative Government. This has been no small fete by the blood-sports fraternity; it's been a campaign of military style precision, bankrolled by billionaires.The hunters know that if Labour win a fourth term, then their blood-sports will come under even greater scrutiny, and as time goes on, they know it means they'll have less chance of reintroducing their barbaric sport. They also sense that over time, pressure to curb the shooting industry will also come under the microscope, and legislation to ban snares and the mass release of so called game birds into the countryside could become a reality. The only chance they have of keeping any legal right to use and abuse animals for sport - is by ensuring the Tories win the next election. That's why they've been on full throttle; they can smell victory. Their friends in the right wing media are also spinning like there’s no tomorrow; throwing everything they can at Labour. They know that by blowing Labour's faults out of all proportion, they can muddy the waters enough to turn the public against them - and it appears to have worked! Make no mistake - the Conservative leadership have many very powerful friends, who are masters at pulling the wool over the eyes of the public. Voters may not be aware that in addition to the re-legalisation of fox hunting, a Conservative government
would also want to bring back hare coursing and stag hunting by offering a free vote to the House. Can we ever forget
those pictures of a terrified pregnant deer [with hounds baying for her blood] trying to escape her tormentors and ending
up on the roof of a house? What you the public should be asking yourselves, is how exactly does abusing and killing British wildlife
for kicks equate to the so called 'compassionate and green conservatism' of David Cameron's Tory Party? Psychologists worldwide recognise the link between animal abuse and violence towards people. So, if a prospective MP - from ANY party - can support violence and killing for fun, then are they really going to care about the Health Service, jobs, the elderly or the education of our children? I think not! |
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The European Commission has commissioned a public opinion survey on European animal welfare policy, and it is important that
all those with an interest take part. Called “Evaluation of the EU Policy on Animal Welfare” the survey closes
on 31 July 2010 (
