Letter: Of pigs and foxes

Sir: Deborah Orr suggests that the campaign to abolish fox-hunting is not driven by animal welfare concerns. Furthermore, she appears perplexed by my assertion that participants defend hunting with such vigour for the simple reason that they enjoy it so. I assure her this is the case. I was brought up in hunting country and my grandparents first met on a hunt.

The reason that hunting with dogs arouses such hostility is that it is patently unnecessary cruelty. At present 10 per cent of hunts chase only an artificial scent. All we ask is that the other 90 per cent follow suit. Drag-hunting, as it is called, is a burgeoning sport that will mushroom when the hunting of wild mammals with dogs is prohibited.

BEN STEWART

League Against Cruel Sports

London SE1