AR-NewsUK - Hunting - help to get it banned!

[Peg Leg Bates]

From: "Greyhound Action" greyhoundaction at blueyonder.co.uk

We've received the message below from the National Anti-Hunt Campaign and we
 urge all Greyhound Action supporters to support the protest and/or contact
 their MPs.

 As a greyhound protection group we are specifically opposed to hare
 coursing, because, quite apart from the deplorable cruelty caused to the
 hares, the dogs involved quite frequently suffer injuries and are often
just
 "disposed of" when no longer considered good enough for coursing. People
who
 derive pleasure from watching hares pursued and torn to pieces can, by no
 stretch of the imagination, be expected to care about the well-being of any
 animal, including dogs.

 There are also strong links between greyhound racing and hare coursing. The
 registrations for racing dogs are held by the Coursing Clubs, both in
 Britain and Ireland, and the National Greyhound Racing Club made a
 submission to the Burns Inquiry (into hunting) in support of hare coursing.
 We are aware that the bill, as it stands, will prohibit hare coursing - and
 we want to make absolutely sure that this occurs.

 With regard to other forms of hunting, once again, quite apart from the
 appalling cruelty to wildlife, there is a close similarity with greyhound
 racing in that dogs that fail to make the grade or cease to be "good
enough"
 for the purpose are almost always put to death. This amounts to many
 thousands of foxhounds and other hunting dogs massacred by hunts every year
 and is reason enough to ban huntng with dogs without even taking into
 account the suffering caused to hares, foxes, deer etc.

 In addition to the info below, you can go to
 http://www.parliament.uk/directories/directories.cfm  to find out who your
 MP is or fax your MP free via e-mail from www.FaxYourMP.com

 Tony Peters, Greyhound Action
 www.greyhoundaction.co.uk


 Dear Supporter,

 HUNTING BILL - URGENT PROTEST, 2.00pm MON 30th JUNE

 The Government has just announced that the Hunting Bill will return to the
 House of Commons for its crucial Report Stage on Monday 30 June. This was
 supposed to happen during the spring but was delayed after ministers
decided
 it was "inappropriate" to discuss hunting while we were at war in the Gulf.

 The reason I refer to the Report Stage as crucial is simple - it represents
 the last chance MPs have to amend the bill from the messy "third way"
 compromise it is now, to the complete ban on hunting we are all so anxious
 to see. If the bill as it stands at the moment were to become law, only
deer
 hunting and the hunting and coursing of hares would be prohibited. Fox and
 mink hunting would continue under licence. This must not be allowed to
 happen.

 The NAHC feels it is important to remind MPs at this stage just what the
 public feels about hunting. We are therefore calling for a mass protest
 against hunting outside the House of Commons on the day of the vote. The
 protest will start at 2.00pm. Although the debate does not start until
 3.30pm, we want MPs to see us as they arrive!

 On display will be our now infamous ten feet long banners depicting scenes
 of hunt kills along with our simple message - No Hunting No Compromise. MPs
 are familiar with this message - last month we took a full page advert
 in the parliamentary House Magazine, just to remind our law-makers we are
 still here! Other banners will be provided, but do feel free to produce and
 bring your own placards with your own personal message.

 The importance of this protest cannot be overstated. If this bill does not
 ban hunting - all hunting - it will be next to impossible to persuade the
 Government to allocate yet more time to the matter in future. Please bring
 as many people as you can.

 As well as attending the protest, we are asking all supporters to do the
 following:

 Write (I know, yet another!) letter to your MP asking for a ban. MPs will
 come under intense pressure over the coming days to support the compromise.
 With several traditionally anti-hunt MPs already thinking of doing so, this
 really is important. Complacency is our enemy - please don't assume we can
 rely on your MP.

 Send in a donation to enable us to advertise the protest. We only received
a
 few days notice of the Report Stage which makes it hugely difficult to
 promote a demonstration - the only way we can reach large numbers of people
 at such short notice is advertising - and at the moment we simply don't
have
 the funds to advertise as extensively as we would like.

 Phone your MP's office on the morning of the vote and ask all your friends
 to do the same. Give MPs a last-minute reminder of the extent of public
 opposition to bloodsports. The number is the same for all MPs - 0207 219
 3000. Be polite but firm - ask them to do all they can to secure a complete
 end to hunting. If you don't know who your MP is, call Commons Information
 on 0207 219 4272 and they'll tell you.

 I know it seems at times as though we are fighting a never-ending battle -
 but we really are entering the end-game. Even if you've never attended a
 protest or lobbied your MP before, please take part in this final push.
 Together we can and must win - our wildlife depends on it.

 See you on the demo!

Niel Hansen