All About Animals: Hunting

So what do deer, hares, foxes and minks have in common? They all live in the wild in Britain, and they are all hunted by people. Do you know what it means to hunt an animal? Hunters are people who use dogs to chase and kill animals. It is now against the law to hunt animals because it is cruel. But some people break the law and continue to go hunting. Some hunters ride horses; others walk. Some hunters shoot animals after chasing them with dogs; other times, dogs catch the animals and kill them.

Some people feel that hunting should be allowed; others say that animals are better off now that hunting is banned.

A hunter might say ?

• “Foxes are pests, so we need to kill them. Hunting is not as mean as poisoning animals or catching them in traps.”
• “Hunting is traditional and natural. People have always done it!”
• “When animals on farms die, hunters help farmers by removing the dead animals and feeding the animals to their dogs.”
• “Now that hunting is banned, a lot of people could lose their jobs.”
• “Now that hunting is banned, a whole way of life could be gone forever.”

Someone who thinks hunting is wrong might say ?

• “Foxes are not pests – they are beautiful animals, and they have as much right to live as any other animal.”
• “Just because people have hunted for a long time, doesn’t mean that it’s OK.”
• “Hunters kill their older dogs because younger dogs hunt better. That’s cruel!”
• “Hunters could have fun ‘drag-hunting’ instead of killing real animals. In drag-hunting, dogs chase a rag that smells like an animal. No one gets hurt.”
• “Now that hunting is banned, life is better and safer for people and animals who live in the countryside.”

Talk About: Topics to Chat About!
1. What do you think about hunting?
2. Do you think animals should be left alone or hunted?
3. What’s the difference between hunting and fishing?