Wildlife campaigners have raised their voices against a gruesome practice known as cubbing, which involves the killing of young foxes using packs of dogs. They argue that this practice needs to be exposed to the public, highlighting its cruelty and brutality. In a few weeks, the controversial "cubbing" season will begin in Britain, where hounds are trained to kill foxes in preparation for the main hunt that takes place in November.
Robert Pownall, a representative of the NGO Protect the Wild, describes cubbing as an exceptionally vicious form of animal abuse. It involves training young hounds to kill foxes by targeting their cubs, as dogs do not possess a natural instinct to kill foxes. Rather than being chased like in regular hunts, the cubs are cornered in small woods and prevented from escaping by a pack of hounds that scare them back if they attempt to flee.
Pownall claims that up to 10,000 fox cubs are brutally murdered by hunts across the UK each year. Although fox hunting was banned in Britain in 2004, there are exemptions in the law that allow foxes to be flushed out using dogs. This has enabled the practice to continue in certain rural areas, such as southeast England, with some labeling these exemptions as loopholes.
Activists, known as sabs, frequently obstruct and monitor hunts to ensure they comply with the law. Unfortunately, these efforts occasionally lead to violent confrontations. Supporters of fox hunting argue that it is an essential part of rural life and helps control the fox population.
Your reminder that in a few weeks time there will be thousands of people going out to kill fox cubs in what's known as 'cubbing' here in the UK.
— Protect the Wild (@ProtectTheWild_) July 12, 2023
It is done to train the hounds on the scent of a fox before the main season.
Please drop us a follow and help us @ProtectTheWild_ pic.twitter.com/Q1Oe7l0TWu
Pownall strongly disagrees with this sentiment, condemning the practice as barbaric and cruel. He states that foxes are chased down by large packs of dogs for several kilometers before being mauled to death. Polling data from YouGov indicates that approximately 80% of Brits believe fox hunting should remain illegal, with only around 10% of the population in favor of lifting the ban. The remaining 10% are undecided.
Pownall criticizes the current legislation on fox hunting, describing it as flawed and broken. He believes that hunts across England and Wales disregard the law and engage in bloodlust, hunting not only foxes but also their young. He calls for a proper ban on hunting and asserts that his NGO, Protect the Wild, has developed its own "Hunting of Mammals Bill" to address the existing loopholes by explicitly forbidding reckless hunting.
“It is the secret that needs to be exposed. It is probably the sickest activity in modern Britain that nobody seems to know about,” wildlife campaigner Pownall stated.
The origins of fox hunting in Britain can be traced back to the 16th century when it served as a means of controlling foxes, which were considered pests by farmers. It gained popularity as a sport among the aristocracy during the 1700s and 1800s, becoming an integral part of British countryside life in the 19th century. However, opposition to fox hunting has grown over time, particularly among animal rights advocates who highlight the unnecessary suffering it inflicts on hunted foxes.
Pownall concludes by emphasizing the urgent need to expose the secret of cubbing. He accuses hunts of using deceptive terms like "autumn hunting" or "hound exercise" to confuse the public and divert attention from their true intentions.
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