Aussies support blood sport legislation/Sotland bans hunting foxes with dogs

[Guest guest]

While NSW Australia waits for the passing of Game Bill 2001 which

LEGITIMISES

BLOOD SPORTS including hunting with dogs and bows, Britain edges one step

closer to

banning hunting and Scotland has just banned the hunting of foxes with

dogs!!

 

For information about the Game Bill 2001 visit

http://www.iinet.net.au/~rabbit/gamebill.htm and sign the petition

and write your URGENT letter of dissent.

 

Good news from SCOTLAND - see the IFAW page to read the good news about the

banning

of the hunting of foxes with dogs in Scotland!

13-FEB-2002

IFAW Celebrates " Historic Victory " as Scotland Votes to Ban Hunting with

Dogs

 

(Edinburgh, Scotland – 13 February 2002) -- The International Fund for

Animal Welfare (IFAW—www.ifaw.org) celebrated this evening as the Scottish

Parliament made history and voted to end the cruel “sports” of mounted

hunting with dogs and hare coursing throughout the country.

 

The third and final stage of Member of Scottish Parliament (MSP) Mike Watson

’s Protection of Wild Mammals bill came this evening, with an 83 to 36

majority vote in favor of banning fox hunting, fox baiting and hare coursing

in Scotland

 

Hunting with dogs in the United Kingdom has come under harsh UK-national

criticism for the inhumane way in which wild animals are killed.

 

With today’s vote, the Bill now becomes law – a historic Act of Parliament

that will have a significant bearing on the campaign to ban hunting with

dogs in England and Wales.

 

Even though the Bill has been passed intact, with all wrecking amendments

and loopholes now removed, pro-hunt supporters still can not accept the will

of the people and the Parliament, and are falsely contending the Bill will

still allow mounted hunting.

 

Phyllis Campbell-McRae, UK Country Director for IFAW said, “This is an

historic day for Scotland’s wildlife and its young Parliament. The anti-fox

hunting views of a majority of Scots, from both town and country, have been

heard by MSPs. Hunting with dogs is a barbaric pastime, which has no place

in a modern, civilized Scotland.”

 

Campbell-McRae went on to add, “Scotland has done in two and a half years

what Westminster has not been able to do in a century.”

 

In Scotland, IFAW has joined with Advocates for Animals and the League

Against Cruel Sports (LACS) to form the Scottish Campaign Against Hunting

with Dogs (SCAHD). IFAW has been campaigning against hunting with dogs in

the United Kingdom for a number of years. The organization has now joined

forces with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

(RSPCA) and League Against Cruel Sports (LACS) in the Campaign for the

Protection of Hunted Animals. In addition, IFAW has conducted research

demonstrating that a clear majority of British people in both urban and

rural areas opposes this cruel practice.

 

IFAW confirmed today that it would continue its campaign to end hunting with

dogs in England and Wales. To support this important campaign, visit

www.ifaw.org or www.banhunting.com .

 

End.

 

*****************************************

Also See UK CPHA website (Campaigning to protect hunted animals)

http://www.banhunting.com/cpha/index.asp

 

League Against Cruel Sports

http://www.league.uk.com

 

and IFAW http://www.ifaw.org

 

RSPCA UK

http://www.rspca.org.uk/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=RSPCA/News/NewsFeatur

e

 

 

(Britain) RSPCA UK News - Campaign to ban hunting gears up

*********************************************************

 

The campaign against hunting has entered a new stage to ensure that t

he government honours its hunting bill commitment. Senior MPs from the thre

e main parties have joined forces to co-ordinate the countdown to a ban on

hunting with dogs to finally put an end to this cruel and unnecessary

'sport'.

 

Tony Banks (Lab), Ann Widdecombe (Con) and Norman Baker (Lib Dem) wer

e joined by a host of celebrities, politicians and dignitaries in London fo

r the official launch of a major new report, Countdown to the Ban. The publ

ication marks a stepping up of activity by Campaigning to Protect Hunted An

imals (CPHA).

 

With about 26 weeks left in the current parliamentary session, CPHA -

consisting of the RSPCA, International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and

League Against Cruel Sports (LACS) - is calling on the government to honour

its pledge by introducing a bill before the end of this session.

 

New phase

John Rolls, RSPCA director of communications, said: " This marks a new

phase in the campaign. We have officially begun the countdown to a ban on

hunting with dogs. The arguments have all been won, public opinion is firml

y on our side and people's patience is running out.

 

" Now is the time for the government to honour its many commitments an

d promises on the issue. We want to see the bill to ban hunting back before

parliament during this session and on the statute books as soon as

possible. "

 

Ban support

The three MPs demonstrated the strength of parliamentary support for

a ban on hunting by posing with a banner carrying the names of 412 MPs who

have publicly supported a ban on hunting with dogs. The names were later de

livered to DEFRA Secretary Margaret Beckett.

 

Tony Banks said: " We have to deliver a ban on hunting. This is an iss

ue of credibility for the government and the democratic accountability of M

Ps. The will of the House of Commons has to be enacted. "

 

Download CPHA's new report, Countdown to the Ban, in the campaigns

area.