Vets oppose hunting ban

A survey of UK vets showed a majority were opposed to a ban on hunting

A survey of vets carried out by the Countryside Alliance Campaign for Hunting showed that 63% of those sampled were opposed to a ban on hunting on welfare grounds. Thirty per cent supported a ban.

The survey questioned 5% of the UK’s 11,000 vets in general practice. Just over half of those surveyed described their practice as serving predominantly rural areas.

The study also showed that a substanial 79% believed fox control was necessary in rural areas.

Simon Hart, of the Countryside Alliance, said: “The overwhelming finding of this survey is that the veterinary profession opposes a ban on hunting on the basis that it is likely to increase animal suffering rather than reduce it. “

A spokeswoman for the British Veterinary Association, which represent Britain’s vets, said it did not have a policy on hunting. “It is left to the discretion of the individual vet – and members are fairly divided,” she said.