We have been busy networking our message around Parliament.In March we attended a reception to meet researchers and MP’s assistants in Portcullis House, Westminster. The whole event allowed us to introduce ourselves to people who may have been unfamiliar with us and to spread the message of Conservatives against hunting with dogs,
Two weeks ago we met an undecided Conservative MP and introduced him to a sheep Farmer who runs a commercial farm in the Midlands. In the meeting which took place in the House Of Commons, the rural MP listened with interest to the Farmer who told him of the disruption he suffers on his farm from an unwanted hunt. The hunt is banned from his land but trespassed when the hounds chased a fleeing fox across the Farmers land. The large pack of baying hounds terrified his pregnant ewes and he is worried that many will now miscarry their young through the distress they suffered by the invading pack out of control. The hunt apologised to the Farmer and admitted that it was beyond their control to control the hounds once thery had caught the scent of the fox. Fences were also damaged causing this Farmer considerable inconvenience and extra work all for the sake of one fox being illegally chased by the hunt hounds. The Farmer also pointed out that he did not expeience any threat from foxes and if he did he would humanely shoot a rogue fox as indeed many other Farmers advocate too.
We hope this personal account was helpful to the undecided MP as he was nodding in agreement and was also saying that he had heard in his own rural constituency that many Farmers were content with the ban on hunting with dogs as it banned the disruptive sport of hare coursing on their land.
