BILL BARTLE asks if there is any difference between two bull terriers tearing a pregnant badger apart, which is barbaric and abhorrent, and a pack of hounds tearing a fox apart (HAS, Jan 16). There is none.

When we are overrun by some species, they have to be culled – including some human beings, if I had my way.

Cruelty still goes on in the countryside where it cannot be seen. Why do hunts need 25 to 40 hounds?

Why couldn’t the clowns at the top have said “no hunting with dogs full stop”?

The hunters will tell you its “tradition”. So was pushing small children up chimneys and down mines – we don’t do that anymore.

The Tories are desperate to reverse the ban – and they’ll win if we let them. Come the next election I urge all decent people to vote with the conscience.

Mrs N Staff, Kelloe, Durham.

FANATICAL gun lovers who kill for pleasure are the scourge of the countryside and with their extremely abnormal gun mentality are a risk of becoming potential gun murderers.

There is absolutely no justification for ownership or use of any gun.

I do not believe that so-called management (killing) of wildlife is needed and I would say that interference by man is the cause of any problem with wildlife. I am sure that the country will not over overrun by foxes or badgers or any other species.

John Gill, Castleside.