South Wales Central Conservative MS Andrew RT Davies has slammed a proposed ban on trail hunting, branding it a “spiteful attack on rural communities by urban elites”.
No animals are killed in trail hunting, as a scent trail is laid for dogs to follow rather than a real animal.
Mr Davies branded claims the ban was proposed on animal welfare grounds as “spurious”.
He pointed to the cruel practice of hare coursing, which is an increasing problem in the Vale of Glamorgan and Bridgend.
Despite this, insufficient resources have been allocated to tackle the issue.
Mr Davies said this showed the real motive behind the ban was attacking rural communities’ traditions rather than improving animal welfare.
Mr Davies said:
“Banning trail hunting is another attack on our rural communities. No animals are killed.
“This policy is being imposed by urban elites who neither understand nor care for the countryside.
“In the Vale of Glamorgan and Bridgend, we face real problems with hare coursing. It’s an illegal practice. It’s cruel.
“Have authorities done anything about this? No. It still goes on.
“This shows the real motive behind this ban. It’s not animal welfare. It’s a spiteful attack on the rural way of life.”
ENDS
NOTE: Link to the original article can be found here