There’s nothing ‘glorious’ about bloodsports (From Ilkley Gazette)

There’s nothing ‘glorious’ about bloodsports

11:37am Thursday 26th August 2010 in Letters

August 12 – the so-called “Glorious 12th” – was just the start of the grouse shooting season, which runs until December 10.

During this time, shooters will kill around half a million birds who have been encouraged to breed by intensive management of the UK’s moorlands.

Just ahead of the next big date in the shooting calendar – the start of the pheasant shooting season – Animal Aid will hold its National Anti-Shooting Week (September 20-26).

Supporters will take to the streets to highlight the cruelty of killing birds for pleasure, and will ask the public to back our campaign to ban the production of birds for sport shooting.

Annually, around 50 million pheasants and partridges are purpose-bred to serve as feathered targets for wealthy shooters.

The industry’s own figures show that only around 15 per cent of the birds are actually eaten, and even pro-shooting articles have made reference to “surplus” birds being buried in specially dug pits.

Readers who would like to find out more should visit our website, animalaid.org.uk, or call the office and order an anti-shooting information pack.

Fiona Pereira, Campaigner

Animal Aid, The Old Chapel, Bradford Street, Tonbridge TN9 1AW

www.animalaid.org.uk, 01732 364546