The accusers have almost invariably been pro-hunt supporters. Well this is the second protest in just over a year that I and a few faithful animal rights supporters have felt compelled to do; basically because we feel so strongly against animals having to endure the torment and pain of religious slaughter.

As with my last halal demo, I was joined by the Reverend James Thompson; a man of the cloth who is always willing to speak out for the defenceless, be they human or animal. 

This particular demo took us to Castle Square in Caernarfon for a protest against a newly refurbished halal abattoir in the area, but the level of indifference from some in this town staggered me.

A cold shudder ran down my back seeing grown men and women sniggering at us as they went past; no sign of any compassion on their faces. Their uncaring attitude confirming just how divorced we are from compassion.

I find it depressing that we humans feel we have a divine right to do just as we please in this world and we believe we have the right to decide who lives and who dies.

We slaughter crows and predatory animals to protect so called game birds, which we breed in large numbers for paying guns.

We butcher rabbits as vermin and then demonise the fox who depends on them as a food source. And we chase and disembowel foxes just for the thrill of the chase and if that's not enough, we dig them out when they've gone to ground just because it's a fun thing to do!

We wrongly blame badgers for spreading bTB and refuse to accept that its we who are to blame for raping the land.

We pack sheep into three-tier trucks; the ones on the top defecating on the ones below; and we send these animals all over Europe often without rest, food and water.

Pigs are thought to be more intelligent than dogs, yet we keep them crowded inside sheds and force them to produce many litters. Sows are then unable to nurture their own piglets because they're kept imprisoned in crates for up to two months at  a time, unable to even turn around.

Chickens which were meant to live a life foraging out doors are crammed five to a cage not much bigger than a phonebook. Every attempt to stop vile factory farming is met with the utmost resistance. Other chickens are kept in overcrowded sheds with no room to act out their natural behaviour. No wonder these animals need so much anti-biotic to try to halt infection. Plus their feathers fall out from the stress of a their abnormal lives!

In other words, we determine which animals will die cruelly and which we will nurture as pets. And after thousands of years we still believe that it's alright for animals to die in religious rituals; and yet we call ourselves a humane society - what a joke!

When a calf is dragged into the killing hold with the smell of death all around, his eyes bulging in terror, there is no compassion! 

When the slaughterer grabs the muzzle of a whimpering lamb and then pulls back her head to cut her throat, there is no compassion. Yet without compassion there is no hope for any of us! 

And nor will there ever be while the likes of some of those in Caernarfon continue to show contempt and indifference to animals that will soon be going through the gates of hell, to face a fate that should this happen to those sniggering yobs, would see them wetting themselves in abject fear.

The animals' friend, the eloquent Reverend James Thompson, had this to say about ritual slaughter: "Any major world religion that claims to worship either a God of Love, or 'An All Compassionate One', yet condones or indeed contributes to the abuse of gentle, herbivorous farm animals, is worthy of being stigmatised as hypocritical. 

"I agree one hundred percent with the following words attributed to Anna Sewell, the authoress of Black Beauty, who wrote: 'You can talk as much as you like about your religion, but if it does not teach you to be kind and caring to both animals as well as humans, then it is nothing but a sham'. How very true!"

I must add that the abattoir owner did tell one local paper that the animals killed in his slaughter-house will be stunned before they have their throats cut, but we need know that this is true!

Some abattoirs stun the animals after their throats have been cut. We need to know that the meat from animals killed in this slaughter-house will be labelled 'pre-stunned'?

Without this assurance there can be no guarantee that animals goaded into this abattoir will not suffer the agony of being knifed whilst fully conscious.

It's bad enough that animals have to go through such a traumatic experience in the first place, but to compound their terror further by subjecting them to such a brutal end is inconceivable.

May I urge all those who care about animals to write to Gwynedd Council and in particular to Councillor Dewi Lewis and demand that meat from this slaughter-house be labelled 'pre-stunned'.

I must say, considering the level of contempt we met in Castle Square, we did manage to acquire 118 signatures; it should have been much higher, but until the majority show mercy to these animals, we will remain the beast.

Finally, I'd like to thank VIVA for supplying me with all the posters and leaflets.

Anyone wanting to sign a petition against religious slaughter should contact Viva on the following email address: info@viva.org.uk

Palin is proud of her animal cruelty record, but Americans are waking up to more and more images of this woman's love of killing animals for fun.

Cameron once said the greatest thrill if his life was chasing down a fox. He also loves a day out shooting. This man also said that if he gets into power he will wipe out badgers (over large areas) in TB hotspots, right across the UK.

Already Cameron's hold is slipping; I believe it's because of his love of blood-sports. But just as New Labour won the 1997 election on its animal welfare promises, so the Conservatives will lose on the lack of theirs.

Labour would do well to work on the ban that's already in place if it wants to win their supporters back. This would terrify the Tories and, just maybe, make them think that supporting cruelty is a vote loser.

 I intend taking this message to the public, most of whom are unaware of Cameron's hidden agenda.

If the people I speak to while I'm out on the campaign trail (to win hearts and minds) are anything to go by, most don't know that Cameron had ridden with the Heythrope Hunt several times and has promised if elected, to repeal the ban.

This is the message (along with images of hunt cruelty) that we'll be taking onto the streets of North Wales in ever increasing campaigns, as the fight for Number Ten begins to strengthen.

It doesn't happen too often, but when it does we can't just turn our backs, as some folk seem able to do.

Just the other day we were turning off the A55 when we noticed a wood pigeon sat hunched up and surrounded by a pile of its own downy feathers.

Obviously it'd been hit by car so we stopped to check it out. But just as I bent down to pick it up, it panicked and fluttered back onto the slip road. With speeding traffic heading towards it I just couldn't look; so I turned my back and put my hands to my head.

But when I swung back round to see what'd happened, I watched with relief as the bird fluttered back to the side of the carriageway, having been narrowly missed yet again.

I swear if this had been a cat, it would have used up two of its nine lives.

I wasn't going to give up though, so I enlisted Bob's help and asked him to get on the other side of the pigeon.

Together we managed to usher it down a steep slope into a maze of trees and bramble. Down it went with me in hot pursuit. I thought it was going to be easy to catch, but it gave me the run around for about twenty minutes, until I cornered it and threw my black fleece over the top of it.

Once back in the car it was obvious our walk in the hills would be off, so we made for home.

Fortunately, the pigeon was not too badly injured and I noticed that there was nothing was broken. All this bird needed was some tender loving care and an aviary to recover in.

For the first couple of days it just sat depressed on the floor, not eating, so I had to force-feed it.

Fortunately for the bird (and my stress levels), it soon began to feed itself, but it still refused to perch, even on the lower ones.

Unwell birds can quickly die when they become depressed, so it's always best to put a sick bird where it has a view of others; it seems to help their recovery.

It worked, and soon our feathered friend was on the top perch and after two weeks was flying round the aviary looking for a way out.

It was time now to take it home and release it back to the wild. I can only imagine the exhilaration a wild bird must feel upon being set free.

Up, up and away

It always gives me a buzz to release a bird that has only ever known the wild.

And now seeing this pigeon fly off, soaring off high into the distance (until it reached some tall trees then swung round and disappeared into the highest branches) has to be one of the loveliest feelings in the world.

Bob looked elated, a feeling we both shared. "Wow, he said, "Did you see the way it flew off."

It's hard to imagine now, how when he was a member of the Wild Fowlers Association he used to shoot these birds. But everyone can change, Bob's proof of that!

But we left our pigeon friend there: safe in the knowledge that this bird had been given a second chance. Not so for many others; shot merely to satisfy the selfish urge of a few so-called shooting enthusiasts.

The arguments for killing wild creatures are tired old ones that for many of us, leaves a contemptuous taste in the mouth.

But back to the story; all we needed to do now was get off to those fantastic Welsh hills for a damn good walk, and to feel some of the bliss that this beautiful bird would be experiencing.

As we approached this old market town, I remember telling my companions, "Ah well, we're going straight into the lions den".

How wrong I was; such lovely people, and not a single nasty verbal attack! Not even from a young farmer who came over to talk to us; eager to let us know that although he disagreed with us, he wasn't happy about badgers being killed. 

NOWAR campaigners taking part in Viva's day of action in Mold to gather signatures against planned badger culls in Wales

Facts about bTB can had from Viva and your local badger group. Uncomfortable facts that many in the farming community would rather you didn't know about.

Unfortunately many farmers believe that badgers are the main cause of spreading this disease. They seem unwilling to look at their own farming practices; intensive farming methods that puts a terrible toll on their cows.

Couple this with cattle-to-cattle transfers and you have a recipe for disaster.

So the fight to stop Elin Jones carrying out her promise to annihilate badgers from btb hotspots in Wales goes on.

Our next port of call was Prestatyn where we also received a good response.

Next, we will be heading for Wrexham, with Denbigh and Ruthin shortly after, taking in many villages along the way.

North Wales is vast and so there's a lot of ground to cover before the deadline for NOWAR's petition; 30th November 2008. 

We intend taking this petition to every pro-cull AM in North Wales to remind them of who voted them in, and who can vote them out.

Yes, even Brynle Williams will get a visit.

This is why we are urging anyone who cares about badgers to help us gather more signatures with Welsh postcodes.  It's Welsh badgers that are threatened; therefore its Welsh postcodes that count the most.
 
Signatures so far number 622, not bad for just two days campaigning. We aim to reach at least 5,000 by 30th November 2008.

If you think you can help us stop Elin Jones making the biggest mistake of her political career, then please contact me for a petition form. It's surprising how many signatures you can pick up from ones place of work.

To acquire a petition form, please write to me at the following address: NOWAR, PO Box 279, LL18 9ES.

But if you want to help in some other way, then you can contact Viva at info@viva.org.uk or write to them at Viva, 8 York Court, Wilder St, Bristol, BS2 8QH.
 

But every now and again, I get a picture of an animal rights person being beaten up by police. I had one the other day, and at first I thought it must have happened in America, but it wasn't, it was right here in the UK.

But the mere mention of animal rights and people automatically assume you're a terrorist. I hate to burst your bubble, but I'm yet to meet an activist whose actions could be described as terror driven.

Yes, some may have spent time in prison for their actions, but most are just your average citizen who just happens to hate animal cruelty.

Those spending time in jail, are doing so because they were given a maximum sentence for their crime.

More often than not, an offence that would have let other criminals off or just given them community service, doesn't afford the same soft approach to anyone breaking the law out of compassion for animals.

This is why we have to be lily-white; not easy when those connected to animal abuse give untrue accounts of your actions to the newspapers.

Unfortunately, the system in which we live, is so fearful of a rise in animal rights numbers (which threatens big business, pharmaceuticals companies, fashion, hunting, farming and ALL that's connected to it) that they clamp down on anyone caught breaking even the flimsiest of laws, even if that person is just taking animals away from an abusive situation.

Yes! we are 'all' just ordinary people, but we're doing an extraordinary thing, which is speaking up for the speechless.

I realise that we live in a democracy, but we are still very restricted by the authorities, especially if you're the organiser of a protest. 

When I organised a badger cull demo, I was told by the police that if anyone connected to my protest had an accident, then I could face prosecution, even prison. Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't criminals being let off because prisons are already overflowing?

Hunters and their supporters prosecuted for illegal hunting and even for beating up the odd poor old anti, have so far, been let off lightly; not so the animal rights brigade: we tread a very fine line, but that's justice for you.

It's one law for them, and another law for us. 

All I can say is, God help the animals if this creature gets to the White House.

Her own house is stuffed full of animals she's killed. Grizzly bears hanging from the walls are just some of the gruesome sights a visitor can expect.

She also spent a fortune in taxpayers' money to fund the Ariel slaughter of wolves and black bears in Alaska, despite opposition from many people.

She approved the slaughter of mother bears and their cubs with the goal of killing at least 60% of the entire population.

She refuses to listen to arguments in favour of preserving wolves and bears because it is counter to her beloved bloodsport. 

She is also a champion for the oil industry and supports drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, as well as everywhere else.

She believes global warming is a farce.

She is also under investigation in Alaska for abuse of power, yet America has take this creature to their hearts.

God help us all, if she gets her hands on real power. To say she is cold-hearted is very definitely an understatement.

For once I'm glad to be British, but with a cruel woman like her (second in command) ruling the most powerful country in the world, it just doesn't bare thinking about.

I naively thought we lived in a time when justice prevailed, but quite the opposite is true.

You expect to receive abuse from those you are protesting against, but I never expected to be vilified by a newspaper when we were the actual victims.

Now, thanks to an article in a local newspaper here in North Wales, everyone is going to think I'm a vulgar, foul-mouthed yob who screams abuse at the public.

I don't even scream abuse at those I protest against, but that's the message that's been put out.

The only ones who are going to believe me, are those closest to me, and any of the general public who happened to be passing by during the protest.

In case you're wondering, the demonstration was in Towyn, near Abergele. It was a demo against the Bobby Roberts Circus.

My sole purpose for being there was to alert the public to Anne the elephant's plight.

But newly appointed Councillor Adam Williams, who leases the land, just couldn't stay away.

Later, after the demo, he had the nerve to tell a local newspaper reporter that the person on  the megaphone used vulgar and abusive language.

As you can see from the photograph below, I was one of those using the megaphone, and not once did I or any of our group use obscene language.

Me on the megaphone (far right) during the afternoon protest. Do we look like we could take on four burly security men at the later protest in the evening?

Why would we want discredit ourselves to the very public that we were trying to appeal to? It wouldn't make sense! It most certainly wouldn't help Anne.

In any case one of our protesters (a very respectable solicitor's clerk) had her 10-year-old son with her.

While there we were threatened by several people, including two men from the circus itself.

They surrounded our group and even threw an egg, just missing a child.

But if people want to believe Cllr Adam Williams' version of events, then that's up to them. Our conscience is clear. 

Now ask yourself this: if Cllr Williams meant what he said in the newspaper article about freedom of speech, why wouldn't he just allow us to get on with informing the public about Anne the elephant, instead of constantly intimidating us with his presence?

It was we who called the police (we were given the incident number). It was we who had to be escorted back "safely" to our cars, not Mr Williams and certainly not the shaven-headed, tattooed security people.
 

I went to this circus prior to a protest I attended to see the state of the animals for myself. I was shocked by their condition. The ponies looked thin and their coats unkempt.

Anne the elephant has been the subject of controversy for some years, up to a time when she had two other companions (see photograph of all three chained up inside a tent).

Anne's two companions died, leaving her all alone. Maureen, another elephant owned by Bobby Roberts, mysteriously vanished after going on a four-hour rampage in 1990. 

Away from the applause Anne is reshackled inside a tent. She is also very arthritic, no doubt due to the fact she was forced to perform standing on her hind legs.

Her weight would be enough to cause significant injury to her joints after a period of time, hence the reason she now no longer performs. Anne's eyes also look sunken into the back of her head.

I cried all night just thinking about her barren life.

Bobby Roberts wants the public to think that Anne is part of his family, and that she no longer performs.

How can this man and his wife say this, then chain her up inside a tent, denying her daylight? He might not force her to perform any more, but she is still used to attract in the punters with offers of having their photos taken with her for £6-a-shot.

This circus has a bad reputation among animal welfare campaigners around the country for refusing to allow this animal to go to the Born Free Foundation, which has offered to take care of Anne and allow her to live out her retirement (at a sanctuary) in peace and tranquillity.

Bobby Roberts has consistently refused, saying he loves her and that she's a valued member of his family.

How disgusting that he can still drag her around the country in the state she's in.

Another worry regarding the use of the publicly-owned land where this circus is held every August, is that lease-owner and Councillor Adam Williams also allows the fair to give out live goldfish.

I was really upset when I saw one fish being carried in very small 4-inch plastic container by a little boy who was swinging the poor thing round like a handbag.

This poor fish was being bashed from side to side and the kids parents just looked on with indifference.

These fish were being given out in containers that had very little water. These poor fish are then taken to caravans by holiday makers!

No doubt many of these fish would die long before they even reach their final destinations. It's absolutely appalling!

I intend taking up these issues with Conwy County Council.

And If this fails, I will be organising a protest and a petition to force this council to look again at the use of public land - especially when I hear this land is leased for the paltry sum of around £7,500-a-year.

 Should anyone want a 999-year lease on this land, then the price will drop significantly to around £20-a-week: that's less than £1,000-a-year.

That can't be good value for money.

Am I missing something here? It's just that these two men have killed animals merely for recreation, so why would any animal welfare group reward them for doing what amounts to very little in the scheme of things.

This is why I came up with the idea of giving my own award, on behalf of North Wales Animal Rights, to a real hero, someone who has dedicated their whole life to saving animals from abuse.

Then, as luck would have it, I got talking to a colleague from down South who runs her own campaign magazine and heard about a lady called Jane who gives up all of her time in the service of animals.

 Not only does this selfless lady make weekly visits to Dover to protest against the largely forgotten live export trade, but also spends many nights rescuing stray cats and getting them spayed or neutered. 

 And if that’s not enough, puts herself through hell operating undercover at markets to get evidence of animal abuse.

So who could possibly be more deserving of an award than this brave lady? 

Artist Jean Bennington and me with painting. Due to Jane's undercover work, she cannot be pictured with her award

All I needed now was an award to give. I went on websites, but nothing inspired me. Then I remembered my good friend Jean Bennington, a talented artist who had recently painted a lovely picture of two pigs peering over a gate. 

In the blink of an eye Jean agreed to let it go. All I needed to do now was get it framed and include a scripted message on the border.

The hard bit though was packing the A2 size picture to be sent down to Sussex, without the glass being smashed on route. I have to say Bob my husband did a first class job because it arrived at its destination intact.

Hugletts Wood Farm received the painting just in time for an open day event where Jane was expected to help out. And so Jane received her award, presented to her by the head of the International Society for Cow Protection.

Standing by her side for the photo shoot was Dickie, the calf that Jane rescued from a market. I just wish I could show you the picture of all three, but for the sake of the animals, Jane cannot afford to be identified. All in all the event was a great success. 

But at the end of the day, the only thanks any of us in the cause really asks, is that our message is heard so that we can bring about change for the better. 

The only thing Jane wants from you, is that you take the trouble to listen to the cries of help from the animals and act accordingly.

Despite being a previously loyal Labour supporter, even I - and other members of my family - could not bring myself to turn out.

We decided, as I suspect others did, that Labour needs a damn good kick up the backside to make them take more notice of public concerns.

And I'm sure the majority in this country don't want to see the Countryside Alliance's man, Cameron, heading the next government.

Let’s face it, those of us who care about seeing an end to wildlife cruelty, will have to put up with a terrible onslaught in animal abuse if the Tories win power.

But putting aside my own objectives, I doubt the average person would fare any better under the Tories than they have under Labour.

If we are to have real democracy in Britain, then we need a political shake-up.

How many people abstained from going to the polls? I suspect a great many! Are we now to be ignored just because we kept away from the polling station?

We were making a point, surely that's democracy too?

It seems like politicians who work hard for their constituents are few and far between: whenever we write to them, they just seem to pass the buck with a letter from Defra or the Home Office to placate us; and they, let's face it, have the same staff whichever power gets elected.

But for those of us who have worked so hard in defence of animals, and who have been largely ignored by Labour since the hunt ban, it would serve as a double blow if Cameron the hunter were to head the country. 

We might now be struggling to make our voices for the animals with Labour at the helm, but Cameron would be stone deaf as far as animal-loving taxpayers are concerned.

Rise and shine Labour, you don't have long to put things right. 

This popular organisation looks set to become a major thorn in the side of the Welsh government and the likes of the Farmers Union of Wales, which was delighted to hear its call for a cull would take place this autumn.

Makes you wonder why we have an MP when our AMs are allowed to ride roughshod over the wishes of the majority?
 
I have written three times to (pro-cull) Janet Ryder AM, based in Ruthin, but have never received a reply. She has, however, responded to others in my area.

This tells me that this woman is happy to take wages from taxpayers like my husband, but is unwilling to correspond with those of us who dare to threaten a “peaceful� organised protest against  the badger cull.
 
With so many politicians doing just as they please, is it any wonder that the public are becoming very wary about their seeming lack of decency?
 
Let’s hope the Welsh Assembly sees sense and stops this needless cull before they do a great deal more damage to politics.

Because if not, I doubt it will ever recover.

What else are we supposed to think, when most Assembly AM's come from a farming background?
 
So not only are we paying out huge subsidies to farmers -  now we are being told to keep our noses out of their business.
 
But should we even be financially supporting the farming industry? After all, the only reason they started getting grants in the first place was because just after the second world war, the public demanded lots of cheap meat. 

Since then, farming practices have become very intensive to maintain the high demand for animal flesh. So as well as lining the pockets of farmers at the expense of suffering animals and the health of people, these subsidies are still being doled out. 
 
We are, however, entitled to know the incomes of politicians and public sector workers, but not it seems the annual subsidy payouts to individual farmers. We should be asking ourselves, why?
 
In any case, I don't think the 'average' citizen would be best pleased to hear that the people they voted for are nearly all farmers (or come from a farming background).

 Nor would they be happy that farmers are still receiving handsome payouts from the public purse. It does smack of looking after one's own interests when a farmer becomes an AM. At least it does to me!
 
Brynle Williams, AM, is a case in point. This farmer was quoted in the press as saying, farmers can't afford to restrict cattle movements. Well they do in Northern Ireland, Mr Williams, and they have a very low incidence of bovine TB.

Plus they don't kill badgers there, and any farmer caught violating cattle movements are dealt with very severely.
 
This should happen in Wales. Maybe then the disease that many believe is caused by intensive farming, would reduce dramatically.

Simply killing badgers is not only barbaric and unhelpful, it's a bit like putting sticking plaster over a gaping wound.

 And apart from being a very expensive short-term cop-out for farmers and ministers alike, remember, it's we, the public, who are footing the bill.
 

Southern Ireland is still killing badgers and yet the incidence of TB is higher than it is in the north of the country, where they have stricter cattle movements and better testing for the disease. Any farmers caught moving cattle illegally are prosecuted.

But is it any wonder that TB is rife among cattle in Wales when so many are kept in filthy, over-crowded conditions?

The life of a cow is one of misery too. She's forced to give up her baby, then has to bear the double burden of producing far more milk than she would naturally for her calf, while at the same time being constantly re-impregnated.

No wonder cows are vulnerable to disease when they are abused like this and kept in an almost permanent state of hunger.

Filth and poor nutrition are the keystones to picking up this deadly disease, so we need to see Trading Standards doing more to prosecute farmers found guilty of neglecting their animals.

Another point worth making is that cattle abroad are inoculated against TB. It seems mad to me that Britain still ignores this as an alternative to killing cows and their offspring. 

By ignoring the Governments own scientific advisers, this Assembly is making a huge mistake. Unfortunately, farmers get public funds to compensate them when cattle test positive for TB.

 In fact subsidies are the only reason most are kept in business. They make a damn good living out of the taxpayer, full stop. 

Even people like me (a vegan) is forced to subsidise their cruel industry.

No other industry is subsidised, so why should farmers be any different? They should not be allowed to make their living from the back of the taxpayer, they should be forced to stand on their own two feet, then just maybe we might a see a dramatic improvement in animal husbandry.
 

The 65-year-old “matador� says he is fully recovered from a triple heart bypass and an artificial knee - fit enough to return to the bull-ring.

In 2004, after killing a bull, Evans was quoted in the Sunday Independent as saying, “The bull was a twat, it was a coward. I just couldn't work with it.�

I mean what kind of mind is capable of causing such terror and pain to an animal and then curse it for dying too soon?

More recently Evans told the Guardian how he practices his so-called skills on young bulls on a ranch.

He also told how he was once gored up the arse (his words) by a 15-year-old cow. No doubt after torturing her for hours.

Think about it! This poor cow spends her entire life being used as a breeding machine, only to be abused by Evans. 

Matadors practice in the slaughterhouse. What is not so well known, however, is that when a young bull is sent to the arena, he is weakened.

In other words tortured for a while until he loses enough blood to tire him.

Then the matador enters the ring to fight the terrified animal before finishing him off.

 Unfortunately, many bulls are still conscious when they have their ears and testicles cut off.

What a contrast this man is to the beautiful and compassionate Vicki Moore, an animal activist who campaigned with great courage to bring an end to killing animals for entertainment.

It seems very unfair to me that Vicki had to die before her time, and old men are allowed to live on to inflict more barbaric cruelty onto their hapless victims.

Here was a woman who put her life in danger every time she went out to Spain to campaign against the grotesque cruelty to animals in bloody Spanish fiestas.

And it wasn't just the bloodthirsty mobs that she had to fear. The bulls being tortured to death and running for their lives were a threat too. 

Mad with fear and in agony, one of these poor animals tossed Vicki into the air several times and left her seriously wounded. 

A few years later she died of cancer, leaving the animal cause without its greatest champion. 

Vicki's introduction to the animal movement had me in floods of tears when I read how she'd witnessed a �fire� bull bound and being dragged screaming along the ground.

This lovely woman was the epitome of everything that is good and beautiful about mankind, and Evans’ is the epitome of everything ugly.

Salford has nothing to be proud of in Evans, the butcher of young bulls. In fact they should be damn well ashamed that this man comes from their community.
 
These are my views and not those of the Daily Post.

For myself, I can forget (for a while) the anguish of knowing hunts are out and about terrorising foxes, deer and hare and enjoy my hill walks without fear of coming across a hunt in progress.

Enjoying the peace and solitude of the Welsh mountains - without a baying pack in sight

The sound of that blasted horn always sends a shiver down my spine, so God knows what it does to a lone animal being pursued by a baying pack of hounds. 

But for now, the chase is over, though the debate I'm sure will rage on.

We all know that the hunters have power and wealth behind them and that they have the Countryside Alliance to fight their corner.

We may have a so-called ban, but it's not being enforced because the Government who drafted it in don't want to be bothered with it.

They could if they wanted, as suggested by my husband, make hunts muzzle their hounds. They could also stop them from using the fox urine 'excuse' on so-called trail hunts.

We also have LACS (League Against Cruel Sports) but it's been forced to sell off property in London and move its headquarters to keep going. But while we anti-hunt supporters lack power and wealth, we do have truth on our side.

When trying to debate the fox hunting issue - hunters always seek to intimidate and bully those who oppose them into submission, with arguments that have no proof.

For instance, they don't know how many foxes there are in the countryside, but tell us hunting is necessary to keep their numbers down.

They claim to kill mainly sick and elderly animals. If this is true, then how can they justify it as control? 

 Then they tried to persuade us that they hunt these animals out of welfare for them - and we're supposed to believe that!.

They also insist that hunting is vital to the rural economy, yet never tell us exactly how this has been calculated.

Sometimes diversionary tactics are necessary

I even heard one hunt supporter say that the fox nearly always escapes the hunt, then in the same breath go on to say that if hunting was stopped, farmers would have to resort to shooting these animals to control their numbers.

I doubt she even realised the hypocrisy of that statement. 

One anti-hunt campaigner had it right though, when he said, "All arguments put forward from the pro-hunt lobby were pretty much an insult to the intelligence of the average person.

"I suggest that anyone from any background, who has watched a tame carted deer running for its life, or witnessed hounds ripping a fox apart (which has sometimes been thrown live to the hounds), would be ashamed to be classified as a member of a human race that brags about possessing a higher intelligence."

In the words of Thomas A Edison, "Non- violence leads to higher ethics, which is the goal of all evolution. Until we stop harming all other living beings, we are still savages".