The Boxing Day Hunt

The Boxing Day hunt exists as the foil to Christmas day; a brutal, primitive backlash in the wake of a day characterised by community and giving. This intentional pursuit and torment of foxes taints the festive period and may soon be relegalised as Theresa May appears set on holding a vote that could repeal the ban.

Since 2004, the hunting of wild mammals has been effectively illegal in England. Yet, notable loopholes in the legislation have permitted a near facsimile of the practice to continue. Restrictions on the use of dogs and the land in which hunting is permissible served to reduce the hunt but not eradicate it. Consequently, the barbaric practice has persisted and not even discreetly. Only today Nigel Farage attended a hunt in Kent; unmissable in his yellow trousers and wellingtons, his presence serving to cement the link between conservatism and blood sports which is growing ever stronger under May's government.

Other than those of Farage, there is something intensely uncomfortable about the photographs of the hunt that have emerged today. Cruelty masquerading as a family day out; images of children riding the horses, groups of men laughing over a round of pints, hoards of people lining the streets to see the hunting party pass. All of this would seem perfectly innocent were it not the premise of the event to harass vulnerable creatures.

Of course, given the current law many of these hunts are, thankfully, bloodless as dogs pursue a scent rather than an actual animal. However, one can't help but feel that this is simply a grudging concession rather than a manifestation of any genuine animal empathy. Were there any real discomfort surrounding the practice of hunting, one would expect such spectacles to cease. However, pro-hunting sentiment remains real and the leanings of the government serve as testament to this.

Yet, wider public opinion can perhaps offer a glimmer of hope. Recent polls have suggested that 84% of the public, in both rural and urban settings, are opposed to the practice of hunting. Whether the government will successfully represent public desires in a vote on the ban is another question, but the fact that the tide of popular opinion has turned against such archaic brutality is, nevertheless, reassuring.

In a way, though, perhaps the ideas of Christmas and animal cruelty are not as disparate as first assumed. 84% of us disdain at the idea of slaughter on the 26th, yet I would hazard a guess that an equal majority had a dead animal as the centrepiece of their feast the day before. The idea of speciesism has, for a long time, been paramount to animal rights rhetoric and remains just as relevant today. Perhaps it is time for a full reevaluation of the ways in which we treat animals during the Christmas season. Why do we feel shocked about the treatment of foxes on Boxing Day yet, spend 11 months eagerly anticipating the pigs in blankets served on Christmas day? For those who choose to see it, the festive period can often seem inextricably linked with animal cruelty.

This sobering thought comes about after seeing the images and details of the hunts that occurred today. It is easy to become desensitized to such things, particularly during the excitement and rush of Christmas. However, here's hoping that 2017 can prove to be a watershed year allowing for increasing opposition to the practice of hunting and the wider mistreatment of animals.

Christmas in London

A visit to the South bank Center Christmas Market.

I hope you enjoyed this post!

Charlotte :)