British explorer condemns fox hunting after attempting to save dying fox
LONDON -- At the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham, UK, Sir Ranulph Fiennes spoke at a fringe meeting to denounce the Tory's pledge to hold a free vote among MPs on repealing the 2004 fox hunting ban.
Although he contends that he has never supported the sport, this staunchly held position comes as a surprise from the noted polar explorer, who has previously participated in pro-hunting marches such as Countryside Alliance's Liberty and Livelihood rally in 2002.
So why this sudden invigorated condemnation?
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After witnessing the death of an injured fox he discovered on his Cheshire farm, Sir Ranulph, who was the first explorer to cross Antarctica on foot, and his wife called the vet to see what could be done.
They left out food laced with medicine in an attempt to save the animal, however, their efforts were ultimately in vain. After six days, they discovered the fox had succumbed to its injuries, which it had sustained in a hunt.
In an Independent article, the explorer is quoted as saying: “To chase a wild animal with a pack of dogs is illegal and has been for over 10 years. The Cheshire Hunt chased that fox before our eyes and she took six days to die.
"Do not believe hunters when they say the fox has a quick and painless death. Our fox’s death was slow and agonising. You try being chewed to death by hounds."
Sir Ranulph's passionate condemnation of the sport comes as the new Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom, whose brief bid for the premiership included support for lifting the fox hunting ban, apparently backed down from an expected announcement to pursue the repeal further.
Pressure from anti-hunting conservatives such as Sir Ranulph likely contributed to Secretary Leadsom's decision to refrain from reasserting her pro-hunting position.
Sir Ranulph added in a quote from an IBT article, "There is a rich strand in the Conservative narrative about compassion and about responsible stewardship of nature.
"Conservatism has never been about turning back the clock, it has been about progress and moving forward, including applying scientific knowledge to bolster the preservation of our wildlife."
