Lord Burns Inquiry
PO Box 31010
London
SW1H 9ZL

February 10^th 2000

Reference:
Hunting with Dogs

Dear Lord Burns

In the light of your Inquiry into Hunting with Dogs, I thought you might be interested in my unusual situation and the support I have received from country sports and in particular the hunting community in this country

I am 59 years old and as a life long wildfowler, deerstalker and foot follower of hounds until I was disabled nine years ago by Stills Disease. I am mobile only with the help of a disabled buggy and rely heavily upon my Wife family, friends and acquaintances for support.

As you may possibly imagine a person in my situation am often feel quite isolated, m the light of this however, the shooting and hurting fraternity has been a positive tower of strength for me, providing, respect and community in numerous forms

In the years leading up to my illness in the early 1990's I was active in my many sporting pursuits. Sadly, I cannot now shoot or follow hounds as often as I wish but friends and even strangers have all given of their time so that I can occasionally get out and practice the sports that I love so much

I lived in the Chilterns for 28 years but the financial constrictions of being disabled necessitated a move to Norfolk 15 months ago. For many, this would have been a huge step, leaving behind both family and friends . However I had a safety net in the shape of the local shooting and hunting community, within a few short weeks I was able to make new friends who have offered to help me.

It is this sense of community and willingness to help others that I passionately feel set countrysports and hunting in particular, apart from others.

The people who follow hounds are no less reasonable or kindly than other people, they are found in every region and across the whole spectrum of our society. They raise and donate many thousands of pounds every year to worthy causes and in doing so make a real difference to the quality of so many lives. I feel so strongly that this generosity was going unnoticed I created an exhibition entitled

! Countrysports working for the Disabled ! The exhibition demonstrates quite clearly the positive contribution countrysports can make and highlights the considerable financial support given to projects as varied as Warwickshire Air Ambulance Service, Stoke Mandeville Spinal Injury Unit, Hospices, Drug Rehabilitation Centres, plus many, many more. Without this extensive financial input from countrysports participants many projects would be just good ideas and remain on The Wish List

I may be Disabled and unable to participate as often as I would like but I feel strongly about the need to preserve the right to hunt with dogs. It is without doubt an integral of our heritage and one we should not feel ashamed of.

Whilst I acknowledge that there exists a small but nonetheless vociferous and deeply committed section of society that has little knowledge of country pusuits and consequently finds hunting with hounds disturbing, I do not however feel that this is a strong enough reason to ban hunting. After all, if we all sought to ban what we did not understand or like then the world would be both a dull and uninteresting place.

I hope that my views adequately convey just how important the right to hunt is to my own way of life, and that of many like-minded and like-bodied individuals.

To participate in a chosen countrysport or indeed a chosen religion, must surely be a matter for ones own conscience and not Law

Yours Sincerely

John P A Walker
Founder/Co-ordinator