The Countryside Alliance is urging people to send letters to their local council leaders to express their support for Boxing Day hunting meets, before these events are cancelled.
According to the Alliance, Boxing Day meets are under threat by anti-hunting organisations who are seeking to have these hunts cancelled in a “targeted campaign”.
As a result, the Countryside Alliance is asking people to make contact with local officials to back the continued use of local council-owned lands for Boxing Day meets in the “heart of communities”.
One hunt has already been forced to change its location as a result of the anti-hunting campaign, which will deny people the opportunity to interact with their local hunt, a key part of the festive season, according to the Alliance.
“Boxing Day meets are a special occasion in the hunting calendar, with hundreds of thousands of people turning out to support hunts throughout the festive period,” said Polly Portwin, head of hunting at the Countryside Alliance.
She added: “It would be a travesty if councils denied those people who support local packs of hounds the opportunity to show their appreciation at meets this Boxing Day.”
The Alliance is providing a service on its website where people who are interested in supporting Boxing Day meets can send a letter to local councils who are being pressurised into cancelling the events – if you’re interested in doing this, you can send a letter by going to https://community.countryside-alliance.org/support-hunting/.
“We are asking people to act now to protect this annual spectacle by filling out our form to send a letter of support to their local leader,” concluded Portwin.
