10 JULY 2004, Page 27

Hunting in earnest

From John Wells Sir: Jessica Pownall misses the point (Letters, 3 July). First, foxes are not ripped apart alive. The leading hound kills it with one bite, as a terrier kills a rat. Secondly, foxes are a serious pest, killing not just poultry but young lambs as well. They are certainly not hunted just for entertainment.

John Wells

Throwleigh, Devon