From John Rolls Sir: Simon Heffer says that ‘the animal
rights fascists are now turning their attention to the killing of birds with guns’ (‘Gunning for game shooting’, 27 August). He asserts that the RSPCA ‘is heavily politicised and partisan in its opposition to field sports’ and quotes Jackie Ballard: ‘We will get round to try and end this.’ Heffer is right — we are against shooting in principle, but he is absolutely wrong to suggest that we are actively campaigning to ban it.
We did campaign to ban hunting with dogs. We did, in centuries past, campaign to end bear-baiting and dog-fighting. We are campaigning to ban battery cages for laying hens, but we are not campaigning to ban shooting. Indeed, our stance on shooting has not changed for more than 20 years. Look at Jackie Ballard’s quote in context: ‘One day when the RSPCA has a lot of money and has ended all the other examples of cruelty to animals, we will get round to try and end this,’ she said. Last year the RSPCA investigated about 110,000 cruelty complaints and achieved 1,665 convictions for animal cruelty offences. That time is clearly not upon us.
John Rolls
Director of Animal Welfare Promotion, RSPCA, Horsham, West Sussex
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