Fox hunting has been one of the most divisive issues among the British
population in the past few years. On the first glance, the debate seems
like an issue of rural versus urban ways of life, of blood sports
devotees versus animal rights activists, of upper class versus working
class. In reality, however, there is much more to it. Emotionally
charged discussions, from local pubs to the House of Commons, have made
many people lose sight of the factual origins and the background of fox
hunting. Written before the introduction of the Hunting Act 2004, this
book provides a broad picture of fox hunting, dealing with its
historical, sociocultural, political, economic and environmental
implications. Not only does this work offer informative facts and
figures, but it also looks at the political attempts to introduce a
hunting ban and conveys an impression of the heated debate led by pro-
and anti-hunting lobby groups. The book is addressed to proponents and
opponents of fox hunting alike, to people who are interested or involved
in hunting or who want to be informed about this controversial issue in
a larger context.