tag:judihewitt.welshblogs.co.uk,2008://207 2008-06-05T10:52:18Z Former nightclub singer who has become one of the country’s most active animal welfare campaigners. A member of the League Against Cruel Sports since 1993, she later founded North Wales Animal Rights and maintains a close eye on hunting and farming activities in the region. Her home in Rhyl harbours a variety of animals, from cats to squirrels, and she also houses rescued birds in three large aviaries. Now in her mid-50s, Judi is also a vegan who has been featured by veggie group Viva for her unblemished skin. Movable Type 3.31 tag:judihewitt.welshblogs.co.uk,2008://207.48700 2008-06-05T10:47:55Z 2008-06-05T10:52:18Z

HAVING cared for many birds over the years, I came to the decision to call a halt when my three aviaries started to fill to bursting point and my haven for birds was becoming a bird hell. I only have...

Judi Hewitt HAVING cared for many birds over the years, I came to the decision to call a halt when my three aviaries started to fill to bursting point and my haven for birds was becoming a bird hell. I only have 20 birds left now, mostly pigeons who are much too old to scavenge for a living. But as they die off one by one, it never ceases to break my heart. These birds would have had chicks waiting to be fed, so not only did this person kill around 40 parent birds, he would have killed closer to 100 when you include their young.  Now you might think that crows are a farmer’s pest, but not if a farmer friend from Trefnant is right, when he told my husband Bob (who was then a shooter) that you never kill crows because they are the farmer’s friend. They eat all the beetle-type bugs and grubs that can spoil crops. Crows. like other scavengers. will only attack animals when they are either dead or weak. It’s nature, unfortunately. Meanwhile I have my own broken heart to heal, and a lesson to learn, that I am not cut out to take in baby birds. I have too much difficulty letting go.  ]]> tag:judihewitt.welshblogs.co.uk,2008://207.48013 2008-05-28T10:08:08Z 2008-05-28T10:10:14Z

I HAVE always admired animal welfare/rights groups as dedicated heroes and heroines, which is why it came as a shock to hear that Compassion in World Farming had awarded Prince Philip and Prince Charles awards for their organic/conservation work. Am...

Judi Hewitt I HAVE always admired animal welfare/rights groups as dedicated heroes and heroines, which is why it came as a shock to hear that Compassion in World Farming had awarded Prince Philip and Prince Charles awards for their organic/conservation work. Am I missing something here? It's just that these two men have killed animals merely for recreation, so why would any animal welfare group reward them for doing what amounts to very little in the scheme of things. Artist Jean Bennington and me with painting. Due to Jane's undercover work, she cannot be pictured with her award All I needed now was an award to give. I went on websites, but nothing inspired me. Then I remembered my good friend Jean Bennington, a talented artist who had recently painted a lovely picture of two pigs peering over a gate.  In the blink of an eye Jean agreed to let it go. All I needed to do now was get it framed and include a scripted message on the border. The hard bit though was packing the A2 size picture to be sent down to Sussex, without the glass being smashed on route. I have to say Bob my husband did a first class job because it arrived at its destination intact. Hugletts Wood Farm received the painting just in time for an open day event where Jane was expected to help out. And so Jane received her award, presented to her by the head of the International Society for Cow Protection. Standing by her side for the photo shoot was Dickie, the calf that Jane rescued from a market. I just wish I could show you the picture of all three, but for the sake of the animals, Jane cannot afford to be identified. All in all the event was a great success.  But at the end of the day, the only thanks any of us in the cause really asks, is that our message is heard so that we can bring about change for the better.  The only thing Jane wants from you, is that you take the trouble to listen to the cries of help from the animals and act accordingly.]]> tag:judihewitt.welshblogs.co.uk,2008://207.45760 2008-05-02T11:16:26Z 2008-05-02T11:20:14Z

AFTER disastrous local elections results for Labour nationwide, I hope the party will now learn a valuable lesson. Despite being a previously loyal Labour supporter, even I - and other members of my family - could not bring myself to...

Judi Hewitt AFTER disastrous local elections results for Labour nationwide, I hope the party will now learn a valuable lesson. Despite being a previously loyal Labour supporter, even I - and other members of my family - could not bring myself to turn out. We decided, as I suspect others did, that Labour needs a damn good kick up the backside to make them take more notice of public concerns. But should Labour suffer the same disastrous results in the next General Election, the party will only have itself to blame. And I'm sure the majority in this country don't want to see the Countryside Alliance's man, Cameron, heading the next government. Let’s face it, those of us who care about seeing an end to wildlife cruelty, will have to put up with a terrible onslaught in animal abuse if the Tories win power. But putting aside my own objectives, I doubt the average person would fare any better under the Tories than they have under Labour. If we are to have real democracy in Britain, then we need a political shake-up. How many people abstained from going to the polls? I suspect a great many! Are we now to be ignored just because we kept away from the polling station? We were making a point, surely that's democracy too? It seems like politicians who work hard for their constituents are few and far between: whenever we write to them, they just seem to pass the buck with a letter from Defra or the Home Office to placate us; and they, let's face it, have the same staff whichever power gets elected. But for those of us who have worked so hard in defence of animals, and who have been largely ignored by Labour since the hunt ban, it would serve as a double blow if Cameron the hunter were to head the country.  We might now be struggling to make our voices for the animals with Labour at the helm, but Cameron would be stone deaf as far as animal-loving taxpayers are concerned. Rise and shine Labour, you don't have long to put things right.  tag:judihewitt.welshblogs.co.uk,2008://207.45477 2008-04-29T11:51:16Z 2008-04-29T11:53:07Z

ALL credit to the National Trust for going against the proposed badger cull in Wales. This popular organisation looks set to become a major thorn in the side of the Welsh government and the likes of the Farmers Union of...

Judi Hewitt ALL credit to the National Trust for going against the proposed badger cull in Wales. This popular organisation looks set to become a major thorn in the side of the Welsh government and the likes of the Farmers Union of Wales, which was delighted to hear its call for a cull would take place this autumn. It's great to see the NT siding with commonsense instead of ignorance.    THERE IS NO SCIENTIFIC PROOF that badgers are the main cause of TB in cattle, so it's only right that a large land-owning organisation like the Trust comes out to defend these shy animals.    This is why I want to thank the Trust for having the decency to go against the Welsh Assembly's decision to kill badgers, and for informing the public about the TB vaccine that we are now so close to getting, not just for cattle but for badgers too.   But while we have more AMs connected to farming than ordinary members of the public, we in Wales will continue to be governed by them. Makes you wonder why we have an MP when our AMs are allowed to ride roughshod over the wishes of the majority?   I have written three times to (pro-cull) Janet Ryder AM, based in Ruthin, but have never received a reply. She has, however, responded to others in my area. This tells me that this woman is happy to take wages from taxpayers like my husband, but is unwilling to correspond with those of us who dare to threaten a “peaceful” organised protest against  the badger cull.   With so many politicians doing just as they please, is it any wonder that the public are becoming very wary about their seeming lack of decency?   Let’s hope the Welsh Assembly sees sense and stops this needless cull before they do a great deal more damage to politics. Because if not, I doubt it will ever recover. tag:judihewitt.welshblogs.co.uk,2008://207.44558 2008-04-18T12:58:37Z 2008-04-18T13:05:19Z

I WAS shocked and dismayed to hear that a badger cull is to go ahead here in Wales, despite evidence from scientific bodies that a cull will do nothing in the long term to eradicate TB in cattle....

Judi Hewitt I WAS shocked and dismayed to hear that a badger cull is to go ahead here in Wales, despite evidence from scientific bodies that a cull will do nothing in the long term to eradicate TB in cattle. Unfortunately, once thousands of badgers have been killed, it's too late for the Welsh Assembly to say sorry.   But since this cull has been made public, I've discovered to my horror that we are now being ruled over by Welsh farmers. What else are we supposed to think, when most Assembly AM's come from a farming background?   So not only are we paying out huge subsidies to farmers -  now we are being told to keep our noses out of their business.   But should we even be financially supporting the farming industry? After all, the only reason they started getting grants in the first place was because just after the second world war, the public demanded lots of cheap meat.  Since then, farming practices have become very intensive to maintain the high demand for animal flesh. So as well as lining the pockets of farmers at the expense of suffering animals and the health of people, these subsidies are still being doled out.    We are, however, entitled to know the incomes of politicians and public sector workers, but not it seems the annual subsidy payouts to individual farmers. We should be asking ourselves, why?   In any case, I don't think the 'average' citizen would be best pleased to hear that the people they voted for are nearly all farmers (or come from a farming background).  Nor would they be happy that farmers are still receiving handsome payouts from the public purse. It does smack of looking after one's own interests when a farmer becomes an AM. At least it does to me!   Brynle Williams, AM, is a case in point. This farmer was quoted in the press as saying, farmers can't afford to restrict cattle movements. Well they do in Northern Ireland, Mr Williams, and they have a very low incidence of bovine TB. Plus they don't kill badgers there, and any farmer caught violating cattle movements are dealt with very severely.   This should happen in Wales. Maybe then the disease that many believe is caused by intensive farming, would reduce dramatically. Simply killing badgers is not only barbaric and unhelpful, it's a bit like putting sticking plaster over a gaping wound.  And apart from being a very expensive short-term cop-out for farmers and ministers alike, remember, it's we, the public, who are footing the bill.   tag:judihewitt.welshblogs.co.uk,2008://207.43942 2008-04-11T11:19:48Z 2008-04-11T11:21:38Z

THE Welsh Assembly Government (egged on by the NFU, FUW and the likes of Alun Davies and Brynle Williams) is making the biggest mistake of its political existence if it doesn’t call off its proposed killing of badgers in a...

Judi Hewitt THE Welsh Assembly Government (egged on by the NFU, FUW and the likes of Alun Davies and Brynle Williams) is making the biggest mistake of its political existence if it doesn’t call off its proposed killing of badgers in a foolish attempt to halt TB. What it should be doing is following Northern Ireland’s example. By this I mean STRICT cattle movements and more rigorous testing. Southern Ireland is still killing badgers and yet the incidence of TB is higher than it is in the north of the country, where they have stricter cattle movements and better testing for the disease. Any farmers caught moving cattle illegally are prosecuted. But is it any wonder that TB is rife among cattle in Wales when so many are kept in filthy, over-crowded conditions? The life of a cow is one of misery too. She's forced to give up her baby, then has to bear the double burden of producing far more milk than she would naturally for her calf, while at the same time being constantly re-impregnated. No wonder cows are vulnerable to disease when they are abused like this and kept in an almost permanent state of hunger. Filth and poor nutrition are the keystones to picking up this deadly disease, so we need to see Trading Standards doing more to prosecute farmers found guilty of neglecting their animals. Another point worth making is that cattle abroad are inoculated against TB. It seems mad to me that Britain still ignores this as an alternative to killing cows and their offspring.  By ignoring the Governments own scientific advisers, this Assembly is making a huge mistake. Unfortunately, farmers get public funds to compensate them when cattle test positive for TB.  In fact subsidies are the only reason most are kept in business. They make a damn good living out of the taxpayer, full stop.  Even people like me (a vegan) is forced to subsidise their cruel industry. No other industry is subsidised, so why should farmers be any different? They should not be allowed to make their living from the back of the taxpayer, they should be forced to stand on their own two feet, then just maybe we might a see a dramatic improvement in animal husbandry.   tag:judihewitt.welshblogs.co.uk,2008://207.41913 2008-03-20T16:27:42Z 2008-03-25T08:08:25Z

SO, Salford's Frank Evans will be heading off once more to torture bulls in the killing arenas of Spain. The 65-year-old “matador” says he is fully recovered from a triple heart bypass and an artificial knee - fit enough...

Judi Hewitt SO, Salford's Frank Evans will be heading off once more to torture bulls in the killing arenas of Spain. The 65-year-old “matador” says he is fully recovered from a triple heart bypass and an artificial knee - fit enough to return to the bull-ring. ]]> Matadors practice in the slaughterhouse. What is not so well known, however, is that when a young bull is sent to the arena, he is weakened. In other words tortured for a while until he loses enough blood to tire him. Then the matador enters the ring to fight the terrified animal before finishing him off.  Unfortunately, many bulls are still conscious when they have their ears and testicles cut off. What a contrast this man is to the beautiful and compassionate Vicki Moore, an animal activist who campaigned with great courage to bring an end to killing animals for entertainment. It seems very unfair to me that Vicki had to die before her time, and old men are allowed to live on to inflict more barbaric cruelty onto their hapless victims. Here was a woman who put her life in danger every time she went out to Spain to campaign against the grotesque cruelty to animals in bloody Spanish fiestas. And it wasn't just the bloodthirsty mobs that she had to fear. The bulls being tortured to death and running for their lives were a threat too.  Mad with fear and in agony, one of these poor animals tossed Vicki into the air several times and left her seriously wounded.  A few years later she died of cancer, leaving the animal cause without its greatest champion.  Vicki's introduction to the animal movement had me in floods of tears when I read how she'd witnessed a ”fire” bull bound and being dragged screaming along the ground. This lovely woman was the epitome of everything that is good and beautiful about mankind, and Evans’ is the epitome of everything ugly. Salford has nothing to be proud of in Evans, the butcher of young bulls. In fact they should be damn well ashamed that this man comes from their community.   These are my views and not those of the Daily Post.]]> tag:judihewitt.welshblogs.co.uk,2008://207.41303 2008-03-14T09:53:56Z 2008-03-14T10:09:30Z

AS the hunting season draws to a close, its not just the wildlife that can breathe a sigh of relief: many villagers and their pets can soon enjoy the peace and tranquillity that comes with the summer months. For myself,...

Judi Hewitt AS the hunting season draws to a close, its not just the wildlife that can breathe a sigh of relief: many villagers and their pets can soon enjoy the peace and tranquillity that comes with the summer months. For myself, I can forget (for a while) the anguish of knowing hunts are out and about terrorising foxes, deer and hare and enjoy my hill walks without fear of coming across a hunt in progress. Enjoying the peace and solitude of the Welsh mountains - without a baying pack in sight The sound of that blasted horn always sends a shiver down my spine, so God knows what it does to a lone animal being pursued by a baying pack of hounds.  But for now, the chase is over, though the debate I'm sure will rage on. We all know that the hunters have power and wealth behind them and that they have the Countryside Alliance to fight their corner. We may have a so-called ban, but it's not being enforced because the Government who drafted it in don't want to be bothered with it. They could if they wanted, as suggested by my husband, make hunts muzzle their hounds. They could also stop them from using the fox urine 'excuse' on so-called trail hunts. We also have LACS (League Against Cruel Sports) but it's been forced to sell off property in London and move its headquarters to keep going. But while we anti-hunt supporters lack power and wealth, we do have truth on our side. When trying to debate the fox hunting issue - hunters always seek to intimidate and bully those who oppose them into submission, with arguments that have no proof. For instance, they don't know how many foxes there are in the countryside, but tell us hunting is necessary to keep their numbers down. They claim to kill mainly sick and elderly animals. If this is true, then how can they justify it as control?   Then they tried to persuade us that they hunt these animals out of welfare for them - and we're supposed to believe that!. They also insist that hunting is vital to the rural economy, yet never tell us exactly how this has been calculated. Sometimes diversionary tactics are necessary I even heard one hunt supporter say that the fox nearly always escapes the hunt, then in the same breath go on to say that if hunting was stopped, farmers would have to resort to shooting these animals to control their numbers. I doubt she even realised the hypocrisy of that statement.  One anti-hunt campaigner had it right though, when he said, "All arguments put forward from the pro-hunt lobby were pretty much an insult to the intelligence of the average person. "I suggest that anyone from any background, who has watched a tame carted deer running for its life, or witnessed hounds ripping a fox apart (which has sometimes been thrown live to the hounds), would be ashamed to be classified as a member of a human race that brags about possessing a higher intelligence." In the words of Thomas A Edison, "Non- violence leads to higher ethics, which is the goal of all evolution. Until we stop harming all other living beings, we are still savages". ]]> tag:judihewitt.welshblogs.co.uk,2008://207.40696 2008-03-06T14:24:01Z 2008-03-14T10:30:56Z

PART of my work defending animals from abuse involves taking part in campaigns organised by larger organisations like VIVA (Vegetarian International Voice for Animals). I have to admit that sometimes I'm not in the mood to go treading the...

Judi Hewitt PART of my work defending animals from abuse involves taking part in campaigns organised by larger organisations like VIVA (Vegetarian International Voice for Animals). I have to admit that sometimes I'm not in the mood to go treading the streets holding a placard and handing out leaflets, especially on a freezing cold day. But then I remember why I got involved in animal rights in the first place, and so off I go.]]> Jean Bennington and me - in a cow’s mask - take Viva's message to the streets This Mothers Day Viva wanted to shatter the myth of contentment and reveal how the dairy cow is actually Britain's hardest working mother. After giving birth she will have only a short time with her newborn calf before he is whisked away - never to be seen again. As a final insult, her breast milk - meant to nourish her baby - is stolen and sold. I personally witnessed the trauma of dairy cows after having their calves removed. While out taking an evening stroll late last summer, I recall the anguished high pitched bellowing of cows at the far end of a field (see photo below). I cried because the night before I'd watched their babies playing in the last rays of the evening sun. Although the mental anguish of losing their babies may wane, a dairy cow's physical suffering is constant. The huge volume of milk they are forced to produce often results in emaciation and relentless hunger and the enormous strain on her udders leaves her prone to mastitis and lameness. Her calves also face a miserable future. Females face the same gruelling cycle of pregnancy and lactation as their mothers. Meanwhile males, often too scrawny for beef, may be shot in the head at just a few days old or sent on long journeys to continental veal farms. When they reach these farms, calves will be confined to individual pens for the first eight weeks of their short lives, deprived of stimulation and social contact. These days I can't look at a field of cows without feeling sad.  My hope is that one day people will open their eyes up to the suffering we inflict upon these gental giants and give them the protection they deserve.    ]]> tag:judihewitt.welshblogs.co.uk,2008://207.39580 2008-02-25T10:17:46Z 2008-02-25T10:52:56Z

HAVING spoken to local villagers while out monitoring the local hunt, it’s become clear that media articles describing big increase in hunt support does not ring true at all....

Judi Hewitt HAVING spoken to local villagers while out monitoring the local hunt, it’s become clear that media articles describing big increase in hunt support does not ring true at all. Me skulking round in them there woods Since I’ve been monitoring hunts, I've also noticed there are some in the hunt who will leave the pack before the end of a meet. I'm assuming in some cases it might be because there's the likelihood of a kill - and so they don't want to witness the terriermen being brought in to complete their “evil” task. This shows that some enjoy the hunt but might not enjoy the barbaric cruelty at the end. Unfortunately others thirst for the bloody aftermath. Don't get me wrong, to chase any animal with the sole purpose of killing it, is inhumane. The fact is, all gratuitous cruelty towards animals should not be happening in a civilised society.  We are supposed to be a nation of animal lovers, but we are failing our wildlife miserably and should be asking WHY? Also, foxes are not the vicious vermin that hunts and supporters claim they are. How can they be? Animals are only considered vermin when they breed out of control, but foxes only breed once a year and are territorial so should not be classed a pest.  In a family controlling an entire area, only one vixen will mate with the dog fox. Not so those pets (given the chance) that we nurture and take into our homes. So why are we still allowing those who support hunts and who use language that is simply not true, to control events? I look forward to the day when MPs become less concerned with how many voters they can attract, and more to do with compassion. But whilst they and the police authorities ignore the hunt ban and much of the media still supports killing for fun, there will never be peace in our countryside. While monitoring the hunt near Llanasa, word seems to have got out that “Judi was seen sabbing in the woods”. There is a big difference between sabbing and monitoring. Sabbing would require that I stay hidden while skulking about, but in the woodlands I went into there was only tall trees, dead wood and twigs - so no place to hide, I'm afraid. I suppose what I was doing could be described as "skulking". One of the villagers driving me round from place to place said: "Ooh Judi, take yer hat off, yer look like one of them IRA, for goodness sake". "Sod off," I said, "it's freezing down in them woods and it's very windy on the edges." But if monitoring is more effective than sabbing, then the hunt ban must be doing some good. Live and let live! This is what we should all be aspiring to. Not to hurt is a choice we all have. I choose to speak out for defenceless animals and by doing this, I am enriching my own life. I don't see any setbacks as failure, just lessons to be learned and overcome.     Just a footnote: Saboteurs use horns and calls to distract the hounds from their quarry. Although I have just acquired a hunting horn, it's going to take me until next hunting season to learn how to use it - I'm useless! I make it sound like a lioness’ mating call. Plus using a horn without proper training can cause more problems for the fox than it helps.]]> tag:judihewitt.welshblogs.co.uk,2008://207.39084 2008-02-19T11:35:16Z 2008-02-19T11:36:17Z

IT SEEMS there really is corruption in high places, with high profile newspapers publishing unfounded rubbish from the notorious Countryside Alliance. According to them, hunting is more popular than ever. But how can it be, when hunts are having to...

Judi Hewitt IT SEEMS there really is corruption in high places, with high profile newspapers publishing unfounded rubbish from the notorious Countryside Alliance. According to them, hunting is more popular than ever. But how can it be, when hunts are having to be so secretive about their meets? Of the handful of times I've managed to find the hunt in my area (doing what looks suspiciously like fox hunting) support for it was minimal. We are supposed to live in a democracy. But when newspaper editors who are supposed to inform the public on the truth instead use their powerful positions to spout propaganda (on behalf of their friends in the CA), then the whole industry stinks. It will be interesting to see how they report the findings of the latest poll conducted on behalf of IFAW, the RSPCA and LACS, which found that seven out of 10 people in Britain thought hunting with dogs was cruel, and that the ban should stay. So if we don't see this reported in every so-called intelligent newspaper, we can at least content ourselves with the fact that they are afraid to use it because it damages the Alliance's cause, and because they know we're winning the fight against wildlife cruelty. By ignoring the findings of this all-important poll, they will have caused a great deal of harm to the newspaper industry in general. Although there's always been corruption in high places, particularly politics, people are sick of it! They don't want to see it happening in the media. So let’s have some of those old fashioned values back that my dad used to tell me about. When the papers reported the truth and stood for decency. There is nothing decent about the Countryside Alliance. This self-styled organisation has tried every dirty trick in the book in a bid to get their killing foxes for fun back. Unfortunately we seem to be in a new, even darker age, where cruelty and corruption rule the day. The public needs the press to be truthful and let’s be honest, truth is worth defending because it helps people and animals.  tag:judihewitt.welshblogs.co.uk,2008://207.36705 2008-01-24T12:25:36Z 2008-01-24T12:43:00Z

I MUST say, it was disappointing to see the local media still portraying the Flint & Denbigh hunt in pretty pictures over the Christmas period, alongside the harmless, fun event “Roll the Barrel”. But if my monitoring observations are...

Judi Hewitt I MUST say, it was disappointing to see the local media still portraying the Flint & Denbigh hunt in pretty pictures over the Christmas period, alongside the harmless, fun event “Roll the Barrel”. But if my monitoring observations are correct, hunts are still abusing foxes as before, and by omitting this fact, the press are saying that it's alright for this barbarism to continue. ]]> Fox terror - how can man be so evil? I'm sure the hunt would argue it was only trail hunting. But if this were the case, then why the need to get ahead of the hounds to check if a fox had broken cover? It might also argue it had guns present or even a bird of prey, but it didn't!  Even if, however, it'd had these things, it would still have been allegedly committing an offence by allowing more than two hounds to chase a fox, let alone bite one to death.  It's so depressing to hear prospective candidates like the Lib Dem’s Mark Young spouting off about hunting being a wonderful spectacle, and how he looks forward to seeing it made legal again. Obviously Mr Young must think it's great to see an animal being tortured to death for the gratification of those who get their sick thrills from it. I'm sure if much of the public had seen the terror in the eyes of the vixen I witnessed (five years ago, out towards Llansannan) being put to death along with her three cubs, then I would hope that the likes of Mark Young would never get voted in - otherwise I'd lose any hope for humanity. Sabs rescue exhausted fox from the hunt - Pic from NWHS But the thing that sickens me the most, is when the press depict the hunt as a harmless, colourful spectacle, conveniently ignoring the fact that the pretty pictures hide a grotesque cruelty that most decent people would lose sleep over. Cruel hunters And I'm not just talking about the long-suffering fox here -  the hounds pictured being petted and fawned over by spectators on Boxing day parades are also victims: they're shot long before they reach old age to make way for younger animals, with the exception of the odd favourite, I've no doubt. Any hound pups not making the grade are also dispatched. To be honest, I find the whole sorry saga quite disgusting, which is why I dread hunt monitoring. But on Boxing day, I had the strangest feeling that I was not alone - I felt serenely calm (not like me at all!). It was like I was being guarded by an unseen presence. I know its sounds mad, but that's how it felt at the time, and I've never felt anything like it before.  Butchered fox - note the bite wounds to the tail. Pic from North West Hunt Saboteurs But getting back to the media's involvement in hunting. It has to understand that we can't have one law for the rich and influential, and another for the poor. There's no dignity in supporting obscene violence to animals by those who call it entertainment.  This is why the press has got to stop defending the cruelty in our midst, or we are all lost. ]]> tag:judihewitt.welshblogs.co.uk,2007://207.31898 2007-11-30T13:41:06Z 2007-11-30T13:47:24Z

DURING the hunting season, I receive daily emails about illegal hunting from colleagues who keep a watch on the news....

Judi Hewitt DURING the hunting season, I receive daily emails about illegal hunting from colleagues who keep a watch on the news. MPs and other leading figures know full well that foxes are not vermin, but still they allow the hierarchy to use them for sport.  It's obvious that hunts have been given concessions by this government. One of which was to allow them to use a fox-based scent. This is utter madness in areas where foxes were previously hunted.  It gives these people all the excuse they need to “accidentally” kill a fox. Ministers know full well that real drag hunts only use artificial scents, and that their hounds are trained to follow that scent. But these government figures are too afraid to stand up against the mighty Countryside Alliance. Instead, they allow them the right to ride roughshod over the law.  I can still see these so called anti-hunt MPs back in 2005, giving themselves a pat on the back for partially banning hunting with dogs. But then they all scuttled off to hide behind their highly polished desks when they saw that their half-baked plan wasn't working. Since then, they've refused to revisit this issue. This is not democracy - this is betrayal.  Despite the protestations of hunts and their supporters, foxes are not all that plentiful in the countryside. For a start they are territorial, chasing out any outside foxes. This is why hunts have been known to use artificial earths in a bid to encourage them to breed. It's funny how hunt supporters always neglect to mention this when banging the drum about the need to control foxes. The only way we are ever going to get hunts people to stop sadisticall killing foxes, is if we elect solid MPs who are not afraid to take on the rich and powerful blood-sports lobby. Unfortunately New Labour has been sleeping up with the enemy (Countryside Alliance) for the last couple of years. So until these traitorous MPs are replaced by the good and the brave, these sadistic hunters will continue to inflict terror into the hearts of our wildlife and those of us who detest their cruelty. ]]> tag:judihewitt.welshblogs.co.uk,2007://207.31226 2007-11-23T13:07:50Z 2007-11-23T13:26:13Z

BEFORE I got involved in animals rights, I was oblivious to man’s inhumanity to other lifeforms. It was only after taking in and nurturing an abandoned sparrow chick that I was forced to stop and think about what life must...

Judi Hewitt BEFORE I got involved in animals rights, I was oblivious to man’s inhumanity to other lifeforms. It was only after taking in and nurturing an abandoned sparrow chick that I was forced to stop and think about what life must be like for less fortunate animals, even the smallest of creatures like this tiny bird. Critics of modern agriculture say it is more to blame for global warming than industrial and transport pollution Not so long ago, I saw a letter in a local newspaper accusing me of trying to destroy the livelihoods of farmers. It seems telling the truth about the cruelty involved in animal farming is taboo. They see people like me as a threat to their lifestyle, so they call us nuts!  What they should be concerned about is how their intensive farming methods are killing us all off. But then it all comes down to money. Money is the root of all evil, or so the saying goes. And there is no better proof that watching how the world’s leaders protect the meat industry.  Just listen to our MPs claim that we have the highest animal welfare standards in the world, then consider how most of Britain's so-called food animals are kept. Housed in their thousands and crowded into stinking filthy sheds, lying amongst some of their dead and dying siblings. Even many free-range animals like sheep and cattle have to suffer many traumas, not least transport and the slaughterhouse. Ask yourself why some poor animals have fled marketplaces and killing sheds (only to be shot by police marksmen). They are terrified and rightly so! Take a damn good look at the way we treat animals and be ashamed, be very ashamed. Because I am! But above all, be afraid.....]]> tag:judihewitt.welshblogs.co.uk,2007://207.30517 2007-11-15T17:07:13Z 2007-11-15T17:13:15Z

HAVING just got back from California, some friends of mine asked me if I was sorry to be back in cold, damp Wales. “Not at all,” I replied, “I love North Wales.” For some reason, that seemed to surprise them!...

Judi Hewitt HAVING just got back from California, some friends of mine asked me if I was sorry to be back in cold, damp Wales. “Not at all,” I replied, “I love North Wales.” For some reason, that seemed to surprise them! Breathtaking: Yosemite in all its glory  Around every corner was a surprise. Then there was Glacier Point, one of the most awesome sights I’ve ever seen. The temperature in Yosemite was freezing cold that first day, but 94C the day after. Talk about extremes. I think one of the most memorable sights we saw was a deer with her baby. They were both in amazing condition. Back in the trees there were critters galore. I even saw a skunk, though Bob swore it was a racoon. Believe me, it was a skunk! Back in the airport, Bob had fellow passengers in stitches by describing (with a straight face) the inn we stayed at near Oakhurst: a cross between the Bates Motel and the Adams family residence. He solemnly described how he felt the need to put the heavier suitcases up against the patio doors just in case someone tried to break in. All in all the holiday was a real adventure. We travelled over 3,000 miles and experienced many different places. Would I go back for another holiday? Not sure! The flight was hellishly long and I can’t sleep on an airplane. But if we could afford it again, I might be tempted to return, if only to see what Yosemite looks like in Springtime..... and to catch a glimpse of those elusive bears.]]>