JOHN Phelps' recent letter, Hunting Act does not Ban Hunting, July 18, might have surprised some readers. However, he does have a point.

When the law came into force I wrote to Defra complaining that it would be impossible for me to prevent my dogs flushing deer out even if I wanted to. This of course applies to many dog walkers.

They replied that the law did not restrict dogs hunting.

The only restriction was on me hunting with the dogs.

It turns out that hunting being an 'intentional activity' all I have to control when out with my dogs is my thoughts.

The law does not protect the deer from being flushed out but me from thinking certain things that Labour MPs deemed immoral while out for an evening stroll.

Of course if I cannot help myself but think bad thoughts of wild deer running away, then I can avail myself of one of the exemptions, shoot all the flushed out ones and remain pure in mind and spirit under the law.

Mr Phelps suggests that removing such legal nonsense would be 'a retrograde step in a modern society'.

I disagree. We need to replace the Hunting Act with a law protecting all wild mammals from deliberate cruelty howsoever caused.

Unfortunately much of the anti-hunt lobby opposes such a law on the grounds that if people were not being cruel to animals they could not be convicted.

Giles Bradshaw

Rose Ash

South Molton