WITH the grouse killing season under way, it is heartening to see how many people now oppose this ‘sport’ because of the harm it does to animals and the environment.
From killing wildlife – including foxes, stoats, corvids and even protected birds of prey – to torching the precious peat uplands to encourage heather growth, shoot operators’ every act is aimed at maximising the number of grouse to be shot.
But ‘managing’ the land in this way is unsustainable. Burning the peat not only releases CO2, which contributes to climate change, but also dries out the land and reduces its ability to absorb water, which can contribute to flooding.
Defenders of this ‘sport’ claim that it has economic benefits and creates jobs, but conveniently fail to mention the millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money being paid to grouse moor operators.
Happily, anti-grouse-shooting sentiment is growing massively as shown by the response to Animal Aid’s recent Week of Action Against Grouse Shooting and the 100,000+ signatures on a League Against Cruel Sports petition calling for a ban.
Find out more about the campaign against grouse shooting by visiting www.animalaid.org.uk/go/grouse.
FIONA PEREIRA
Campaign manager Animal Aid
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