THE writer J Sharrad (Bolton Evening News, October 12) and others of her ilk would please me, and many other informed hunters, if they could at least do two things: a) call them hounds, a specific species which are not dogs; and b) take their convictions about animal welfare sincerely and assist in the mass slaughter and disposal of the thousands of hunting hounds and horses, not to mention fallen sheep which are used as food for the hounds.

The House of Lords often shows a much wider and more intelligent view than that of the elected Commons. Members of the latter must follow what they see as a vote-winning policy, often to the detriment of ordinary folk -- many working-class people enjoy hunting. To suggest that the majority of British people support such a ban from the findings of a small survey is taking a typically narrow-minded conclusion!

I, personally, do not know of one person, including myself, who was consulted on this matter, do you?

Dr G C Gibson

Czech Republic