Every year, a bloody spectacle takes place in the quiet forests and vast fields of Germany: the fox hunt. Over 400,000 of these intelligent and adaptable animals fall victim to hunting every year. But more and more voices are asking: Is this practice still in keeping with the times? Was fox hunting ever appropriate? What impact does it have on our ecosystem and what ethical questions does it raise?
Foxes are more than just skilful hunters. They are indispensable players in our ecosystems. As natural "health police", they regulate the populations of rodents and thus contribute to the stability of the ecological balance. Their presence prevents pests from becoming rampant and supports biodiversity. Studies show that hunting foxes has no lasting impact on their population numbers, as they compensate for losses through higher reproduction rates. Intervention through hunting can therefore do more harm than good. 1 https://www.wildtierschutz-deutschland.de/single-post/bedeutung-fuchs-im-oekosystem
Those in favour of fox hunting often argue that it protects endangered ground-nesting birds or helps to contain diseases such as rabies. However, these assumptions do not stand up to closer scrutiny. Rabies has been considered eradicated in Germany since 2008, and fox tapeworm is one of the rarest parasites in Europe. In addition, studies show that the decline in many bird species is primarily due to habitat loss, a decline in insect populations due to climate change and intensive farming, not the presence of foxes. This is simply nonsense that hunters say because they have to say something to justify their brutal hobby, so hunting foxes is proving to be an ineffective means of protecting species. 2 https://www.peta.de/themen/fuchsjagd/
The methods of fox hunting raise serious ethical questions. Although the Animal Welfare Act stipulates that animals must not be killed without reasonable cause, foxes are often hunted for no real benefit. The practice of den hunting, where dogs are sent into fox dens, leads to immense stress and suffering for the animals. In some federal states, hunting foxes in their natural dens is prohibited, but so-called artificial dens are still used to deceive and kill the animals. Such practices are at odds with modern animal welfare standards and the ethical sensibilities of many people. 3 https://www.peta.de/themen/fuchsjagd/ Seriously, what kind of hobby is it to kill animals?
Luxembourg banned fox hunting in 2015 and has had positive experiences since then. There has been no uncontrolled increase in the fox population and the fears of negative effects on biodiversity have not been confirmed. Ah. Who would have thought that the biologand scientistsare right and the hunters are wrong in their opinion? This example shows that it is possible to abandon fox hunting without causing ecological or social disadvantages. 4 https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuchsjagd
Fox hunting in Germany is based on outdated assumptions and does not contribute to species conservation or human health. On the contrary, it causes unnecessary suffering and disrupts the natural balance of our ecosystems. It is time to rethink this practice and give foxes the protection they deserve. 5 https://action.peta.de/page/email?mid=211ba46b68f84754a8018fb8ed44376d
