The campaign to ban the so-called "digging-out" of foxes and fox cubs in Ireland continues. It is an integral part of the cruel sport of fox hunting. Foxes that escape underground during a hunt are retrieved by the hunters with the aid of spades and half starved terriers. The hunters dig deep until they see or hear the terrified animal. Then the terriers are dropped down, resulting in a battle that inflicts horrific injuries on dogs and fox alike. When the fox or fox cub has been dragged from its refuge, the animal is thrown to the pack of hounds. Ireland's Minister for Agriculture has reneged on a promise he made to ban "digging-out"...he now says that this practice can be "regulated" instead of banned and that the hunters can be trusted to "regulate" the activity. We campaigners say it is impossible to regulate a practice that is no better than dog fighting in terms of animal cruelty and that it should be abolished immediately, along with fox hunting itself. This video outlines the objection to "digging-out": http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xyde3n_digging-out-and-terrierwork-must-be-banned-in-ireland_animals