September 22 marks the start of Animal Aid’s first National Anti-Shooting Week.

Every year in Britain, about 40 million pheasants and partridges are bred so that they can be shot down by wealthy “guns”. This bloody and brutal end to their lives is the final insult as from birth they are kept in cages, sheds and pens in which disease and death are a daily occurrence.

In an effort to eliminate stress-related aggression between the birds they are fitted with an array of devices that restrict their vision and prevent them from pecking their cage-mates. Because of the enfeeblement that results from intensive rearing many birds die before they can be gunned down; they perish from exposure, starvation, disease, predation or under the wheels of motor vehicles.

Many shot birds are not eaten, even pro-shooting magazines report that some are buried in specially-dug holes.

Killing animals for fun has no place in civilised society. For a free Anti-Shooting Action Pack phone Animal Aid on 01732 364546 or go to www.animalaid.org.uk Chris Flanagan, Alma Terrace, Fulford Road, York.