It's cruel, it's wrong. Nothing to do with those red herrings jealousy/politics/toffs as far as I'm concerned, just barbarism that needs ending. Allow it to continue and we might as well bring back badger-baiting, cock- and dog-fighting, burning at the stake, drowning women who own black cats etc., etc., etc., - it belongs in the same age.

And yes, fishing's cruel as well (and I used to be an angler - note 'used to be').