I ECHO S Winn’s comments about hunting (HAS, May 5). We do, indeed, need politicians with wisdom and compassion.

Any modern and progressive government should be seeking to create a caring and compassionate society and should be strengthening laws to prevent anyone gaining pleasure and entertainment at the expense of another creature suffering pain and distress.

Hunting animals with packs of dogs, particularly with a large contingent of people supposedly having an “enjoyable” day out taking part, is no different to badger baiting, dog fighting, etc.

As your correspondent states, those riders can have a great day; we do not need a ban on hounds, horses or hunting – just a ban on the killing for fun.

Until humans can have an ethos of compassion and care for animals and wildlife there is little hope of our societies having true compassion and care for fellow human beings.

Government can move this agenda forward by strengthening laws to ban such cruelty.

Julia Bowles, Sedgefield, Co Durham.