A female anti-hunt protester was badly injured on Saturday at Graffam (The Argus, September 29).

What a sad indictment of a so-called civilised society that a 60-year-old woman is run down and badly injured.

When is somebody going to look into the behaviour of huntsmen who not only continue to show contempt and violence towards our wildlife but also to those human beings who feel a moral responsibility to risk life and limb in their quest to stop this savagery?

A study of this type of ruthless human behaviour could have great implications for our society's well-being.

After all, it is now accepted by the authorities that many child abusers begin their perversions as animal abusers.

And what is it that makes some of us feel respect and kindliness towards animals and others feel they want to harm them?

Even fox cubs have to bear unspeakable cruelty when they are torn to pieces by hounds in "training".

The hounds do not always get off lightly either. If they do not perform aggressively enough, they are shot and sometimes fed to each other.

Can we really be expected to accept this abhorrent behaviour?

-EA Taylor, High Salvington, Worthing