As an animal-lover, I have spent a lot of time in the country, the West Country being my favourite place.

Recently, while I was enjoying a quite time in a local pub garden in Dartmoor, the couple sitting on the next table were extolling the virtues of snares.

The girl said her mother caught nine foxes recently in snares. She seemed most proud of the fact.

I wonder how often the unfortunate animal has chewed off its leg in order to escape, or how many pets have been trapped in this way.

To call ourselves a nation of animal-lovers is ridiculous, as we still allow this practice to continue.

This is why I could never live in the countryside – I have found most country dwellers have no compassion for wildlife at all.

If it doesn’t make money, they are not interested in it.

Sylvia Harwood, Old Shoreham Road, Hove