AS a dedicated anti-hunt campaigner, hunt monitor and general thorn-in-the-flesh pain to all animal abusers, I am nevertheless aghast that a Countryside Alliance member should sink so low as to attempt an orchestrated boycott of a small animal charity simply because its founder monitors hunts.

Penny Little is an active campaigner and her monitoring resulted in the “disagreement” mentioned by the Countryside Alliance in your story about the call by a supporter to boycott Waitrose, after the Thame branch picked the Little Foxes animal sanctuary at Great Haseley as a nominated charity (Oxford Mail, February 5).

The law has been passed, hunting wild animals is banned and targeting a small charity that treats and rehabilitates a variety of wildlife is the attitude of overgrown playground bullies who choose to regard our wildlife as their toys to abuse and discard, regardless of public opinion.

Much has been recorded regarding the loutish behaviour of hunters and hunt followers. I can personally vouch for grossly intimidating behaviour directed at myself.

How strange then that the Countryside Alliance should claim that the hunting ban was “motivated by prejudice and spite rather than principle and evidence” while one of its members takes such a spiteful and prejudiced stand against this particular charity.

The time is overdue for hunters to move on, grow up and forget their penchant for mindless vandalism of the nation’s wildlife.

Perhaps hunters possess a regressive gene that impedes progress up the evolutionary ladder? However, I am sure that persistent attempts to grow up would bring benefit. It just requires willpower and a good dollop of compassion.

BEA BRADLEY, Cuxham Road, Watlington