A reader’s anger over ‘double standards’ in animal welfare laws - your letters, plus RAF Cosford bids farewell to Ben the dog mascot in a picture throwback

Readers weigh in: unfair animal welfare rules, concerns over city flats parking, and heartfelt thanks for Christmas charity collections that brought cheer and raised thousands for local causes.

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Supporting image for story: A reader’s anger over ‘double standards’ in animal welfare laws - your letters, plus RAF Cosford bids farewell to Ben the dog mascot in a picture throwback
PICTURE FROM THE PAST: 'Retiring today from RAF Cosford is Ben the apprentices' Pyrenean mountain dog mascot. Ben was to attend his last official engagement this afternoon and given the honorary rank of Flight Sergeant Apprentice. Here his two handlers, Craft Apprentice Robert Johnson, left, grooms Ben in preparation, while Craft Apprentice Neville Hepburn polishes the brass on Ben's coat.' The date is unclear due to the handwriting, either November 1972 or 1977.
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Farmers deserve equal treatment

Carrying on from the government’s abysmal disregard and arrogance over farming. We now know it is proposing an unfair and outrageous double standards in animal welfare across the countryside and nation.

Currently British animal welfare law requires that animals are stunned before slaughter to render than unconscious and insensitive to pain when killed.

However, exemptions are permitted on religious grounds, allowing halal and shechita slaughter by cutting the throats of conscious animals.

Farmers have kept sheep across the countryside for generations. They deserve the full protection of the law beyond the farm gate.

The proposed Animal Welfare strategy makes no reference to this slaughter is evidence of political cowardice and awful double standards when it comes to challenging unacceptable standards by religious groups.

This contrasts with the proposed ban on trail hunting which will do little to stop some criminals killing foxes but, will result in the culling of hundreds of healthy fox hounds.

Perhaps, people in our countryside could organise themselves as a religious group and therefore avoid the ridiculous double standards being proposed by this government.

One law for some, another for countryside plebs apparently. Metropolitan elites are not what is best for our countryside or rural communities.