Abstract

The author gives a brief outliner of the causes of the demise of blood sports in Victorian England, one important reason being the class bias. Gentlemen were seen to be civilised and therefore blood sports were not fitting to their behaviour. The author describes how, when the question of pigeon shooting was debated similar arguments against the sport were used, as in the debate over blood sports. He describes these and gives an insight into the views in society during the century. He gives a history of pigeon shooting from it's popularity and growth to it's demise and abolishment in 1921. The author points out the arguments for and against the sport and mainly highlights those which centered around the cruelty to animals and the economic benefits of the sport. The author shows how the intellectual influence on society had changed and had thus significantly differentiated the debate on pigeon shooting from that of blood sport. The author shows how legislation against pigeon shooting could only be defeated through the patronage by politicians or by a member of the Royal Familiy. Eaton