Letter: Burns' lesson

SO, ALEX Salmond chose The Complete Works of Robert Burns for his Desert Island book choice on Radio 4 (16 January).
By The Newsroom
Published 16th Jan 2011, 15:35 BST
Updated 16th Jan 2011, 19:32 BST

Burns' views on animal welfare are known worldwide. Whilst Mr Salmond's government have been strong in some areas, they have been puppets to the shooting lobby, acting totally against the sentiments expressed by Burns.

We have seen a huge increase in the number of iconic birds of prey poisonings reported; hares are apparently near extinction due to an extermination demanded by shooting estates, and we are one of only five countries in Europe where the grotesque and barbaric practice of snaring is still legal. Snares are totally indiscriminate, can cause excruciating pain and extreme distress, and could trap anyone's dog tomorrow.

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In The Wounded Hare, Burns wrote, on seeing a recently shot hare: "Inhuman man! curse on thy barb'rous art, And blasted be thy murder-aiming eye".

It is such a tragedy Mr Salmond did not get to that desert island, and actually start reading Burns, before he came to power.

CAROLINE McMANUS

Newmills Road

Balerno, Edinburgh

Related topics:Alex SalmondRadio 4EuropeEdinburgh