WHAT’S in a story?

A sheep is mauled by two feral dogs, abandoned by their owners.

This is reported with front page headlines as a “Vicious farm attack” (Journal, February 19), complete with pictures to vividly show the distress caused.

Are we told about it in that way when we hear of the dramatic end of a fox mauled by a large pack of dogs, cherished and orchestrated by their owners?

When I read about fox deaths they are reported as part of a traditional spectacle. The horses and hounds that epitomise such tradition are seen as an attractive rural heritage. There are no distressing pictures shown.

And yet the sheep and the fox are victims with a common bond. Both are warm-blooded creatures with their own unique place in life’s rich tapestry.

Interestingly, the vicious deaths experienced in both scenarios are the ultimate responsibility of a warm-blooded creature, of superior “intelligence”, that you can accost any day in a mirror.

Michael T Parker

Sedgeberrow