Pro hunting lobby spending spree

[DabDab]

I'm pained on a weekly basis about the damage being done to the countryside and wildlife, but of the things that pain me, pack hound hunting in its various forms doesn't even make it onto my top 10. Shooting and angling probably do though (sorry gundog people).

 

[DabDab]

The current situation makes it difficult to reach the evidence needed for proof. One judge commented along those lines and acquitted someone who he believed was guilty but the act was flawed.

If it was illegal to use animal scents then any hunt found to have used it could be prosecuted without the ambiguity of whether hounds were deliberately or accidentally following a fox. If the hounds were trained to follow an artificial scent like drag hounds are then genuine accidents would be less likely which surely everyone wants to avoid.

I don't know enough about foxhounds to comment really, but I should think they would still be liable to go after a fox even if trained on another scent. I certainly think there would be enough of a question mark about it for the ambiguity to still largely be present. It would probably depend on how the trail was laid - drag hunts follow very distinct lines rather than the winding around type trails that the trail hunts use, where the grey area of, um, misadventure, is far more likely.

 

[criso]

I don't know enough about foxhounds to comment really, but I should think they would still be liable to go after a fox even if trained on another scent. I certainly think there would be enough of a question mark about it for the ambiguity to still largely be present. It would probably depend on how the trail was laid - drag hunts follow very distinct lines rather than the winding around type trails that the trail hunts use, where the grey area of, um, misadventure, is far more likely.

So it might not help with accidents but if a hunt has laid a fox scent illegally then there would be no ambiguity.

 

[DabDab]

So it might not help with accidents but if a hunt has laid a fox scent illegally then there would be no ambiguity.

Why would they? If they wanted to use the prevailing ambiguity to continue to skirt the law, they would just let the dogs pick up a real fox scent

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I really hope if hunts clean up their act and behave that the rent a mob sabs can then be dealt with. They dont bother bloodhound packs or similar, they dont seem to bother hunts that arent hunting foxes, so it should then just stop.

They very rarely bother foot hunts which suggests to me that either a) they are basically lazy and are put off by the country foot hunts cover or b) it's the horses they object to.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Interesting, Its not the same for Foxhounds sadly.

I take it you haven't been to a FH kennels then? I have certainly seen similar arrangements in FH, Harrier and Beagle kennels. What do you think the arrangements are?

 

[meleeka]

Its a good question as too if Hounds ever see a vet? Given they are kept in packs are they vaccinated? wormed, microchipped as per the law?

Someone I know with working dogs once said to me, with a straight face "we don't believe in vets". I'd guess hounds don't get treatment for anything either.

 

[SEL]

I have no skin in the game because I dont hunt - but I do live near the kennels of one of the hunts & the hounds are happy and well cared for. Until my yard road became a rat run it was used as an exercise route and all hounds were in good condition.

It also impressed me how the kennel team had such good control on exercise.

Yes they see vets if needed. Yes they are euthanised if they can't hunt and can't be rehomed. Some go back to their puppy walkers on retirement. I have no issue with that.

It is a kennel set up obviously but then so is the set up of a friend who is a professional breeder with all the relevant council checks. Her ex breeding dogs rarely get rehomed to families either because they miss their pack - it's why she has an absurd number of retirees!

 

[TGM]

Someone I know with working dogs once said to me, with a straight face "we don't believe in vets". I'd guess hounds don't get treatment for anything either.

I don’t think you can extrapolate from speaking to one owner of working dogs to then judging that every single hound pack in the country has the same approach! Like everything there is going to be a range of good and bad in the sector.