Hounds lifespan

[WaldoMcFroog]

I recently read that fox hound is put down at the age of two, and therefore the Pro lobby's talk of needing to rehouse the dogs (which clearly comes across as a responsible attitude towards their animals) is flimflam. Anyone know whether this is true?

[Quizmonster]

If you click here, that will link you to a web-page which might help. Obviously, the site is partial, but it suggests five or six hunting-seasons is about the average lifespan, though the breed might 'normally' expect to live for over double that.

In any case, the entire 'pro' case is flim-flam, Waldo. Hunt servants have even been filmed building dens and providing food for vixens and cubs. Guess why!

[andy hughes]

As i said earlier - country dwellers' and city dwellers' attitudes to animals are opposite ends of a scale - we have pets, they have working animals, livestock, and vermin. Fox hounds are working dogs, when they have outlived their useful livs, the get a bullet in the ear. It's highly unlikely that a pack hound could be re-homed in a domestic environment - they are pack dogs, and they like killing things - foxes, other dogs, cats, rarbbits, they're not fussy. Again, the hypocracy of the fox hunters comes to the fore - they regard animals differently, no problem with that per se, it's the pretence that no-one else understands except fellow country dwellers. I've never handled a gun in my liffe, but I certainly have an opinion about shooting laws - direct experience is not a pre-requisite to recognising the cruelty inherent in fox hunting. Whether the hunting fraternity like it or not, this is a democracy and the majority - even without direct experience - find hunting with dogs abhorent, and it is on its way out - they'd better learn to live with it, or rather, without it.

[andy hughes]

I should add that I posted my previous answer before i read QM's link. Now that I have read it, it appears to support what I said.

[el duerino]

what are your opinions about shooting laws andy?

[WaldoMcFroog]

Thanks both - I am anti-hunting, but I would like to hope I checked my facts before adding them to my case!

One of the arguments I particularly dislike for its flim-flam is the vermin one. If fox hunting were about killing vermin, it'd be done by a bloke in overalls, like it is for every other kind of vermin.

[Toffee]

Hear hear! to you all. When we,ve got this one out of the way, can the government show the courage of the Irish and bar smoking from all public places and workplaces? (OK, they only did workplaces.) I think I'd better make that a separate post if anyone can suggest where it would be most appropriate to post it.

[cheyenne]

we have to wait 2 years for a ban?do it now.

[stormcat]

Hear hear - will the goverment now tackle the transport of animals and live exports?

[Toffee]

Stormcat, I don't like cruelty to animals, wild or domestic, but I'm not freakish about it. I'll leave animals to you so long as tou leave out violence. I think our treatment of human beings is on a somewhat different plane and is a priority.

[andy hughes]

Re. the question to me about shooting laws, it's very simple. Ask someone if they would like to own a gun. If they say 'Yes', the should automatically be prevented from ever owning a gun, ever!

[Drewhound]

From experience I know very well most people go hunting for a good day out, it's as easy as that. You've got your answer for the hounds, do you also know that hunts only kill about 20% of the foxes that are killed every year, an enormous number are shot every year and a large number are road victims The reality is that banning hunting will have little effect on the fox numbers, and therefore problems with foxes, in all but a few areas. My wife used to love hunting and then she switched to drag hunting, the result was she had a better days riding than before, she thinks its ridiculous that they dismiss drag hunting out of hand There is some hypocrisy though. Take a look at animal and garden questions and you will find frequent questions about cats fouling gardens. Inevitably someone will suggest an air rifle. Apart from being extremely cruel it does seem peoples attitudes are different when the pest gets their personal attention, make no mistake, foxes do need to be controlled, man has created an environment in which they thrive without that control

[hunter]

storm cat ur suggestion that the goverment ban live exports in is idoitic and inconsiderate.my family rely on live exports to survive surely you would not dent them foof and water.