Huge discrepency in Hunting hound numbers needs explaining?

national | animal rights | press release

Wednesday July 07, 2010 12:25

by Bernie Wright - Association of Hunt Saboteurs

berniew at esatclear dot ie

PO Box 4734. d 1

0872651720

sab dispute HAI Gavin Duffys claim of 60,000 hounds with Irish hunts.

The Secret lives and deaths of 60,000 Irish hunt dogs?

The Irish Hunters are so paranoid regarding the inspections related to the upcoming Dog Breeding Bill ,that we in the AOHS have decided to try and count the numbers of hounds that Hunts have and that are relevant to this legislation, these dogs would currently be residing in Irish hunt kennels.

Having read the quote from Chairman of the HAI Gavin Duffy that ‘’60,000 hounds’’ resided here. He quoted this figure at a recent Navan HAI protest meeting a few months ago. We decided to gather the facts printed in the hunts own publications to verify this figure.

Hunting hound hanged.

Having read the quote from Chairman of the HAI Gavin Duffy that ‘’60,000 hounds’’ resided here. He quoted this figure at a recent Navan HAI protest meeting a few months ago. We decided to gather the facts printed in the hunts own publications to verify this figure.
See quote on http://www.farmersjournal.ie/2007/1208/farmmanagement/h...shtml

AOHS spokesperson says

’‘Having checked the hunts own publicised records in the irish Field directory and compiled these figures as to numbers of hounds in Ireland we had A SURPRISING RESULT! We had a shortfall of over 54,000 hounds and we are really interested to know is
how many hunt hounds are here in Ireland and if the number of 60,000 is correct?’’

Approximate Amount of hounds in packs as per Irish Field Directory.(couples}118 packs listed.[We estimate 214 packs]
Foxhounds: 1428
Harriers: 886
Beagles: 299
Bloodhounds: 35
Staghounds: 50
Minkhounds not known/3 Packs. [possibly 60 dogs]

2698 Total hound couples in IMHA AFFILIATED packs (couples} equals 5396 dogs.
[We do realise that there are also unregistered/unaffiliated packs also but this cannot account for such a big discrepancy?]

So Questions that need answering

• If approximately 5-6,000 hounds are in the hunting packs, where are the other hounds?

• What are the others used for [55,000 dogs?] if not in packs?

• Are the surplus kept as spare HUNTING dogs?

• How many are breeding females.?

‘’We challenge the hunters to let us know how the figure of 60,000 dogs was calculated.
It’s a hell of a lot of dogs to be inspected OR Not as the case may be?’

We invite the media to solve this mystery please!

ALSO HOW MANY DOGS ARE KILLED BY HUNTS.

We spoke to a Veterinary Surgeon in County Meath some years ago who was engaged by two local hunts. Casually he told us that 30 dogs in each of those hunts were killed each year.
When asked why and if these dogs were injured or ill he said no, but some might have uterus problems from breeding but that was all.
So if 30 dogs on average per hunt are killed ,that figure multiplied by the total of affiliated and non-affilliated hunts, stated above by the HAI as 250 hunt clubs equals 7500 dogs killed and disposed of annually.

Hounds are killed when they cannot do their job. No figures are available .In reality hounds are tools of a cruel trade- tools to be callously disposed of as soon as they are worn out.by the time the hounds reach about five years they are considered to be too old and are taken to a Vet or shot by the hunters themselves. This is to ensure the best hounds are left to provide entertainment for those who hunt.
The hunt say hounds cannot be domesticated or rehomed, despite many being homed by rescues.
They say the kindest thing is to kill them! Kindest or most convenient?

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Comments (5 of 5)

Question?

by Mike Novack

Thu Jul 08, 2010 12:02

"• If approximately 5-6,000 hounds are in the hunting packs, where are the other hounds?
• What are the others used for [55,000 dogs?] if not in packs?
• Are the surplus kept as spare HUNTING dogs?"

Are you Irish THAT unlike us over here? You people don't keep dogs as pets? Or if you do, you don't keep those of breeds that originated for hunting purposes?

MOST American Labrador retrievers have never swum out into an icy pond to retrieve a shot down duck or goose.
MOST American goden retrievers or springer spaniers have never done that for birds in the field.
MOST American pointers, setters, etc. while they might hopefully shown their human partner where the bird is have never had their "hunting partner" bring it down becuae just walking on lead in the park.
MOST American beagles, basset hounds, etc. while they might track game while on their own don't have a pack of other dogs to bring it down.
etc. etc. etc.

So the question is, are you Irish really different in that regard? None of you keep "hunting dogs" as pets?

Good imagination.

by Farmer.

Fri Jul 09, 2010 16:34

"If approximately 5-6,000 hounds are in the hunting packs, where are the other hounds?"
Answer:
They are in the imagination of the person who posted the article.

I disagree

Fri Jul 09, 2010 20:35

I don't think imaginary. I think just divorced from the reality of dog breeds, dog ownership, and what percentage of dogs of "working breeds" are simply pets.

Aren't there at least a few Irish wolfhounds in Ireland? Well none of these are in a wolf hunting pack since it's been several hundred years since the last wolf left in ireland was killed. Don't at least some of you have a Norwegian elkhound (no elk left if there ever were) or a Rhodesian ridgeback (certainly no lions). Presumably there are at least a few huskies/malamutes but probably none of them have ever been part of a team pulling a sled.

Come on now! Author of the original piece, use your noggin. Don't you know ANYBODY who has a sheep dog but no sheep? You would find it odd that there are many times more sheep dogs than flocks? So why would you find it odd when it's the hound type of dogs. Many of those breeds are popular over here AS PETS.

These hounds are unlikely to be kept as pets

by Citizen

Sat Jul 10, 2010 01:23

"I think just divorced from the reality of dog breeds, dog ownership, and what percentage of dogs of "working breeds" are simply pets."

Mike, the type of dogs typically used by Irish fox hunts are not really suitable for nor often kept as pets. Trust me I know. A relative of mine often used to take care of them and bring up their puppies for use by a local hunt. They are unlikely to be kept for any purpose except to hunt foxes in a pack. Smelly big bastards and they often killed each other in fights according to my relative.

Read the Link

by Ed

Sun Jul 11, 2010 17:11

Hi Mike and Farmer,
The link in the article is where the figure of 60,000 dogs comes from, the author of the indymedia article refers to this. This link refers to dogs under the control of hunting clubs.

To quote:
"Many of the hunt clubs have been breeding hounds for generations…………. An appalled HAI chairman Gavin Duffy said: "This beggars belief when it is considered that these bodies have control of over 60,000 dogs/hounds and with over 300,000 people involved.""

This is not a reference to dogs regarded as "pets"; it is a reference to dogs under the control of hunting clubs. The quote comes on the back of a well funded and well connected professional lobbyist campaign by hunters. They tried to keep dogs within hunt clubs from being inspected under the recent Dog Breeding Establishment Bill.

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Huge discrepency in Hunting hound numbers needs explaining?

Comments (5 of 5)