Just picked up this about the good old RSPCA again

RSPCA fails to re-home hounds

The RSPCA has failed to re-home 11 foxhounds in spite of its repeatedly stated commitment to the Government and the public to re-home 25,000 redundant hounds following an outright ban on hunting with dogs.

RSPCA representatives in Kendal originally announced that they would be able to take all 11 hounds from the Three Valleys Vermin Pack, which decided to disband as a result of the Hunting Act coming into force. Just over a week later, they admitted that they would not be able to re-home a single hound. Instead, the hounds have been re-homed by neighbouring foxhound packs

Jo and the Casblaidd Flatcoats

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Well - there you go!   Didn't any of the Sabs want one ;)

Margot

Well Jo, isnt that damn typical!  bloody know alls aren't they, but when it comes down to it, they are all mouth and NO action!
Dawn.

<The RSPCA has failed to re-home 11 foxhounds in spite of its repeatedly stated commitment to the Government and the public to re-home 25,000 redundant hounds following an outright ban on hunting with dogs.>

But that was BEFORE the ban, now the ban is here, they can carry on neglecting animals and start their next political campaign!

It will be exactly the same with the next election (whenever that is), Tony is already making loads of 'promises', bribing certain demographic groups in the budget knowing damn well that if he is elected again, he can welch on all promises and do as he wishes. We won't be able to do anything about it for 4 or 5 years until the next election when it will be forgotten by most people.

Snomaes

Well, I'm not voting for the slippery little b*****d!! :D

But Foxhounds have no cute appealing factor whereas 100+ Labrador puppies & youngsters in East Anglia do!

It just shows how much they really know about the realities of rehoming so many adult pack hounds.

Foxhounds are beautiful dogs. :)

Labs pups have a cute factor and so do Fox hounds as pups. They are wonderful as are all puppies but Foxhounds are bred for a purpose. I think they are one of the most majestic breed of dogs and have such a presence as adults in a pack :) 

Lucy
xx

I will say if TB gets in again I will be visa application the NZ without a doubt :)

I miss my foxhounds, they used to be kennelled at the bottom of my garden, at least it sounded like it :D :D  They were only a half mile from me as the crow flies and the hunt master and hunt had right of way through my garden :D

I suppose you can't blame them for wanting to have a go :) but where are all the anti-hunt protestors that said it could be done, why aren't they taking home a small pack to curl up in their kitchen at night :rolleyes:  Actually the RSPCA are probably meeting their remit of preventing cruelty by not placing them in homes :)

My point exactly!

Margot

True - if they're so easy to rehome and settle in a domestic situation, why have we never heard any more about the beagle pack that was stolen all those years ago? Only one, castrated and with damaged ears where they'd tried to remove his tattoos, was ever found. If it had been possible to show them happy in front of the fire, I'm sure the kidnappers would have milked the publicity for all it was worth. Their deafening silence says it all.

When I did my stint at Discover Dogs all the Foxhounds on the breed stand were rescued ones - their owners said that thye made great family pets and think that the general public should be made more aware of the fact that they can be rehomed happily. All the negative talk about them being unsuitable is partly what stops folk from wanting to take them on ( in the same way that Greyhounds were once classed as unsuitable for re-homing).

They cetainly were coping fantastically in the hectic 'alien' atmosphere of Crufts and were super friendly large dogs. One of the dogs featured for 'best hero dog' ( Molly) is a rescued trail hound and has been happily rehomed for the past 18 months.

Yvonne

Trail hounds are a different breed and reared differently to foxhounds, Yvonne. They generally don't live in packs, for starters, but instead (the ones I've met anyway) live with their individual owners as pets.
:)

I dont think many Foxhounds from hunting packs end up as rescue!  These rescue dogs may have been show bred (or Trails bred) rescues, perhaps?  Those of us who have first hand knowledge of the hunting hounds pack mentality know how hard it woud be to introduce them inot a house enviroment. By and large the vast majority would not make house dogs at all.  Of course, there will always be the very odd one, who is lazier, less hunting inclined, who may be talked into house training, and safe behaviour around small mammals. And now apparently so do the RSPCA understand the hound mentality.  It's the same with Rescue Greyhounds, they can be loving, calm excellent companions, but it needs a special home to understand the mentality, and the vast majority of retired racing Greyhounds can never be truly considered trustworthy with small animals.
bye
Gwen

Why wouldn't they cope at Crufts? I've seen many foxhound packs at Game Fayres all coping with the "alien" atmosphere and being fussed and petted by the General Public. Ultimately, they need to work and they need a lot of exercise. Most owners these days can't be bothered to take the family pedigree out for a daily walk.

i really LOVED the look of the foxhounds that won the breeders stakes at crufts.BUT me & my friend clare saw them on the benches & at first glance didnt even reconisge them as foxhounds.-& ive seen ALOT of foxhounds.
i saw their write up & it said it looked like theyed work allday (or words to that effect).didnt look that way to me, they looked to heavy boned  & thick set,  although gorgeous & very typey to each other.

what im saying is i really liked them ,but they didnt look like any pack foxhound ive ever seen

the foxhounds,that won the breeders stakes at crufts are foxhounds , the lady how breeds them has put alot of time and dedication into her hounds, one of the stud dogs she uses is the top stud of the north staffs hunt, if you where there on friday you would have seen him.

jackie

Is it then that foxhounds as a breed are very different from region to region having developed on slightly differing lines dependant on the country they hunt.  As I too have noted that the Fox hounds I have seen at shows look very different to the oens I ahve seen hunting in the West country.

yes they do differ from region to region depending on the country, but remember that the hounds you see at shows are in top show condition and the ones you see hunting ,are hunting fit and cover 20 to 30 miles twice a week,it will be a bit like your working and showing labs ,same but slightly differant.

jackie

foxhounds are one of the most magnificent breeds of dog there is, they have wonderfull temperments.they have to , to be able to live in apack of up to 40 to 50 dogs living and eating together. but they are not pets , and it would take many generations to domestcate them.if you have ever had a couple farmed out to you to puppy walk, believe me you will be happy to send them back when the time comes( about 6 to 7 mouth) useully when they start roaming . if you watch there everyday behavior you will see that they are only happy when they are with each other. there is the exception, i no of one that had to have a front leg amputated when it was out on puppy walk, instead of putting it down ,they kept it and it lives on a property with lots of land.
the foxhounds at discover dogs where show dogs and not rescue. hounds dont go to rescue.

jackie

i know about foxhounds thanks. i live in the middle of exmoor & have had a puppy in my house visiting. ive also been many times to kennels.

as well as hunting ALOT in my teens to mid twentys.

maybe they are diifernt in stafford?????? no foxhounds look like that down here.

& im NOT having a pop at the breeder,so theres no need to get so defensive jackbox. as i said how much i really liked them.

michelled, sorry did not mean to offend you , just read my post agian and it does sound a bit sharp,
but as in my other post they do differ from region to region

we also have hunted for many years and love hounds .

thats okay then!!!
have you ever hunted on exmoor & seen our hounds?

i dont just think it was the difference in show condition.it was the difference in bone that suprised me the most. (& it wasnt just me it was my friend too)

i can tell that their breeder is passoinate about her foxhounds as they just oozed quality, & shes breed some really lovely dogs.

hi michelled, no we have not been to exmoor, but from what i understand correct me if i am wrong,exmoor is very rough ground so i would think you need a slighter dog more nimmble of foot,to galop xc. our country is lots of woods, and hedges, and flat farm land, so i think that is why you get them so differant

yes we have lots of STEEP moorland up & down & hilly farm land. abit of woods but not much. i suppose we would need slightly different hounds.

(changing the subject slightly,we have ALOT of lemon hounds down here,loads of them!!!)

i used to ride my skewbald cob out alot in my late teens. she couldnt keep up with the TBs going up hills but shed sure catch up & over take on the way back down (it can be like rollarcoaster country)

i once saw a programme on hearding up the ponies on the mooreland , now that looked hairy.i just like to follow in car these days ( to old and a lot safer )leave the exciting bit to my daugther , she will jump anything in site,6ft hedges 5bar gates .

yes ,ive been asked but never have done that. at the time i had my quarter horse x tb mare who was a total nut case & she would have killed me if wed done that!

i havent any horses at the moment,just do the doggys now

Exmoor are different to lots of other packs, and yes most packs vary. the 'Captain' (Ronnie Wallace god rest his soul) was master of this pack for years after leaving the Glos packs behind. An exceptionally sound hound man his influence is seen ......or was, showing my age now....in VWH and Heythrop, as well as the Exmoor. A very skilled man, horse and hound. it is these types of people, dedicated to the hounds, that made them as they are and it seems a crying shame if that legacy is to be lost because of the few that have no idea what they are talking about.

Hounds vary from hunt country to hunt country, and from region to region....also some packs started life as harriers so are slighter even though now registered with MFHA.
Re the hounds @ Crufts. Ditto they were very attractive, but not typical working foxhound. The staffs hound that was the sire was ok.
Re: exmoor.....visit regularly with the TSH  :)