Should a dog chasing a squirrel be illegal?
REGARDING Joan Jones' recent letter Restrictions should apply to hunts as well, Echo, October 12, in which she insists that rules intended for dog walkers should be applied to the hunts.
I wonder how dog walkers would feel if the Hunting Act were applied to them.
In theory they now have to prevent their dogs from flushing out or chasing any wild animal including even squirrels.
The only exemption to flushing out a wild animal is if they shoot it or set a bird of prey on it. In my opinion it would be as ridiculous to criminalise hunts for breaking dog walking restrictions as it would be dog walkers when they break the Hunting Act.
All around the country dogs have great fun chasing squirrels and why not? It's a harmless and fun activity. It may be a technical breach of a bad law but that doesn't seem to stop it going on.
Giles Bradshaw
Rose Ash, South Molton
2 Comments
by Giles Bradshaw, Rose Ash
Saturday, October 24 2009, 8:40PM
“I've never trained my dogs to flush out deer but they are very good at it./ I just take them into the woods and the deer are flushed out.
Nor have my dogs had to have any training to chase squirrels they have always done it and they love it.”
by Darryll Scott, Thorverton
Friday, October 23 2009, 7:49AM
“Yet more mindless tripe from Mr Bradshaw, a dog being walked by its owner will not 'flush out' a sqirrel as it has not been trained or instructed to do so by its owner. The ignorance & arrogance of these people intent on breaking the laws amazes me, all we hear from them is that that they are 'exercising the dogs' or going out for 'a ride in the country' when I do this my dog is on a lead & I pick up any mess that they may leave behind - if as the law breaking hunters would like you to believe their actions are innocent then surely they wouldn't object to having the hounds on leads & picking up all mess that they leave behind!”