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Hunting dogs: stories of fear and fear of gunshots By: Popi Baka Eleftherotypia – 10/12/2003
FOR SALE – three well trained 9 month old puppies, breed gecka, who show excellent promise for hare hunting. The dogs are also trained to hunt with muzzles for complete protection against poisoning. Contact Mr. Dimitris. Phone xxxxxx' This type of advertisement is typical and can be used as a basis for unraveling the big chapter entitled “Hunting dogs” and all that surrounds them. |
This appears to be one of the favourite lines of verse for the hunters who comb our hills and forests in pursuit of their beloved sport - a sport which every year acquires more and more enthusiasts. How many of us, however, concern ourselves with what actually happens in the forests and more important, what actually happens to the hunters’ friends - their dogs.
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Perhaps the end of the tale will not be a happy one, however, neither for the government which recently passed the law for companion and stray animals, nor for the supporters of this sport which regulates nature by murdering animals, nor for those hunters who call their dogs friends and mean it. It will be particularly unpleasant for those who believe that “the greatness of a nation can be judged by the way it treats it animals”. TRAINING A LIVE WEAPONThe huge subject of training dogs and the methods used – particularly by hunters – has been ignored by the government, despite the fact that the methods chosen amount to nothing short of animal torture. Several of the methods are described below – exactly as described by the hunters themselves in their internet chat sessions:
“ … another solution is the electric collar. Give the dog a shock the moment he takes the food rather than just telling him NO…” “ ... listen, start from the basics in obedience training – kick him if he doesn’t obey ..." “ ... in regard to the kicking, it will probably have completely the opposite effect because afterwards the dog wont come anywhere near you (I’ve tried it many times!) ...”
“ ... the problem can be fixed like this: dip the dog’s paws in a mixture of tar diluted with oil) which all the paint shops have . Do this once a day for four days. Once it dries, it doesn’t show.” “ .. I’ll play doctor as well and tell you another excellent cure. Mix half a litre water, half a litre strong vinegar, 200g copper sulphate and soak the feet. It is very effective. Do it for 6-10 days and then again if the feet are torn!. The problem is this particular dog… It won’t settle down…” “ Come on Kosta, after all this medical advice… and from the dermatologist as well and you still say it won’t settle down. Look, don’t you get it yet!. The dog is missing his homeland. Send him back to Italy and see if he doesn’t settle down!”
“ ... In all the most frequented areas, we have wire traps laid down, supposedly for foxes, but in reality, for the food of the day, which goes by the name of …hare. Of course the dog who isn’t careful may also become a ‘hare’, as happened recently in a village on the island ( a photograph of a strangled dog was published in the local press) and by coincidence, the culprit was caught and prosecuted. We don’t know what’s going to happen yet, but if it ends up in court, well ..." TRANSPORT TO THE HUNT
The first question related to dealing with continuous barking of a dog while transporting it to the hunting grounds. The expert replied: “The most effective method is a little painful for the dog but necessary. It involves putting an anti-barking collar on the dog’s neck. As soon as the dog barks he experiences a small electric shock on the neck and automatically stops barking.” The second question concerned the problem of travel sickness which many dogs experience after the long journey in a trailer. In his answer the expert says: “Unfortunately we don’t realise how roughly we treat our best friend. Just think of how many hours – 3, 4, 5 ... depending on the journey, the dog(s) is to be in complete darkness, to be shaken back and forth, with an exhaust pipe in his nose, forced to breathe toxic exhaust fumes.” With the first answer, the trainer refers straight away to a method which is regarded internationally as a form of torture. With his subsequent replies he attempts (probably in vain) to explain what exactly a dog suffers at the hands of those who in accordance with the law are responsible for the animals’ welfare. AND A LITTLE VETERINARY ADVICE
With the recent passing of the animal welfare law, the government attempted to put a humane face on the treatment of animals. In regard to the subjects discussed above, the torture of animals is a punishable offence and abandon-ment and mistreatment are fineable offences. All the evidence is there and available to anybody who wants to find it. Perhaps it is time for government representatives and animal welfare organisations to occupy themselves with hunting dogs, who although not the quarry, are the indirect victims of the ‘sport’ and despite gaps in the law, these animals are protected by both national and European law. A POEM BY MARIA DAINESThe hanging of unwanted hunting dogs is common place in Greece. The singer songwriter Maria Daines wrote a poem about one particular incident in May 2008 when two hunting dogs were found hanged from a tree. To read Maria's moving poem CLICK HERE READ MORE ABOUT THE PLIGHT OF GREEK HUNTING DOGS
Click on the links below to read more about Greek hunting dogs |
“ The best way to stop a dog picking up food from the ground is to use the ‘spark plug” method
(Yes! You did read that correctly!).
We attach a length of cable about 30 metres in length to a car spark plug. At the other end of the cable we attach a piece of meat ( a good idea is to change the type of meat each time – chicken, tinned food etc). We start up the car and let the dog free. He will soon find the meat and as a result receives a strong electric shock ...”
“… For two months now I have been taking a dog out in the mountains in a partridge hunting area ..... he finds it very difficult to walk in the mountainous terrain; ... his feet hurt continually ... he returns home and is exhausted for two days…”
“ ... It’s a shame we go to all the trouble to raise a dog and at the end you have to get rid of him simply because we don’t understand our dog’s character early enough ...”
On 13 Aug 2003 the newspaper ‘Elefthyros Typos” published three questions, the answers to which were given by a professional dog trainer:
The internet discussions indicate that there are many roles played by the participants. Perhaps the most important is that of vet, as we observed from the following conversations:
We can put the hunters’ opinionated views on Leishmaniasis (Kalazaar) and its transmission into context by comparing them with those of Professor S Charalambidi from the Veterinary School, University of Thessaloniki who says: “Leishmanisasis will continue to constitute a danger to the health of both people and animals in Greece as long as the public is not correctly informed and while they continue to incriminate dogs, an opinion which has no scientific basis and reveals both ignorance and prejudice”. For the hunting fraternity, however, the internet has arisen as the source of all information and those provide the advice are regarded as evangelists.
In regard to the electric collar, the representatives of the Greek Veterinary Association regard their opposition to its use as self evident.
In a recent decision, the Executive Council of the Epirus Branch has already condemned the use of electric collars and the trailers used to transport dogs.
We quote the views of veterinary surgeon, Dr Panos Zois who said, Updated: 19th July 2009