Further Update On New Lurcher Association

[Dewclaw69 484]

tomorrow morning, 2 members of our steering group meet with Tim Bonner, chairman of the Countryside Alliance to attempt to find some mutually beneficial ground on which to go forward.

Here's to the future.

 

Please see the pinned post at the top of this section.

 

Cheers Rob

[stealthy1 3,964]

I still think there's to much emphasis on hunting with in this new club, as soon as you mention hunting, ordinary joe will balk you. When the hunting act left us with rabbits and rats, it was just a fob off, and that fob off is drawing to an end. Fluffy rabbits hunted with dogs is just not acceptable to people that don't understand it. Even rats to terriers is coming to an end, not because the rat has friends, it's because people won't put up with terriers with rat bitten blood stained faces for much longer, and that's just the way the world is now. If you want to protect the lurcher and it's heritage, for the long haul, then you have to promote the dog, and not it's past as a hunting dog. Or your just preaching to those that already know.

[Joe1888 672]

support from the lurcher link might be handy, they do alot of good for lurchers, and dont mind rehoming to working homes

[desertbred 5,490]

Any working dog breed cannot be separated or isolated from its natural instincts and traits. Additional skills can be taught to various breeds this is dependant on natural abilities and instincts. Lurchers from various crosses have been developed over time to suit environment, terrain and quarry. as well as preference of owners for certain traits, size colour coat etc. Man has through out history formed his bond and relationship with dogs to suit his needs be it as guard, hunter guide or just a companion. If the qualities are emphasised then any negative points that the non initiated might see can be minimised by showing the good qualities in certain breeds in this instance the lurcher breeds, yes natural for them to have hunting instincts but this can be adapted to include search and rescue, obedience ,agility training , passive training for hospital, old folks homes and school visits So rather than trying to conceal hunting traits include these in the long list of the positive qualities of the various breeds.of Lurcher

[trenchfoot 4,243]

just to keep everybody up to date.

 

The meeting with The Countryside Alliance on Wednesday went really well. Tim Bonner has agreed that more needs to be done by them to publicly support lurcher work, and that it needs to distance itself from the kind of guff that gets posted on Facebook and such like. As such Penny Taylor is writing an article on lurcher work for the next CA members magazine. And it is envisaged that this will be be the first of many, by a number of authors. Beyond this he will look for opportunities to promote lurchers and lurcher work both within the sporting and mainstream media.

 

But where does this leave the new "lurcher association"? Well he accepted that he would be willing to work alongside any group that promotes best practice. He see's the CA's role as a conduit for information. supplying information to its members, and supplying the media with accurate information on issues that affect its members. A new, modern lurcher group would make supplying that information, in either direction so much more effective.

 

So what happens next? well there are a few I's to dot, and T's to cross, but It could become a reality. By having a united voice for lurchers and lurcher work, we can lobby the CA to represent us politically and publicly, and they want to do it.

 

To try and ensure that the new organisation is as transparent as possible in its agenda, the steering group suggest that once a website for LAGBI is up and running, a committee can be elected. We are looking into a way that this can be done on the website by nominations and voting by any interested parties. Once that is done the elected committee can decide the best way forward.

 

We hope you appreciate there are some details that have not been disclosed yet, but we feel it would be unfair on certain individuals to do so right now. Again, once a committee is elected they can decide on all you behalves, which way things should be taken.

 

We hope this meets some of your expectations. Remember, we need a united voice, and the more of us that ask to be counted, the louder and more insistent that voice will become.

 

Many thanks for your support and patience on this matter,

 

LAGBI steering group.

Just like my dogs. Black and white. But as I get older, I start to see shades of grey.

[MickyB 327]

Thanks for the update TF, sounds like its really getting going now

[stealthy1 3,964]

Tip my hat to P.T.

[northern lad 2,292]

Well done to all concerned...a step in the right direction

[northern lad 2,292]

Tip my hat to P.T.

+1.Well done Penny

[mad4it 695]

thank you for the up date now the ball is rolling it can only get bigger.

[desertbred 5,490]

Come on folk lets have some input suggestions etc. I see only 6 folk following the topic pretty dismal for a hunting forum with thousands of members.

[Flipper_Al 1,012]

If you need a hand with the digital/internet type stuff give me shout...sure I can spare a few hours to help out

[NEWKID 27,209]

That seems to have been a very positive first meeting, well done to all concerned.

Perhaps localised meets would be good to spread the word as such, not everyone is on THL, a few of the lads I do a bit with aren't and are true dog men who I reckon would be interested in this.

As this develops even hiring a room in a pub, village hall, club etc and putting a small meet together to spread the word may work?

I feel there's a lot of questions that will be thrown about as we all hunt/act and think differently, but surely a united voice is a good thing?

[NEWKID 27,209]

Another thing...

Education should be a key thing here IMO.. Educating lads on all aspects of the game.

From the dogs welfare though to respect for the land and quarry, we are all going to be insular in our ways, it's part of the nature of the game, but perhaps we have to open up a bit, take a youngster ( or older chap) out and show them the correct ways.

Try and stop some of the crap in the game make these lads have pride in there dogs instead of the kill..

[mad4it 695]

education has got to be the key tbh and the way forward