The social media post has become all too familiar: a picture of a dog, an appeal, a phone number, the details of the crime. The comments, too, are depressingly recognisable — promises to share, pictures of similar-looking dogs found online, condolences. The theft of gundogs has become part of the way of life for people involved in shooting.
Last month Shooting Times reported on the case of Emily Kretz and her boyfriend Francis Bere, a gamekeeper, whose springer bitch was stolen from a kennel in Somerset (News, 19 February). Emily called the theft “a punch to the heart”. Just a few weeks earlier, gamekeeper Reece Ronald had all four of his working dogs taken from his kennels.
The fact that gundogs are stolen is no secret, but one question has always remained unanswered. Who steals them and where do they go?
Two stories circulate persistently on social media about the fate of stolen gundogs. The first is that these unfortunate animals are used to train fighting dogs. The thought of a friendly spaniel or an easy-going labrador meeting this barbaric fate is deeply distressing.
It is a fear that has been promoted in salacious tabloid reporting but there appears no evidence for it. A gundog is not only particularly ill-suited to dogfighting, it is also a valuable item. Consigning one to certain death is simply a waste.
The other persistent rumour is that gundogs are stolen for use in puppy farming operations, with Ireland often being cited as their ultimate destination. There is a little more evidence to support this claim.
Stolen gundogs certainly have gone to puppy farms. In 2010 a springer bitch called Biscuit was stolen from her owners’ home. It was a carefully planned operation, with the thieves cutting through the glass in a door moments after Biscuit was dropped off at home by a dog minder.
Denne historien er fra March 04, 2020-utgaven av Shooting Times & Country.
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Denne historien er fra March 04, 2020-utgaven av Shooting Times & Country.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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United we stand
Following United Utilities' decision to end grouse shooting on its land, Lindsay Waddell asks what will happen if we ignore our vital moors
Serious matters
An old gamebook prompts a contemplation on punt-gunning
They're not always as easy as they seem
While coneys of the furry variety don't pose a problem for Blue Zulu, he's left frustrated once again by bolting bunnies of the clay sort
Debutant gundogs
There's lots to think about when it comes to making the decision about when to introduce your dog to shooting
When the going gets rough
Al Gabriel returns to the West London Shooting School to brush up on his rough shooting technique
The Field Guide To British Deer - BDS 60th Anniversary Edition
In this excerpt from the 60th anniversary edition of the BDS's Field Guide To British Deer, Charles Smith-Jones considers the noise they make
A step too far?
Simon Garnham wonders whether a new dog, a new gun and two different fields in need of protection might have been asking too much for one afternoon's work
Two bucks before breakfast
A journey from old South London to rural Hertfordshire to stalk muntjac suggests that the two aren't as far detached as they might seem
Stalking Diary
Stalkers can be a sentimental bunch, and they often carry a huge attachment to their hill
Gamekeeper
Alan Edwards believes unique, private experiences can help keepers become more competent and passionate custodians of the countryside