Life is unforgiving for Irish hunting hounds

THE Irish hunting with hounds community is up in arms at the proposal of Environment Minister John Gormley to include hunt kennels under the remit of Commercial Dog Breeding Establishments statutory instrument, which he intends to sign into law shortly.

This statutory instrument allows for the regulation and control of puppy farming in Ireland. One can ask why is the hunt community so vexed at this proposal given that for years we have listened to hunting representatives saying that hunting with hounds has nothing to hide from scrutiny. Surely they are not trying to create a no-go area for animal welfare inspections within the confines of a hunt kennels.

Hunt kennels are run as animal killing centres. Hounds are bred each year and those who fail to make the hunting grade are put to sleep without a backward glance. For hounds that have come to the end of the hunting career a few years of loyal service is met with a meeting with the business end of a needle.