21^st February 2000

Dear Lord Burns

Ours is a unique organisation in that it is the only pack of purebred Otter Hounds in the world to be actually working live quarry. It is therefore a genetic relic, which has been of use to other organisations worldwide. Some hounds have been exported to the United States for hunting various quarry there, some have been exported for mountain rescue and at the current moment in time the Dyfed Police are considering using our hounds. Sadly the Bloodhound in the show ring for generations has become congenitally crippled. Our hounds would not have been available had the Pembrokeshire & Carmarthenshire Mink Hounds not bred their hounds for the last 15 to 20 years.

This pack has a very low kill rate. Our sport lies in training hounds so that when we are called upon to solve problems we are able to. Therefore, from time to time we are called out by people who breed ornamental wildfowl and fish, which individually may be worth hundreds of pounds and therefore the impact of mink preditation, is extremely expensive. Therefore, keepers of exotic pets are grateful that there exists such a service available in the locality.

This pack hunts most weekends throughout the year including the summer. In high summer two evenings mid-week are hunted. This forms a social focus for the local community, especially at the centre of our hunt country, where extra social events are arranged on a regular basis.

Ours is a small foot-pack. Nevertheless, hounds consume in the region of 15,000 calves per year, which is a tremendous service to local farmers, saving them both time and money. The actual hunt expenditure is probably well in excess of £5,000 per annum. It is difficult to calculate all the variables, which should perhaps be included.

With regard to the alternative of drag hunting or bloodhound type hunting, we have experimented with both when training puppies. Our hounds follow such lines at speed and would need to be followed on horseback. Naturally hunting, our hounds hunt slowly, which allows foot followers of all ages to keep up with little difficulty and watch the individual hounds working.

As regards the scenting ability of these hounds and being kept as pets, some are supposedly kept as "pets" however that is perhaps misleading as most show Otter Hounds are in fact kept in a kennel although perhaps individually. This pack has from time to time assisted in providing homes for "pet" Otter Hounds which their owners could not handle. The hounds natural hunting instinct is almost impossible to suppress and the keeping of such hounds as pets if any hunting ban were imposed would be fraught with difficulties. "Pet" Otter Hounds are forever wandering off hunting on their own indiscriminately.

In conclusion, I would ask you to consider very carefully the effect of a hunting ban on this unique pack of hounds. When the otter was protected in 1977 the only pure bred Otter Hounds were transferred to show and pet homes. The officials agree that the breed has degenerated since then. The only recourse to sound well bred hounds and the true Otter Hound is with us.

Yours sincerely

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Date uploaded to site 30 May 2000