Surprised there are no Feral dogs in britain

connerlake · #1 (**permalink**) 08-12-2009, 04:09 PM

Seeing as dogs/foxes/wolves have always been here why are there no feral sog populations? there are in so many other countries but why not here? i know we have stray dogs but its hardly the same, they ALWAYS get picked up or run over and never get the chance to reproduce.

dunlin · #2 (**permalink**) 08-12-2009, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by connerlake

Seeing as dogs/foxes/wolves have always been here why are there no feral sog populations? there are in so many other countries but why not here? i know we have stray dogs but its hardly the same, they ALWAYS get picked up or run over and never get the chance to reproduce.

I think you've answered your own question connerlake. I do remember as a child there was a large group of ferel cats near where i live that wouldn't let you approach them. I should imagine theres a man at the council that deals with them.
regards mark........

connerlake · #3 (**permalink**) 08-12-2009, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dunlin

I think you've answered your own question connerlake. I do remember as a child there was a large group of ferel cats near where i live that wouldn't let you approach them. I should imagine theres a man at the council that deals with them.
regards mark........

Yes but cats manage it, we've got feral cats around here. Also dog catchers haven't been going for nearly as long as we've had stray dogs?

Paul mabbott · #4 (**permalink**) 08-12-2009, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by connerlake

Yes but cats manage it, we've got feral cats around here. Also dog catchers haven't been going for nearly as long as we've had stray dogs?

The difference, I think, is that cats have a certain native intelligence whereas most dogs are seriously stupid and couldn't survive long without their human. This probably goes back to the fact that dogs were adapted as working animals whereas cats have always been pets or objects of worship. Dogs had to give up a lot of their natural behaviour to survive whereas cats have managed to get away with doing sfa.

Just imagine what would happen in a town if a rottweiller were left to its own devices and what would happen if a cat were?

dunlin · #5 (**permalink**) 08-12-2009, 06:48 PM

I think cats have retained a bit more of their wild character compaired with dogs.
Do you get packs of wild dogs in europe? i would imagine a pack could do quite a bit of damage to live stock.
regards mark.....

connerlake · #6 (**permalink**) 08-12-2009, 06:57 PM

well, there are feral dogs everywhere else in the world, turns out the Dingo is actually a feral dog, and there are feral dogs in India and around Europe.
I do see what you are saying tho i still cant understand it.

dunlin · #7 (**permalink**) 08-12-2009, 07:15 PM

I think for them to become established as a wild pack you would need a vast area of land with plenty of prey to sustain them and somewhere that humans dont come into contact. That rules britain out but im sure these places exist.

connerlake · #8 (**permalink**) 08-12-2009, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dunlin

I think for them to become established as a wild pack you would need a vast area of land with plenty of prey to sustain them and somewhere that humans dont come into contact. That rules britain out but im sure these places exist.

This might seem argumentative and i assure you it isnt and im not, but what?? i dont know how much of Britain you've seen but if you think there inst many places with prey and vast lands or places where there are few people (the highlands as one example) then your wrong.

dunlin · #9 (**permalink**) 08-12-2009, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by connerlake

This might seem argumentative and i assure you it isnt and im not, but what?? i dont know how much of Britain you've seen but if you think there inst many places with prey and vast lands or places where there are few people (the highlands as one example) then your wrong.

I agree with you the highlands are a vast area and pretty sparsely populated.
But there are hikers, crofters and gamekeepers about. I dont think a pack of dogs could survive on rabbits.
Once they start taking sheep and deer there presence would be soon noticed. And someone would be along to dispatch them.

fairplay · #10 (**permalink**) 08-12-2009, 08:35 PM

I suppose you could say Suffolk is sparsely populated.
Wherever you go in the heathlands or forests here, you see 'lost dog' signs all over the place, but if these do not return home, they are quickly shot before they can do any serious damage to stock or wildlife, and that, thankfully, is the reason we get no feral packs in this area.

Neil.