Lurcher enthusiasts sought
I have just read the excellent article on Lurchers in NZ by Bob Jeffares. I live on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. I have two wonderful, much doted-on whippets - both of whom are involved in agility (one more successful than the other). I am developing an interest in lurchers, particularly of the whippet or greyhound X border collie type, but am finding it difficult to contact anyone with similar interest or enthusiasm here in Australia. Do you know of any individual or group? If not, I would be keen to correspond with Mr Jeffares to learn more about this intrigueing type of dog. - Marilyn
If anyone knows of lurcher clubs in Australia or in any other country I would also like to hear about them, what breeds they accept and what sorts of exercises or trials they hold, or any other information available. - Ed
Small breakthrough in Korea
A recent article by a Korean newspaper was headed Snake soup and dog meat soup are not food.
For some time now, the Korean media have been complicit in the abuse of animals, giving scant coverage to those who campaign against the country's brutal dog and cat meat trade, yet they allow the dog-eating community carte blanche to promote some utterly bogus health claims to justify their eating habits.
It is refreshing now to read the article published on 19th February 2004, in the Segae Daily newspaper, to note that the media can occasionally be part of the solution rather than the problem. If more newspapers would alert people to the fact that dog eating is both illegal and unwholesome, it would make the work of caring Koreans very much easier.
A separate article, also published by The Segae Daily, refuted the claimed health benefits of dog meat and brought some true facts to light.
But although it is encouraging to see such articles emerging, there is still a long way to go. Those of us who care about animals must continue, for example, to urge the Korean government not to proceed with a recently proposed definition that seeks to establish a legal distinction between pet dogs and food dogs. Many dog meat traders have already tried to employ this spurious distinction in order to justify the slaughter of dogs for the dinner table. - Yoon, IAKA
