Those vegetarians sure are scary!
I have to say that if you thought the Crufts rumours I highlighted in the earlier blog were bizarre, it seems the hysteria is if anything still picking up! The veggies of Northants must have some infrastructure if they're going to pull all of these things off!
Here's my pick to date - and this is just harvested from one thread from one show forum:
On the protesters:
In the words of Michael Winner (almost), "Calm down madam, it's only a dog show!"
Just had a comment on this blog asking what I am trying to achieve. I guess what I'm hoping for is that people will start calming down and seeing how ridiculous all this is.
Both sides in this debate love dogs and imagining that those who want health reform want to do their dogs harm is obviously illogical. But the more people scare each other the easier it is to believe in bogeymen.
Here's my pick to date - and this is just harvested from one thread from one show forum:
"I have just had a call saying that there is going to be a rolling road block using 100 coaches for the duration of Crufts. This is every day so please be aware that you may take longer getting into Crufts than you think. They are going to try and stop people coming off at that junction"
On the protesters:
"Let's face it, Thursday they'll probably be signing on or cashing their giro, Friday they'll be recovering from their drug induced haze that they got into spending their benefits, so they'll probably only be there on Saturday and Sunday, but only if they can be bothered to get of their sorry ar**s out of their squats and can hitch hike to the NEC (if they can work out where it is). Its a shame there are no by-passes being built so they can go and protest there instead. Sorry, I'm probably being flippant, but I for one am not going to let them spoil my day. Be vigilant and remember, there's more of us then them! I agree the best way of dealing with them is ignoring them, but any threats or harm to any of my dogs or family and they'll be supping their mung beans through a tube! "What's the strangest Crufts rumour you've spotted so far? Please do post me any other outbreaks of paranoia as you spot them.
"best of luck to all of you, i really hope your all going in to the halls in groups as i suspect they will pick on individuals. also if they did do something to one of the dogs someone can get to the vet while another person stays and calls the police."
"I did hear the protest is starting a 10 am so we will all be inside by then."
"What utter madness and they are supposed to represent dog lovers? I will be sitting in my van with the phone handy waiting for the nutters then. Wonder how long it will be before they try anything?
Have to say that do gooders rocked my van and banged on the sides of it when I was at a champ show a year ago just to prove there were dogs in it. They didn't realise I was in it too. When I opened the door they high tailed it."
"i have dealt with these types for a number of years both on a professional basis (as a press photographer) and on a personnal basis(hunting and antis) and have had differing levels of success in dealing with them. If you can ignore them and keep walking thats usually best as they really WANT to wind you up and geta reaction, for their invevitable video that will be running.They will be well trained in how to stand back and let you get into trouble, so dont get wound up by them. However a viable alternative, as they come towards you, is to say very loudly and positivley "if you continue to threaten me and try and intimidate me, i will call the police. Please stop threatening me and stop intimidating me"....anything along these lines (even if they are doing nothing atall) works a treat as it makes it very hard for them to use the evidence in court should a court case occur and it also makes it hard for them to release the video to the press as it looks like they are acting in a threatening manner. "
"Is that stuff you spray at an attacker and it makes them orange legal??????????? If you see an orange protester than I got that one hehehehehe "
In the words of Michael Winner (almost), "Calm down madam, it's only a dog show!"
Just had a comment on this blog asking what I am trying to achieve. I guess what I'm hoping for is that people will start calming down and seeing how ridiculous all this is.
Both sides in this debate love dogs and imagining that those who want health reform want to do their dogs harm is obviously illogical. But the more people scare each other the easier it is to believe in bogeymen.
Comments
As the eidtor of a magazine aimed at promoting the welfare of dogs you've stepped way beyond your remit to indulge in some unpleasant redtop tactics that do no one any favours. Not all direct action is 'terrorism' and not all breeders can say their actions have benefited their breed. Please try to live up to your responsbilities and stop playing stereotypes off against each other.
In highlighting the growing paranoia I'm hoping to puncture the balloon and get everyone to calm down a bit.
The people who are campaigning for health reform are the last people on earth who'd ever harm a dog!
The issues are becoming muddled and everyone talking themselves into a frenzy isn't helping.
Those who want meaningful reform will be on the inside and the outside the NEC. Many of the people showing in the rings want the KC to bring in COI reform.
It really does no one any favours to believe in the bogeyman.
I think all resposible breeders are fully aware of the problems in some of the breeds and they need help to educate the public about how to get a nice fit healthy well bred puppy not a barage of half truths and hysteria that you are encouraging at the moment.
By highlighting the paranoia about the Crufts protests I'm just trying to point out that being pro-health reforms is not the same as being anti-dog - we should all be on the same side!
did you see Terrierman's blog yesterday, Monday 2nd? He seems to think the KC might be about to announce that it is opening up the closed registry system and will encourage crossbreeding.
I do hope it's true!
Julia L
Hello Sirius,
You are wrong. I don't have to admit to any such thing, as it is not true.
I set out to make sure that puppy buyers knew that there were serious health problems in cavaliers and they needed to ask to see health certificates.
I have never said all cavalier breeders are uncaring. Indeed I have always tried to acknowledge & praise the wonderful group of cavalier breeders that were scanning their dogs for many years.
Unfortunately they were just too few to make any appreciable difference to the future health prospects of the breed.
Despite your rudeness, and your inability to move on, events are proving the documentary makers & those who took part in the film were correct in their belief that something urgently needed to be done about the health of pedigree dogs.
Why else would we have all these new health initiatives that the KC & breed clubs are introducing now? You are surely not suggesting it is all part of a public relations exercise?
Margaret Carter