I didn't get a say in the matter he just went like a rocket.

Like I said before it's the first one he has caught.

Why not?
I'd certainly cook a rabbit for them if any of mine caught one, it's only part of nature and if they are fast enough to catch them they can have them for tea!

Colin like jackpat has said, myxi is quite obvious in a rabbit as it will have a discharge around it's eyes and nose, their eyes are usually really horrid looking so you'd have noticed by now I think if it did. I'm pretty sure myxi is species specific too.

Cos I`m an anti-wild animal chasing / scaring / killing veggie
On a very serious note, it worries me that any handler has `no say` in their dog doing it - it only needs to happen once where they disappear in to the distance and into a road for it to be the last time...

Oh I see, fair enough point Patch.

Having dogs primarily bred for hunting i'm very at the other end of the scale. I don't like killing for no reason however, so glad to hear Colin would feed it to his dogs if it's healthy enough.

If it did have myxi however, then it's probably a kinder thing having put it out of it's misery poor thing.

Hello my friend! I am a pro hunting, working terrier, lurcher hunting, carnivore and I AGREE with you!!!!! The VERY FIRST point in handling a dog that catches game is that you can stop them, no control, no go! if that were a Hare, (unlikely to have caught it) you could of ended up in court for hunting with dogs, also if it were Deer (any type) same applies. Hope I dont sound like a sour puss here, but conrtol of your dog should be paramount.
Dawn.

Just to put this thread back into perspective as I was only one of about four people I could see within a two-mile radius, and as I never saw the rabbit I had no reason to call him back.

Concerning his obedience to my commands he is the most obedient of the three. If you can’t let a dog run free in an open space, where can you do it?

If I had wanted to of stopped him then I would off, but I saw no reason to.

See I would of seen that as a HUGE warning something was amiss, but thats me.

Warn you of what? There was nothing in front of me for as far as I could see.

To give you some perspective of how large the South Downs are, they run from Winchester right across to Eastbourne.

I have enclosed a map of it so you can get some idea of just how large it is.

I think Dawn means if he had caught a hare or deer or another wild animal which it would actually be illegal for you to hunt.

Not if it was only one dog, it's only illegal with 2 or more! Besides, I still have no idea how Percy and Ellie caught their rabbit, I think it was a joint effort lol!
I do understand about the chasing thing but can also see Colins point that if the dog just shot off without warning they can cover a few hundred metres before they've heard your command!
Becky