The Busybodies of Britain also want to eradicate the breed officially called Bloodhounds.
"Bloodhounds" is often written with a lower-case b, used as a general category for dogs that are also called "scent hounds" because they hunt by scent more than by sight. Several different kinds of dogs hunt by scent. Harriet Beecher Stowe's "great bloodhounds" were probably more like several other breeds than like the relatively small, peace-loving dogs that are officially called Bloodhounds. Despite their name reflecting the fact that they find people by following the distinctive (to a Bloodhound) scent of an individual's blood, they're bred to be friendly and non-threatening, more interested in baying to attract searchers to a lost child and collecting a dog treat than they are in biting anybody.
Bloodhounds, as a breed, are bigger than Bassets (the breed represented by the TV comedy dog called Flash). While standing only about two feet high at the shoulder, they are sturdily built and can weigh over 100 pounds. Bloodhounds' pedigrees can be extensive; the ancestors of the breed were bred at St Hubert's monastery in medieval Belgium, and in French they are still "St Hubert's dogs." They were meant to hunt game people could eat and, as an extra benefit, find lost people--unlike St Bernard's dogs, who were bred to find and rescue people in the Alps, Bloodhounds' ancestors weren't meant to carry people for long distances. But they are sturdy and strong.
Purebred Bloodhounds' coats are always some shade of brown. They can be two-tone brown, described by breed fanciers as "liver and tan," or black and tan, or reddish brown. The coats are short, but benefit from daily grooming and fairly frequent bathing.
Their super-long and floppy ears, and wrinkled skin, can harbor infections and need regular grooming. That was the alleged reason for eradicating the breed. They can suffer from bloat, will eat anything and are most likely to be taken to the vet with food poisoning, and sometimes have joint problems, but most Bloodhounds are well kept and healthy. On average they live ten or twelve years.
Bloodhounds were not bred for racing but they are cross-country runners, bred to cover miles of rough country at a brisk pace. They are sometimes imagined to be lazy hounds who spend their days dozing on the porch. Geriatric dogs do doze their last days away, but healthy Bloodhounds are active and need a good deal of exercise. They need to walk and run with their humans, always on a leash as they never really want to pass up an interesting scent, and they need a yard with a deep fence, as they also dig their way out under fences in pursuit of interesting scents. They don't look as frisky as Border Collies or Australian Shepherds, but they need to move about as far as those breeds...and almost as fast.
Bloodhounds tend to be stubborn and independent but they can be trained, at least in basics like walking on a leash, using a designated toilet space, and sitting-and-staying.
Do you really want to live with a Bloodhound? For some people the deal breaker may be that, although they look about as long and as tall as Beagles, they're about three times as heavy. One way to find out would be to foster one of the crossbreeds that are often found in animal shelters. (Purebred Bloodhounds are not common in animal shelters.) A crossbreed may have lighter bones and be easier to handle.
There's no real cat analogue to Bloodhounds but shelters usually have a reddish-brownish-orange cat looking for a good home.
Zipcode 10101: Savannah from New Jersey t
Rescued from a breeder who apparently wasn't doing a good job any more, Savannah has not been well socialized but is likable when she gets to know people. She is a "full blood," full weight Bloodhound an should make a good hiking buddy for a strong, athletic human. They'll consider letting you have her only if you have an adequate fence and no young children in the home. (Bloodhounds are usually nice to children but Savannah's not used to humans, so who knows what she might do.)
Leo from Miami by way of NYC
His web site: https://www.petfinder.com/cat/leo-49a5dee8-2bda-42f0-9930-eb26eb64182f/ny/new-york/sunshine-animal-rescue-fl1912/details/
Leo has had quite a life, so far, and he's still a bouncy-pouncy yearling who might still be growing. Possibly that's what's allowed him to survive. As a little kitten, he was badly chewed up by a dog. His humans took him to the vet and, realizing how expensive his care was going to be, they bolted and left him there. Luckily for Leo, someone from the rescue organization currently holding him was there and paid for the extensive surgery he needed. He still likes to race around the house and burn off his adolescent energy. He's not even afraid of dogs! He holds no grudges! He can play a bit rough when he gets into a game, so they recommend him to homes with no small children.
Zipcode 20202: Hope from Middleburg
Hope is a crossbreed, so she's a bit taller and lighter than, say, Savannah. She is not good with smaller animals, like cats, or with very small humans. At one year old she weighed 53 pounds; in another year she might be bigger. She's described as an introvert who takes time to decide she likes other dogs or people.
Rosemary from DC
The DC Petfinder page is currently dominated by another extra-cute orange female cat. It would be a pity if Rosemary were overlooked, so let's feature her today. Rosemary does not have a dramatic story. She's just another little tabby--in a minority, because orange tabby cats are about four times as likely to be male as to be female, but still pretty ordinary. Her most distinctive feature may be her small size.
Zipcode 30303: Funny Bone from Ranger
This rescue dog's ancestry may never be known but he has the Bloodhound look--and density. He weighs only 85 pounds, but he's still skinny and underfed; he ought to weigh 95. He should not be in a place where he might encounter chickens. He gets along well with dogs of his size, ignores much smaller dogs, and might be able to live with some cats.
Eugene from Chamblee
His web page: https://www.petfinder.com/cat/eugene-fcf45f25-826d-4fa0-8918-49f4dd011e25/ga/chamblee/three-paws-rescue-ga945/details/
Obviously Eugene has had some hard times. He needs time to bond with people and accept a new home. He's been adopted and then returned twice, apparently because he's cautious about new places and people. Or there may be more to it than that. As I read how his foster human describes his affectionate behavior in his foster home, I have to wonder whether he really wants to stay in that foster home furever. You can always tell that animals want to be rescued from a conventional shelter with racks of cages. You can't always tell whether they want to be rescued from a foster home. Sometimes they don't.
There is not, currently, another adoptable pet at the same location as Eugene--of any color or description, although his foster human says Eugene has lived with other cats and dogs. That speaks well for his foster home. There are hundreds of adoptable orange cats in the Greater Atlanta Metropolitan Area, though.
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