Earl and Countess of Wessex and Family Current Events 4: August 2008-October 2009

[sophie25]

Prince Edward could face RSPCA probe after lashing out at his dogs with stick | Mail Online

There is a pic in this article that clearly shows him striking the dog on it's head.

 

[MARG]

Prince Edward could face RSPCA probe after lashing out at his dogs with stick | Mail Online There is a pic in this article that clearly shows him striking the dog on it's head.

I stand corrected angela. The rest of my post remains.

 

[Carminha Stalker]

What awful pictures, those of Edward and his dogs. I already think it is awful to hunt for hunting´s sake, and can´t immagine a person who is intelligent and well brought up and especially born in England, acting like that.
I also think the Wessex couple go a little too far in refusing to portrait their children at least once a year for Christmas. After all, he is the Queen´s son and hasn´t refused titles for himself and his son. It´s one thing to try to preserve the privacy of one´s children, but another to completely annul the same children from the public.

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

I say again - The dogs were not having a disagreement, they were not fighting with one another, they were pulling at the same bird, not one another.

Prince Edward could face RSPCA probe after lashing out at his dogs with stick | Mail Online

when looking at the latest pics (DM updated link) i agree with you. knowing a bit about hunting, these dogs are usually tough and well trained, their education is also tough. fighting over prey is certainly not what edward expected from his trained hunting dogs therefore he was annoyed. however, this does not justify his actions and especially in his position he should be careful about what he does in public. it doesn't take rocket science to figure out that photographers are in the area when a royal is out hunting. we've seen many pictures of william, harry etc, even HM wringing a pheasant's neck, what was probably sportsmenlike but still not nice to watch. beating his dogs with a stick in public is a no-no but i agree with the other posters who blame that a bit on edward's character. to me he has always been the one who is a bit odd and does not live up to any expectation at all. he is lacking any charisma, seems to be arrogant and frustrated and thrive on his title because there is little else. hiding away his children from the public for no obvious reason but not ashamed to milk both worlds, the royal and non-royal one to his favour, then telling everyone "neither is your business", that's edward.

 

[Claire]

There are no pics of Edward actually hitting the dogs or they would have been on the cover.

A little news flash here for anyone not aware of how the British press or the Animal Cruelty Groups works in the UK. A little message went out on Christmas demanding pics of the royals hunting and they got it. That simple the newspapers already had decided what there article was about. Unfortunately for Edward, if he hadn't had a run in with his dogs - it would have been Peter Philips' pic with all the pheasants. The press were waiting for this pic.

First little note - these were not Edward's dogs as many of the stories would have you believe. They were therefore strange dogs to Edward and it is unlikely that Edward would have known how they would have acted. For example I recently walked a friend's dog and where my dog understands when a pull the lead one way to follow this dog simply would not go, not even a nudge would get him to move and than the dog attacked me for simply wanting him to move.
A friend of mine who works for the RSPCA thinks this is the funniest crap that the animal cruelty people come up with. You know those that think that it is not alright for people to shot foxes but totally alright to them to dig up dead grandmothers to prove points. Needless to say he says - what else was Edward to do to remove to fighting dogs to each other - yell, blow a whistle, shot warning shots, run inside an get a hose pipe of water, take a dog on himself. Or better yet simply let the two dogs at it. That probably would have made a better newspaper cover. And for those of you wondering I have been told that letting the dog get away with the pheasant in order to eat it would have resulted in the dog getting seriously ill and possibly dying.

Edward did what he thought was best in the situation. I was in a similiar situation and certainly had reservations afterwards, but at the time it was the only thing I could think of to pull the two dogs apart.

The Queen should just let the RSPCA look at all the dogs on the estate they are a sure bunch better treated then the majority of dogs in the UK and have the matter said and done.

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

There are no pics of Edward actually hitting the dogs or they would have been on the cover.

There is a pic on DM homepage Home | Mail Online (main stories right hand side) but it hasn't found its way in the actual article.

This pic today is cover story of various UK tabloids.

 

[Claire]

It is always sad the way people always tend to believe the worst of people especially if the media is against them.

So before this becomes an argument. I would like to point out that Edward, like the Duke of Edinburgh and several members of the royal family are hunters in order to eat. They only kill what is needed to eat. I simply do to M& S but I know that someone somewhere has killed my chicken/duck/turkey for me. It is not my place or purpose to impress on other people my lifestyle and I don't do it in life or chat rooms.
Edward allows people in Bagshot to drop off wildlife like hedgehogs and porcupines into his estate. He even lets local walkers and girl guides and scouts in to see them in their local habitat. And yes, was in a depression after he had to put his beloved dog down after it was diagonised with a brain tumor. When you don't know someone at all and only get a inkling for their life through a tainted press. What right do you have to judge their character? No wonder they feel need to protect their children.

 

[Claire]

There is a pic on DM homepage Home | Mail Online (main stories right hand side) but it hasn't found its way in the actual article.

This pic today is cover story of various UK tabloids.

The problem with the pic is that the dimension is off, the stick could be in front of the dog. Like those pics of people pushing the Leaning Tower of Pisa

 

[Avicenna]

Whose dogs were it BTW?

I recall having seen one pic of Peter and Autumn and a black lab ... was one of the dogs Peter's? And the other one?

 

[Avicenna]

Claire, thanks for this info. Sorry to hear that Edward's dog had a brain tumor. This is definitly a very sad thing to go through. Hardly anything you can do, only watch a perpetual decline. Watching this decline is even worse than the actual death. One of the most horrible things to go through indeed.

 

[Claire]

The dogs belong to the ground's wardens. I don't know if the dogs with Peter were his. Either way they were not Piper and Badger, Edward's labs.
That was one of things that got my blood boiling was that people and the stupid 'expert' was saying that judging how the dogs acted, it was obvious that their master had done this many times before.

 

[Claire]

Claire, thanks for this info. Sorry to hear that Edward's dog had a brain tumor.

You do realise this happened years ago. Francis (the lab I was referring to) is best remembered as the dog Edward posed with for his official 18th Birthday pics.

http://www.housewessex.tollfreepage.com/photos/U820460.jpg

Hope the post works

 

[Al_bina]

I tend to share Claire's opinion. I am shocked to read acerbic remarks about Prince Edward from local moral paragons, who have got clairvoyant skills to tell exactly what has happened.

 

[wbenson]

Edward did what he thought was best in the situation.

How often do people do things other than that, though?

 

[Avicenna]

Thanks, Claire. Frankly those "experts" are hard to bear. I am completely with you on this one.
And concerning your other post ... unfortunatly the link does not work for me, but I appreciate your help and again, Thank you for all this information.

 

[Skydragon]

There are no pics of Edward actually hitting the dogs or they would have been on the cover.

Really, we would never have guessed.

A little news flash here for anyone not aware of how the British press or the Animal Cruelty Groups works in the UK. A little message went out on Christmas demanding pics of the royals hunting and they got it.

And where was this information posted Claire, these are the normal hunt the royals shooting pics we get every year (at least here), this time however.....

First little note - these were not Edward's dogs as many of the stories would have you believe.

Again where is this information posted.

They were therefore strange dogs to Edward and it is unlikely that Edward would have known how they would have acted.

My goodness, it gets worse, the man tries to hit someone elses dogs!

A friend of mine who works for the RSPCA thinks this is the funniest crap that the animal cruelty people come up with.

That must be why the RSPCA has launched an official investigation!

You know those that think that it is not alright for people to shot foxes but totally alright to them to dig up dead grandmothers to prove points.

They were animal activists not members of the RSPCA, PETA, Animal Aid or The LACS, all of whom have condemned the apparent actions of Edward. I also don't think the RSPCA or any organisation has said they don't approve of shooting a fox if it is causing trouble, they do however condemn hunting with hounds!

he says - what else was Edward to do to remove to fighting dogs to each other

Read the reports Claire, it has been stated time and again (which your friends clearly didn't know) that the dogs were not fighting each other,

And for those of you wondering I have been told that letting the dog get away with the pheasant in order to eat it would have resulted in the dog getting seriously ill and possibly dying.

Oh please, not a dog owner then, perhaps I had better bury my dog after all he did eat that blooming pheasant in the garden a week before christmas! It must be a little like the tale of a Yorkshire Terrier killing a Great Dane, (it choked to death on it)! What does your friend think they used to eat in the wild?

The Queen should just let the RSPCA look at all the dogs on the estate they are a sure bunch better treated then the majority of dogs in the UK and have the matter said and done.

Experience of the RF and the RSPCA or police investigations shows that even if the dogs back had been broken, the RSPCA would be silent!

 

[Skydragon]

I tend to share Claire's opinion. I am shocked to read acerbic remarks about Prince Edward from local moral paragons, who have got clairvoyant skills to tell exactly what has happened.

Not the old 'local moral paragons', I thought it was the animal welfare people you took umbrage with, still it is nice to be considered a moral paragon, just puzzled as to why you would be shocked that anyone would be outraged at the attempted beating of a gun dog!

So before this becomes an argument. I would like to point out that Edward, like the Duke of Edinburgh and several members of the royal family are hunters in order to eat. They only kill what is needed to eat.

You are joking of course. Pheasant, like all game birds have to be hung for at least 9 days before being halfway ready for the table. These birds are sold to local shops and that was reported some time ago after a record shoot!

The dogs belong to the ground's wardens.

They were gun dogs, which if they did not belong to Edwards, would be gun dogs trained to retrieve for anyone.

 

[Kezza]

Claire i'm with you on this. As far as i'm concerned he did nothing wrong it is a case of bash the Royals. I have dogs I have had fight with those dogs and yelling, pouring water etc do not work to seperate them. I have had to use a stick broom handle and even leads to get them apart.

I bet some of you who own dogs probably given your dog a whack from time to time with a newspaper or something.

 

[Skydragon]

As far as i'm concerned he did nothing wrong it is a case of bash the Royals. I have dogs I have had fight with those dogs and yelling, pouring water etc do not work to seperate them. I have had to use a stick broom handle and even leads to get them apart.

Actually it was bash the dogs! Luckily to a great many people hitting a dog with a broom handle is considered cruelty and they don't do it. It shows a lack of control of the dog and the person doing the hitting.

I bet some of you who own dogs probably given your dog a whack from time to time with a newspaper or something.

No I don't, I find kindness and good training using repetitive measures are a better method.

 

[Kezza]

Have you actually tried to seperate two dogs fighting because given your reply Skydragon you have no idea what you are talking about. Most the time our dogs are fine, however sometimes they have disagreements between each other and it can result in a fight.

Dog fights are nasty more so if it is between two females. Once they lock into one another it can be hard to get them apart, and even harder when some of the others join in to the fight to have ago at which ever one is on its back. One fight we had many years ago one of the dogs had the other by the throat and the dog was turning blue.

I guess Edward is damned if he did and damned if he dont, so he should of just let those dogs get into a nasty fight then?

 

[jcbcode99]

So, on a different note, I thought Sophie looked beautiful on Christmas; she and the Queen seem to enjoy each others company as well.

 

[Warren]

Yes, once again Sophie was pictured sitting next to HM in the car on the way to church at Sandringham.

 

[QUEENECE29]

Prince 'struck dog' claim inquiry

BBC NEWS | UK | England | Norfolk | Prince 'struck dog' claim inquiry

another
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2008/12/30/edward-is-dogged-by-complaints-115875-21004344/

 

[Skydragon]

Have you actually tried to seperate two dogs fighting because given your reply Skydragon you have no idea what you are talking about. Most the time our dogs are fine, however sometimes they have disagreements between each other and it can result in a fight.
I guess Edward is damned if he did and damned if he dont, so he should of just let those dogs get into a nasty fight then?

Yes I have, on more than one occasion. Gun dogs trying to win the bird, Gt. Dane versus German Shepherds, Jack Russells and Lurchers to name but a few! Never have I taken a swing at one, least of all with a walking stick. No it is not easy to separate two dogs fighting one another, this however does not appear to be the case with Edward, he was apparently trying to stop the dead bird being pulled apart by two dogs playing tug. Have you had any interaction with gun dogs, who tend not to be show dog types, but highly trained animals but then even highly trained animals only behave well if the handler is up to the job. I'm not sure of his name, (something like Cesar Millan) but he has a programme on Sky, he has never hit a dog and says the problem is almost always with the handler/owner, perhaps we could send Edward to him.

The best explanations I have heard so far are 1. The dog ran under his walking stick and 2. He was only waving the stick in the air.

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

The best explanations I have heard so far are 1. The dog ran under his walking stick and 2. He was only waving the stick in the air.

3. Edward spotted the paps started waving his stick at them forgetting about the dogs running across. It's the media's fault, as usual.

 

[Kezza]

Skydragon yes I have seen Gundogs who do retrieve and are trained to retrieve, we belong to a Gundog Club which deals with all that and the show side as well.

My dogs despite being show dogs have the instinct to catch or retrieve living things and have done so on numerous occasions.

I still dont think he has done anything wrong.

 

[Skydragon]

Skydragon yes I have seen Gundogs who do retrieve and are trained to retrieve, we belong to a Gundog Club which deals with all that and the show side as well.

Have you been to shoots, watched the training of Gun Dogs or kept them? I am the exception to the rule in my family, Most of my friends, all brothers, sisters and relatives shoot and have gundogs. Most dogs will retrieve, it is a basic training requisit, but then again many of my critters retrieve.

3. Edward spotted the paps started waving his stick at them forgetting about the dogs running across. It's the media's fault, as usual.

Brilliant!

 

[Avicenna]

Prince Edward horse riding with his sister; Dec 30,2008

IBL Bildbyrå | 0435 44 07 65
IBL Bildbyrå | 0435 44 07 65

 

[wbenson]

The best explanations I have heard so far are 1. The dog ran under his walking stick and 2. He was only waving the stick in the air.

4. He was hitting the stick on the ground to startle them so they would stop fighting (not that that's any more plausible, of course).

 

[Claire]

The Queen should just let the RSPCA look at all the dogs on the estate they are a sure bunch better treated then the majority of dogs in the UK and have the matter said and done.
Personally I believe the Queen should have a independent person coming on to her ground to look at her animals as there is a potential for them to be mistreated. As well as the fact that many people think that any investigation is white washed, regardless of the outcome.

Personally I don't distinguish between dogs fighting each other or dogs fighting over food.

The RSPCA has launched a "fact finding exercise."
BBC NEWS | UK | England | Norfolk | Prince 'struck dog' claim inquiry
This is stage 1 of any investigation. Normally to determine if the concern is nothing but unfounded allegations.

I was told that you shouldn't let your dog eat pheasants. Really don't know. That part about it not been Edward;s dogs was in response to an article that stated that the cowering of the dogs was the resulted of previous treatment. Either way I can't find the articles, so please disregard it.

Personally I think Edward should just pay the fine, regardless of whether he did it or not - the newspapers have had their headlines.