§ MR. ARTHUR J. MOORE (Londonderry)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he can see his way to relax the restrictions on the landing of dogs in England coming from Ireland for breeding purposes under proper guarantees.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE (Mr. LONG,) Liverpool, West DerbyI do not think it would be practicable to make any concession in favour of dogs brought from Ireland for the purposes to which the hon. Member refers consistently with full security against the re-introduction of rabies. The hon. Member will understand that the 595 restrictions in question are of a temporary character, to be withdrawn so soon as the operations now proceeding with a view to the extermination of the disease in Ireland have been attended with success.
§ DR. TANNERI beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture why performing dogs and greyhounds are included, classed together, by the English Board of Agriculture, as animals to which they were satisfied concessions should be made; and how many cases of rabies are reliably reported as having occurred in Great Britain and Wales during the past six months.
§ MR. LONGWith a view to meet the convenience of the owners of the dogs concerned, we have hitherto seen our way to prescribe special conditions for the landing of performing dogs, and of dogs entered to run at certain coursing meetings which it was considered would secure the requisite measure of safety, but the conditions differ materially in the two cases, and they cannot be said to have been classed together. Six cases of rabies are known to have occurred since the 1st September last, the last being on the 10th November, but two of these were cases in which the dog had been placed under restrictions.