| Perhaps the first question anyone will ask is, "Why form a Masters of Bloodhounds Association (MBHA) when there was already a Masters of Draghounds and Bloodhounds Association (MDBA)?" Well there are a number of reasons why we have done so. | ||
| 1. | There have always been number of bloodhound packs outside the MDBA, solely because the MDBA seeks to control where these hunts may operate. We feel it is for the landowners and farmers to decide who hunts or does not hunt on their land. We further believe that leaving it to the landowner/farmer to decide, ensures that hunts will behave better if they know that pro-hunting landowners have a choice over who hunts on their land. Under MDBA rules, a landowner/farmer is being left with the choice of having to put up with badly behaved hunts or have no hunting on their land at all. | |
| 2. | The hunting of the "clean boot" with bloodhounds is completely different from the hunting of a laid scent or trail with foxhounds. Bloodhound packs within the MBHA may not hunt anything other than the natural body scent of human runners who may not wear, carry nor drag, any form of scent enhancement. The MBHA intends to actively promote this sport and educate people on the differences between this sport and other hound sports, so that people might understand the rich diversity that the various hound sports have to offer. | |
| 3. | Masters of bloodhound packs have a great interest in the work and breed development of the hunting bloodhound. Being a "hybrid", it is not easy to breed to type and the MBHA will take an active role in developing a type, by encouraging bloodhound shows and encourage responsible breeding. To this end, we have already set up the MBHA Kennel Stud Book for our members to register their hounds in, so enabling breeders to keep track of, and research breeding records over many generations. The bloodhound is currently on the "Vulnerable Breeds List" and we hope that our efforts will help to secure the breeds future and in time help to have it removed from this register. This Stud Book is now available online to MBHA members. | |
| 4. | The MBHA will govern the behaviour of its members and wherever possible, help and encourage its members to carry out good practice, both within their kennels and outside while hunting. We have a code of conduct in our rules, which members are expected to adhere to, and this code will be kept under review in the light of members' experiences. | |
| 5. | Although our organisation is called "The Masters of Bloodhounds Association" we have opened up our membership to Associate Members who will not be Masters, but subscribers or members of MBHA hunts. These members will be able to attend the MBHA Annual General Meeting and thus gain insight into the running of bloodhound packs and express their opinions. | |
| 6. | Finally, many bloodhound packs have said that they want an association that will deal exclusively with matters affecting bloodhound packs, while cooperating and liaising with other agencies and organisations. | |
| Ours is the only association that is open to all bloodhounds packs; we are therefore the only association that has the potential to represent 100% of bloodhound packs. Members may still want to retain membership of other organisation/associations and as far as the MBHA is concerned, that is perfectly acceptable to us provided that they abide by the rules and code of conduct of this association. | ||