Back to: Top / Contents

Digging and terrier work - origins

Terriers - small but strong dogs with keen noses - were originally bred for hunting animals underground (terra is Latin for earth, and terrier is French for an animal burrow or den). They have long been used for controlling rats, rabbits, and foxes. The terrier is used either to flush out the quarry, or to hold the quarry at bay below ground until the hunters can dig their way down to their victim.

In addition to rats, rabbits and foxes, badgers too have long been hunted by means of digging with terriers. Traditionally, one of three fates has awaited a badger which is dug out: it is killed immediately, or taken away in a sack to be released elsewhere - or baited with dogs.

Back to: Top / Contents

Digging and terrier work today

Today, terrier work is still widely practised. Most packs of foxhounds have their terriermen who are called upon to use their dogs when foxes take cover below ground. The terriers are used to bolt the fox from its hole, or to hold it at bay so that the animal can be dug out and killed. It is interesting to note that many of those convicted of badger digging in Britain have been servants of fox hunts (see panel, right).

There are also many other terrier owners, both town- and country-dwelling, who provide a pest control service for farmers on a voluntary basis, so that they can work their dogs. Terriermen take great pride in the work carried out by their animals, and the more skillful a terrier is at tracking down and bolting, holding or killing its quarry, the more highly it is prized.

Unfortunately, a number of terrier owners take their pride in their dogs' abilities to the extreme. For these people, battle-scarred terriers with reputations as good foxers are macho status symbols. However, it is the badger that is seen as the ultimate test for a working terrier.

There are various Working Terrier Clubs around the country, which in theory urge their members to avoid digging at badger setts. However, the people running such clubs do not always set particularly good examples, as the following quote from a FAQ on an animal rights website shows:

"In 1997, a former Representative of the Fell & Moorland Working Terrier Club was gaoled for four months and banned for keeping all animals for five years for being in possession (including illegally transporting) of a live pregnant badger. The RSPCA believe the badger was to be used for baiting. Files also show several convictions for badger offences where those found guilty have previously held positions of authority within the Fell & Moorland Working terrier Club. Their 1996 list of "approved Representatives" even includes several people who have been found guilty of badger offences in the past." [w080]

Although digging for badgers was made illegal in Britain in 1973, it still goes on. It is particularly prevalent in areas around large town and cities with high rates of unemployment, especially in coal mining districts such as South Wales, Staffordshire and South Yorkshire. In some areas, badger numbers have been decimated by the activities of diggers.

Back to: Top / Contents

Picture credits

The Eurasian badger photo used at the head of this Article is © Steve Jackson. Credits for the photos used in the right-hand margin of this page for site navigation can be found on the Credits page.

Back to: Top / Contents