| a425couple 2005-11-02, 12:21 pm |
| "Martin" <martin.reboul@spamfuktiscali.co.uk> wrote
> "a425couple" <a425couple@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>
> They don't seem to have been particularly revered, loved or respected, and
I
> suspect most were pretty feral and had to fend for themselves. Seen as
'useful'
> even so. It was more the age of the dog, and dogs were definitely close
> companions, and very much loved, treasured and well-treated if they were
lucky
> and attractive.
>
>
> Most certainly, both for working dogs who did it for a living, and those
who did
> it in rather barbaric 'sports' for entertainment (Rat vs. Terrier has a
long,
> long tradition which goes back to Saxon times, probably even Roman). --
>
>
> It was very popular now and then - and killed fleas, humans, dogs, cats
and rats
> alike, without prejudice and in great numbers. I suppose bird flu will now
take
> its place? Cheers Martin
Yeahhhh, I kinda walked into that 'popular' comment ehh!
Okay, as I understand it, there is still scientific debate
about what disease actually caused the "Black Death"
(some think it was not bubonic plague but another that
passed just fine directly human to human).
Whatever, I think most of us agree that rats and mice
are not 'good things' to have around humans.
Why was there not greater effort in medieval times
(or earlier, or later) to decrease rat population?
(via cats, dogs, removing garbage etc.?)
A lot of 'human wisdom' was passed on well from
culture to culture, generation to generation.
Ancient Egyptians liked cats to control the rats
from eating their stored food.
Why didn't each sailing ship have a couple
mouser cats (or some early version of rat-terrier)
onboard?
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