THE letter from A Monschau (You Say, January 8) asked why foxhounds are unsuitable for re-homing after their working life is over.

Though friendly and good-natured, hounds are pack animals, so will never make household pets. They are used to living with their "family" of 60 to 100 or more other hounds.

To tear them away from the kennels would be unbearably stressful for them. Foxhounds have an excellent homing instinct - most would make an escape and try returning to their old kennels.

During the hunting season hounds can cover more than 100 miles a week. It is easy to see that they require a huge amount of exercise.They are also not house- trained so the free run of a family home is impossible.

Hounds have a happy life doing what is natural for any dog, hunting. This is better than being cooped up in a high-rise flat.

The myth that hounds are killed then fed to their kennel mates is dredged up and peddled by the anti-hunting lobby every couple of years. Even the most extreme of these people know it is actually untrue.

A Monschau has obviously been exposed to much of the propaganda churned out by the anti-hunt movement.

To see things from the other side I am very willing to arrange a private visit to a local hunt for them.

There they can meet the hounds, question the huntsman and inspect the kennels. I believe this is a fair alternative to the anti hunt propaganda we are force-fed with almost daily.

JON BURGESS,

Malvern.