Originally posted by StiffLegged @JimJohnson’s explanation is the first time I’ve read a justification for a handgun that made sense to me: just glad we don’t have wildlife like that to contend with while walking our whippets in the UK. I like being able to let them run free where appropriate, two of them running at full tilt is a joy to behold.
Quite different in the UK. I have cousins who live in the UK, have visited the UK a number of times and it quite different. And BTW... quite lovely. I do love to visit the UK, one of the lands of my forebears ...the history, the pomp and the circumstance...the old buildings, etc.
But back to differences. I live in western Canada.....lot of boreal forest, northern tundra, prairie, farms, ranches, a few cities....lots of wide open space. Cold snowy winters, hot summers, beautiful falls , green springs.
A few years ago, 25 miles from the city (3/4 of a million pop.) that I live, a large timber (Grey) wolf was trapped. It was 179 pounds, and 7 ' 9" from tip of the tail to tip of the nose. It was in a provincial park...pets, etc. were going missing. It was a lone wolf, which is unusual. Normally wolves aren't in the south of our province, where this wolf was trapped. But there are lots of wolves from mid province to the northern part .
We also have a few cougars, coyotes, lots of black bears, a lot of polar bears (extreme north) and some Barren Land grizzly bears. Moose, elk, caribou, Canadian Lynx, bobcat...wolverine. I've had the rare pleasure of seeing a wolverine in in the Canadian Shield about 100 miles from where I live. Fortunately the wolverine was on land and my family and I were in our freighter canoe on a pristine , clear and deep lake. In my part of Canada, it is a different place and different wildlife than the UK has...
Talking about whippets, we don't have many out here. But a family member has a sled dog type from Northern Canada and the vet said he has Siberian Husky and some Greyhound , along with other breeds as part of his DNA. To watch him run is a treat...he 'explodes' off the line, his speed is exceptional and his endurance to keep on running is phenomenal. Long, strong legs, deep chest, large lungs...all muscle, double coat, and he loves pumpkin flavoured dog biscuits.