Beagle Interest Group Events - INTERNAL, EXTERNAL AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH - University of Pretoria

Beagle Interest Group
Events
INTERNAL, EXTERNAL AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Internal Events

❖ Washday
❖ Grooming day
❖ BIG Adventure race

Washday

On Washdays, we as students take time out
of our busy schedules to give the beagles the
much needed and well-deserved care and
grooming. It also gives students the chance to
socialize and enjoy each other’s company
while doing something we all love; caring for
animals. Included in the day’s activities:
general health assessment, nail clipping, ear
cleaning, grooming, bathing, and dipping. The
Washdays take place on several relatively
warm days throughout the year. Along with
some music and socialising it is definitely a
day filled with laughs and fun.

Grooming day

Grooming Days substitute the Washdays during
the colder times of the year, and therefore only
consists of general health assessment, nail
clipping, ear cleaning and grooming.

BIG Adventure race

During the BIG Adventure Race, club
members get the opportunity to participate in
a fun obstacle course with their beagle. The
course is laid out on campus, and is roughly
5km long with various stations set
throughout, where both the students and
their beagles must complete various
activities. A donation is made to the South
African Guide Dog Association (entry fees
and other funds raised) on the day.

External Events

External events was created to give the beagles the chance to get away from campus and
experience new, exciting environments. These are the events that we hope to host this year:

❖ Run for Rhino’s
❖ Dog walks at a local park and Hedianga Farm
❖ Dog shows
❖ Drag hunting field day

*all external events are dependent on weather, availability of beagles and students, as well as behaviour of beagles during
training and socialisation

Run For Rhino’s

The annual and popular Run4Rhinos
fun run, an initiative of veterinary
students of the University of
Pretoria takes place at the LC de
Villiers sports grounds.
All funds that are raised through t-
shirt sales, entry fees, and donations
goes directly to anti poaching
charities. The dog friendly event
consists of a 5km fun run/walk, with
multiple water points, manned by
Onderstepoort marshals. There is
also a 10km route for the more
serious fitness fanatics.

Dog walks

Hedianga Farm is located in the
Faerie Glen area. It is 130 hectare
in size and comprises the north
facing slope of the “Bronberge“
mountain range overlooking Shere
and Silverlakes. There are
approximately 12 km of old roads
on the farm most of which are
primarily perfect for leisurely walks
and trail running.

Drag hunting field day

The importance of drag hunting field day:
The aim of the drag hunting field day is to provide a controlled
environment whereby we can let our hounds socialise and use their
natural ability to trail a scent laid by the hunt master. Beagles are after
all a pack animal, and the need to form a group with a defined
hierarchy is very strong.

How does it work?
A lure made of old material soaked with either aniseed oil or some
other strong-smelling substance, like pilchards, used in Gauteng, is
dragged along a line. The line should mimic the movements of a hare
so should have turns and changes in direction and not be a straight
line. There is a defined start line and finish line. The drag line is usually
about 1km long and there can be a number on one day. The dogs are
then lined up at the start line and released when the hunt master gives
the cue. The pack will then follow the scent to the finish line.

Community Outreach

The B.I.G. works closely together with Wollies Animal
Shelter to assist them in any manner possible with
food, blankets, medication etc. Twice a year we take a
group of about 40-50 students to visit the shelter and
assist in deworming their +/- 500 dogs and also take
some of the dogs for a short walk to give them some
love and attention.
There are also several events that Wollies are hosting
that we want to take part in this year, not just to support
Wollies but also to raise awareness of the shelter and
all the animals that need their forever homes.
At the end of 2017 Wollies started a paper drive for
recycling, we would like to expand that paper drive and
get Onderstepoort into recycling by donating any scrap
paper to Wollies on a regular basis. For more
information on this shelter visit their website at
https://wollies.org/