Now, when you go to these coursings (which are mostly in the colliery districts) you will find about 60 dogs entered.  It is the Rat-catcher’s business to measure and handicap the dogs, and a very unpleasant job it is.  He has also to be the referee at these coursings, and if it is a “near thing” with two dogs running at one rat, and you decide to award the victory to a given one, then the owner of the other dog will probably accuse you of wrong-doing and favouritism.  Then is the time the Rat-catcher has to be prepared to pull off his coat and start fighting before, perhaps, 500 spectators.  This has often occurred with me.  This, I can assure my readers, is what I call “roughing it.”

Of course, what I have just related occurred a few years ago, but when the Muzzling Order came into force, the authorities practically stopped Rat coursing, for they would not let a dog run at a Rat unless the dog was muzzled.  This was about the worst thing that the authorities could do for Manchester and district, for at that time I was supplying for coursings about 100 Rats per week, and at the same time sending 50 Rats a week into Yorkshire, and all the Rats I supplied were caught within 15 miles of Manchester.  This in my opinion, speaks very bad of the Muzzling Order, which I think is nothing but a farce, for at the very time I was going ratting, dogs were muzzled in some parts of the country but not in others.  My opinion of dog muzzling is, muzzle all or muzzle none.

You will see by what I have said respecting these coursings, etc., that the Rat-catcher has plenty of work to supply so many live rats, and he has also to mix with company high and low.  He also sometimes experiences difficulties in travelling on the railway.  I have often entered an empty third-class carriage, sent my dog under the seat, and put the Rat cage there also.  The carriage would fill with passengers, and upon reaching my destination I would take from under the seat my cage full of live Rats, to the amusement of some and the disgust of others.

I have also entered a railway carriage with my cage of rats when there were passengers in, one or two of whom would generally object to live Rats being in the same compartment, and on enquiring of the railway officials, I have found that any one travelling with live Rats is expected to put them in the guard’s van.

I have also had a few good customers in my business, one or two in particular.  Gentlemen have often sent me post-cards instructing me to take six or twelve Rats to their residences.  I would run them out on the lawn in front of the house with their dogs, and generally I have received good remuneration for my trouble.  These are the customers who should be looked well after, for they are the sportsmen who do not consider expense, though of course there are others who are just the opposite.