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Foxhunts use emotional blackmail to gain access to farmers' lands
7th August, 2002
Foxhunters are now using a sickening form of emotional blackmail to gain access to farmers’ lands to hunt down foxes. The following text was recently carried in an advert in Donegal-based “The Dealer” magazine by the Donegal Farmers Hunt: “Attention All Farmers: Has a relative of yours ever suffered or maybe even died of cancer, heart disease, alcoholism or any other illness for that matter. Would you like an opportunity to raise funds for research into that illness or any other local charity? One day a year, between November and March, would you allow the local hunt to cross your land on behalf of your chosen Charity?” We find this approach by the hunt to gain access to farmers’ lands despicable in the extreme. ICABS is well aware of the cynicism of the foxhunting fraternity in their public relations exercise of raising funds for charities, in order to give themselves and their cruel activities a veneer of respectability and an acceptance in their local communities. Only this week in the Roscommon Champion newspaper, the manager of the local Bank of Ireland (a foxhunting fan) is pictured handing a cheque for the proceeds of a hunt ball to the local hospice foundation. We deplore the Bank of Ireland’s association with this cynical publicity stunt. ICABS fully understands how difficult it is for Irish charities to raise funds for their excellent and worthwhile work on behalf of humanity, but we appeal to them to take a principled stand against cruelty to animals by rejecting the foxhunters’ “blood money”. We appeal for their support and solidarity in our fight against animal cruelty.
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