Senator Bacik joins calls for Ward Union ban 25 October 2007 The Irish Council Against Blood Sports has thanked Senator Ivana Bacik for supporting our campaign for a ban on carted deer hunting. "I am asking you to refuse a licence to the Ward Union deer hunt," she stated in a letter to Environment Minister, John Gormley. "The Irish Council Against Blood Sports are mounting a campaign against this, which I support." Ivana Bacik, LLB, LLM (Lond), BL, FTCD, is the Reid Professor of Criminal Law, Criminology and Penology at Trinity College Dublin (previously held by Mary Robinson and President Mary McAleese). She is a Senior Lecturer and also a Fellow of Trinity College. A 1989 Trinity Law graduate, she has a Masters from the London School of Economics and practises as a barrister in Dublin. ICABS is very grateful for Senator Bacik's support. Senator Ivana Bacik: Supports campaign against cruel carted deer hunting. We are now continuing to urge even more public representatives to demand an end to this appalling blood sport. Please respond urgently to our Action Alert below and ask your local TDs and Senators to join the call for an end to carted deer hunting in Ireland. Send them a link to our 30 second video which exposes what happens during a typical Ward Union outing - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3f7NYyhDhg. Thank you. Photos: carted deer hunting cruelty A deer, drenched in sweat, stands weakly in the Ward Union's livestock trailer at the end of a gruelling cross-country chase. Please ask your local TDs and Senators to save deer from this cruel blood sport Ward Union "deer handlers" wrestle the deer head-first into the ground at the end of a hunt. Animals are at great risk during this merciless move and at least one has been choked to death. At the end of a hunt, one of the Ward Union hunt's "deer handlers" prevents an exhausted and injured deer from escaping by grabbing hold of its mouth and ear. Another handler attempts to hide the head injury by holding his hand over it. The Ward Union's "deer handlers" surround an exhausted and injured deer at the end of a hunt and grab hold of its body to prevent it from escaping. Ward Union hunt members push and pull the injured deer back towards the deer cart at the end of a hunt. Videos: Carted deer hunting cruelty Ban the Ward Union Deer Hunt Duration: 00:30 Carted deer hunting Duration: 04:51 ACTION ALERT 1 Please contact Environment Minister, John Gormley, and appeal to him to stop carted deer hunt cruelty by firmly refusing a licence to the Ward Union. Sample Letter (If you have time, please compose your own personal letter. Otherwise, send the short sample letter below. Be assertive, but polite, in all correspondence. Thank you.) Minister John Gormley Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government Custom House, Dublin 1. Email: minister@environ.ie Tel: 01 888 2403. Fax: 01 878 8640. Dear Minister Gormley, I am writing to register my absolute support for a total ban on the Ward Union deer hunt. This outrageous hunt has been condemned not only by animal welfare groups but also by farmers, landowners, motorists, parents, householders and even other hunters. Refusing the Ward Union a licence will be welcomed by a huge cross-section of people in Ireland and around the world. We all look forward to your decision to ban this cruel blood sport. Thank you and best wishes. Yours sincerely, [Name/Location] ACTION ALERT 2 Please contact your local TD and Senator and ask them to make an appeal to Minister Gormley on your behalf. For the names of your TDs, please click on your county on the Irish Government website (http://www.oireachtas.ie/members%2Dhist/default.asp?housetype=0&HouseNum=30&disp=const) Contact your TD at: Dail Eireann, Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. Tel: 01-618 3000 or 1890 337889 (1890 DEPUTY). For a list of Senators, please visit the Irish Government website (http://www.oireachtas.ie/members-hist/default.asp?housetype=1&HouseNum=24&disp=mem) Contact your Senator at: Seanad Eireann, Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. Tel: 01-618 3000 or 1890 732 623 (1890 SEANAD). Sample Letter (If you have time, please compose your own personal letter. Otherwise, send the short sample letter below. Be assertive, but polite, in all correspondence. Thank you.) Dear [Deputy] or [Senator], I am writing to ask you to please spare 30 seconds to view an Irish Council Against Blood Sports video which exposes the cruel activities of the Meath-based Ward Union carted deer hunt. The video can be seen at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3f7NYyhDhg I trust that you will agree that this appalling blood sport has absolutely no place in modern Ireland. Please save deer from the suffering caused by carted deer hunting by joining the widespread calls on Minister John Gormley to ban this hunt. Thank you. Yours sincerely, [Name/Location] More information about carted deer hunting Carted deer hunting: Leaflet | Photos | Videos | Petition News Menu | Join | Top | Home