Farm group wants Ward Union banned 22 November 2007 Rural campaign group, Farmers Against Foxhunting and Trespass, have joined the calls for a ban on the Ward Union deer hunt. In a statement issued this week, chairman, Philip Lynch said: "A hunting ban would be music to our ears." "We, the farmers of this country, are eagerly awaiting an announcement by Minister John Gormley banning the activities of the Ward Union Stag hunt," he stated, adding that they are also pressing for a foxhunt ban. "Foxhunters should be confined to hunting on their own lands, or on rented land. and by drag hunting only," the Kilkenny-based former IFA county chairman went on. "This would confine them to areas where they have written permission to hunt, and would ensure that they follow a pre-ordained route, unlike hunting a live quarry, which routinely leads them anywhere and everywhere, resulting in trespass and damage to lands." "The government would have the gratitude and votes of farmers and other people around the country who are again this year, flooding the local newspapers with 'no hunting' advertisements and erecting 'private lands' signs on their property," Mr Lynch stressed. "A hunting ban would be music to our ears. We could relax and enjoy our Christmas, free from the activities of these countryside vandals." Video: Landowners and hunts A general video showing the problems caused to Irish farmers and landowners by hunting groups. Videos: Carted deer hunting cruelty Slideshow - Ward Union Duration: 04:06 Ban the Ward Union Duration: 00:30 Carted deer hunting Duration: 04:51   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. 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 share the views of the majority of County Meath residents who, according to a Meath Post poll, want you to refuse a licence to the Ward Union hunt. There is no place in modern Ireland for a cruel activity like carted deer hunting and I appeal to you to please refuse a licence to this hunt. This move will be welcomed by a huge cross-section of people in Meath and around Ireland and the world. 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 a few minutes to view an Irish Council Against Blood Sports slideshow which exposes the cruel activities of the Ward Union carted deer hunt. This revealing presentation, which features extracts from a damning Department of Agriculture report, can be seen at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dn5ZG8fyRbM I trust that you will agree that this appalling blood sport has no place in modern Ireland. Please save the 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