Coursing cruelty highlighted to Clonmel mayor 27 February 2008 The mayor of Clonmel has been asked to consider the cruelty of coursing and stop supporting the blood sport. The call comes after the Progressive Democrats councillor was pictured in a local paper at the town's coursing finals. In a letter to Mayor Richie Molloy, the Irish Council Against Blood Sports expressed disappointment that he deemed it appropriate to attend an event involving cruelty to animals. "Considering the animal cruelty involved in coursing and the fact that a huge majority of Irish people want this blood sport banned, we hope that you can reconsider your stance," we stated. Cllr Molloy was also provided with extracts from National Parks and Wildlife Service reports which reveal how hares continue to suffer during coursing meetings. The documents refer to a hare which "had a badly broken hind leg and seemed to be in great distress", a hare "carrying a hind leg", a hare suffering from "a damaged hind toe" and a hare which "squealed with distress and/or pain" after being "tossed and badly mauled". Please join us in our appeal to Mayor Molloy to rid his town of this shameful animal cruelty festival. Suggest that Clonmel's image would benefit from the replacement of hare coursing with the humane alternative, drag coursing. The Mayor of Clonmel, Richie Molloy (pictured in the Tipperary Voice), has been asked to rid his town of the cruel blood sport of coursing. The photo of a dog biting into the body of a hare was taken at a coursing meeting in Clonmel. ACTION ALERT 1 Ask Mayor Molloy to shun animal cruelty and stop supporting coursing meetings held in Clonmel. Tell him that coursing involves a long line of cruelty from the moment the hares are netted from the wild up to the moment they are forced to run for their lives in front of the greyhounds. Ask him to watch our coursing video - www.youtube.com/icabs - which shows just some of the maulings suffered by hares during coursing meets. Councillor Richie Molloy Mayor of Clonmel Clonmel Town Council Clonmel, Co Tipperary Email: cllrrichie.molloy@southtippcoco.ie Tel: (052)-29362 or 086-1967482 ACTION ALERT 2 Please contact Environment Minister, John Gormley, and appeal to him to give a commitment that this will be the last ever hare coursing season in Ireland. Sample Letter (Please compose your own personal letter if possible. If you do not have time to do this, please 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 implore you to firmly reject future licence applications from the Irish Coursing Club. Hare coursing is Ireland's most appalling animal abuse with thousands of hares being ripped from their natural habitat and forced to run for their lives before muzzled dogs. When hit, the injuries are often so severe that the terrified hare has to be destroyed - but only after suffering from stress and severe internal injuries or broken bones. In its pre-election manifesto, the Green Party pledged to ban blood sports when in government. I am among the confident majority who trust that you will take this historic opportunity, Minister, to spare the hares the suffering caused by coursing and refuse further licences to these heartless destroyers of our wildlife heritage. Thank you and best wishes. Yours sincerely, Name/Location ACTION ALERT 3 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 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 Contact your Senator at: Seanad Eireann, Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. Tel: 01-618 3000 or 1890 732 623 (1890 SEANAD). Video: Coursing cruelty Photos: Coursing cruelty A terrified hare is knocked off its feet by a muzzled greyhound during the 2008 coursing finals at Clonmel. The fate of this hare is unknown but records show that hares hit by dogs can suffer broken bones and other internal injuries. A hare runs for dear life during the 2008 Boylesports coursing derby in Clonmel. Another victim in coursing. This hare is seen being violently mauled into the ground by a greyhound. Its internal injuries are likely to be severe. A hare is mauled into the ground by a muzzled greyhound during a coursing meeting. This is one of the thousands of hares cruelly captured in the Irish countryside every year for use in the blood sport. More information about blood sports Coursing: Leaflet | Photos | Videos | Petition Foxhunting: Leaflet | Photos | Videos | Petition Carted deer hunting: Leaflet | Photos | Videos | Petition Make a donation to ICABS Please consider making a small donation to ICABS. For more details, please click on the button below or follow this link to find out how to become a campaign supporter. Thank you. News Menu | Join | Top | Home