|
|
Banned British hunters target Irish foxes
14 March 2008 ICABS has renewed its appeal for Irish wildlife to be protected after learning that a British foxhunt was invited to Ireland to persecute our foxes. The Limerick Leader has revealed that the Coniston Foxhounds and their pack of 50 hounds came to County Cork this month to take part in a hunting festival.
"As part of the Avand[h]u, County Cork hunting festival, Knocknagoshel has been chosen for the date. Coming for the Hunt are a contingent from the Conniston Foxhounds Club in England, with an array of fifty hounds," the Limerick Leader report outlined in a preview last week. The Coniston hunt is based in Cumbria in the North West of England. Hunting foxes with packs of hounds has been banned in the UK since 2005. In a report in this week's Limerick Leader, the hunt was described as having "an international flavour". "For the first time ever a pack of hounds from overseas were seen in action in this locality," it outlined. "After a brief photo call outside the Village Inn, the Bugle sounded and hunters and hounds proceeded up Bohereen Bui to commence hunting along the Cummer Glen. After a slow start excitement mounted when a fox was routed in Knockane, this ensued a most impressive chase along the Owveg Valley, a number of other hunts followed, before all retired for refreshments at the Village Inn." ICABS is sickened to learn that not only are foxes being persecuted by Irish hunters but that English hunters and hounds are now putting our wildlife under even greater pressure. We have demanded action to be taken by the Irish Government to secure protection for the fox species. STAND UP FOR FOXES - ACTION ALERT 1 Please make a special appeal to Trevor Sargent TD, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture where new animal welfare legislation is currently being drafted. ICABS welcomed a statement from Minister Sargent last year in which he assured us that the new legislation will "ensure that the welfare of animals is properly protected". Please appeal to him to prioritise fox protection in the new act.
Trevor Sargent TD
Dear Minister Sargent, As one of the two thirds majority of Irish people who want foxhunting banned, I appeal to you to please ensure that foxes are afforded full protection from hunting groups in the new animal welfare legislation being drafted. Please do everything in your power to finally bring foxhunting to an end and protect foxes from this horrendous abuse. Thank you. I look forward to your response. Yours sincerely, [Name/Location] STAND UP FOR FOXES - ACTION ALERT 2 Urge the Minister for Agriculture to protect foxes and all wild creatures from unnecessary cruelty.
Minister Mary Coughlan
Dear Minister Coughlan, I appeal to your sense of compassion to urgently intervene to save foxes from the barbarism of foxhunting. This blood sport is an abhorrent assault on our wildlife heritage and a complete ban is long overdue. Please ensure that Ireland's new animal welfare legislation includes protection for foxes. Thank you. I look forward to your response. Yours sincerely, [Name/Location] STAND UP FOR FOXES - ACTION ALERT 3 Please urgently appeal to your local politicians Please join us in telling all of Ireland's TDs that it is now time to replace foxhunting with the humane alternative - drag hunting. Drag hunting sees the hounds chasing an artificial lure instead of a live animal. This form of "hunting" is already practised successfully by a few groups in Ireland. In a modern and civilised country like Ireland, there should be no place for foxhunting, particularly when a transition to drag hunting would be simple. Please stand up for the foxes so cruelly abused by hunting groups - write to all of your local politicians and ask them to act to secure a ban on foxhunting. If possible, get your friends, family and workmates to contact them too. We need as much help with this campaign as possible.
Write to your TD at:
Write to your Senator at:
For the names and contact details of politicians, please visit the Irish Government Website - http://www.oireachtas.ie/members-hist. STAND UP FOR FOXES - ACTION ALERT 4 Contact Ireland's forestry board, Coillte, and demand an end to foxhunting on its property. 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.)
Mr. David Gunning
Email: pr@coillte.ie
Dear Mr Gunning, As an Irish citizen, and thereby a shareholder in Coillte, I am writing to demand an end to foxhunting on Coillte property. I understand that Coillte currently issues permits to a number of foxhunts to carry out blood sport activities in forests. Considering the appalling cruelty of foxhunting and the fact that a majority of Irish people want it outlawed, the time has come for Coillte to do the decent thing and make all of its property off limits to foxhunting groups. Thank you. I look forward to your positive reply. Yours sincerely, [Name/Location]
Video: Ban Foxhunting in Ireland
Videos: Drag Hunting - The humane alternative
Photos: Fox hunting cruelty Please click on the pictures to view them in full-size.
More information about blood sports
Foxhunting: 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.
|
