RTE's Drivetime show slammed for broadcasting coursing results 04 February 2009 ICABS has criticised RTE Radio 1's Drivetime show for broadcasting the results of a hare coursing meeting in Clonmel today. The deplorable move comes following an appeal for the cruel activity to be excluded from the station's sports coverage. ICABS is calling on licence fee payers to lodge a complaint with RTE. In our appeal to Drivetime to exclude coursing, ICABS spokesperson Aideen Yourell stated: "By including this bloodsport in your sports reports, RTE gives huge offence to the vast majority of the Irish public and licence payers, who abhor wanton cruelty to animals. I appeal to RTE Sports department therefore to not endorse, promote and 'normalise' this cruelty by broadcasting these results. The fact that it is legal does not make it right." SAMPLE LETTER (If you have time, please compose your own personal letter. Otherwise, feel free to send the short sample letter below. Be assertive, but polite, in all correspondence. Thank you.) Marian Richardson Producer, Drivetime RTE Radio Donnybrook, Dublin 4 Email: drivetimesport@rte.ie CC: drivetime@rte.ie, complaints@rte.ie Tel: Republic of Ireland: 1850 715 105 Tel: Northern Ireland: 084 578 54 444 Text: 51551 Dear Marian, I am one of the majority of Irish people who are opposed to the cruel blood sport of hare coursing. I wish to register my disgust at the broadcasting of coursing results on the Drivetime show on February 4th. I find your show's presentation of animal cruelty as "sport" to be totally unacceptable. Coursing should never be classified as a sport by your show - it is one of Ireland's worst forms of animal cruelty, causing horrific injuries and death to the Irish Hare. I appeal to you to recognise coursing as a form of cruelty and to stop presenting it as a sport. Thank you. Yours sincerely, [Name/Location] Video: Coursing cruelty More information about hare coursing Coursing: 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