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A deer being hunted by the Ward Union last month ended up in the River Boyne, it has been reported. An article in the Irish Field describes how the unfortunate animal "entered the River Boyne to put the hounds off the scent". This is just the latest incident involving a deer jumping into a river to escape the pack of dogs. ICABS has brought it to the attention of Minister Gormley who is preparing to publish legislation to outlaw the hunt.
The February 13th 2010 Irish Field report outlines that as the stag "retraced his way back down the river and returned to dry land" the hounds were called off and the animal was left to "remain at large as an outlier".
Previously, ICABS has highlighted an incident involving a deer being dragged out of the Broadmeadow River after being hunted for over two hours by the Ward Union. Another Ward Union deer was hunted for two and a half hours and "recaptured in the river at Burtonstown". On another occasion, a deer went into the Boyne near Navan during a chase which the Irish Times reported involved "50 huntsmen and huntswomen on horseback, in addition to some Ward Union staff...and a pack of hounds". More details about each of these appear below.
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Minister John Gormley
Department of the Environment Custom House, Dublin 1. Email: minister@environ.ie Tel: 01 888 2403. Fax: 01 878 8640. Dear Minister Gormley, I am writing to express my great concern about the latest incident involving a deer being chased into a river during a Ward Union Hunt. According to a report in the Irish Field newspaper, the unfortunate animal "entered the River Boyne to put the hounds off the scent" and "retraced his way back down the river and returned to dry land". He was then left to "remain at large as an outlier". Minister, I find this blood sport totally unacceptable. I implore you to bring the Ward Union to an end as soon as possible. Thank you. I look forward to your reply. Yours sincerely, [ Your Name and Location ] |
Minister Gormley shown photos of deer being dragged out of river
A disturbing photograph showing a deer being dragged out of a river at the end of a Ward Union hunt has been forwarded to Minister John Gormley as part of a renewed appeal for the hunt to be stopped. The unfortunate deer was pursued for over two hours during a hunt licensed by the Green Party minister.
The photos, obtained by the Irish Council Against Blood Sports under the Freedom of Information Act, show hunters dragging the animal through the waters of the Broadmeadow River in County Meath. The hunt in question took place on 28th November last.
According to an accompanying report, the four-year-old stag was chased into a drain 1 hour and 20 minutes after the start of the hunt. The animal was subsequently observed running alongside the river.
"At 14.20 the stag was in the river near Fieldstown Bridge," the National Parks and Wildlife Service ranger stated in a monitoring report. "After some running up and down the river and out of, and back into, the river, the stag then took some cover in bushes on the river bank."
The deer handlers then "approached the stag and recaptured it", bringing it up a steep bank from the river and back into the hunt's trailer.
ICABS has brought these sickening photographs to the attention of Minister John Gormley and renewed our plea to him to stop licensing the Ward Union.
Deer hunted for two and a half hours and captured in river
One of the deer terrorised by the Ward Union last season was chased for two and a half hours before being captured in a river. The disturbing revelations appear in a document obtained by ICABS under the Freedom of Information Act.
The deer's cross-country ordeal began just after midday on a hunt which took place on 14th November last. The animal emerged from the hunt's trailer, ran to the bottom of a field of stubble and jumped a ditch.
According to a report made by a vet who was monitoring the hunt, the stag "was seen along the Macetown to Edoxtown road for a few minutes by a telephone post, then moved on south east. The stag crossed the Edoxtown to Rathfeigh road, went north of Rathfeigh Old Bridge and took shelter with sheep at Loughanstown." The stag was seen moving around the sheep for 15 minutes, he said, and at this point an attempt was made by the hunt to capture the deer.
The animal moved away fast, the report outlines, adding that it travelled through Bellew and Burtonstown before "probably" going in to a wood.
Later on during the hunt, the deer was again spotted sheltering among sheep. We are told that the animal was "recaptured in the river at Burtonstown at 14.40".
A post-hunt "examination" was carried out by the vet at the side of the Kentstown-Navan road thirteen minutes later. Incredibly, the only comment made about the condition of the deer - which had been hunted for a full two and a half hours and dragged from a river - was that it "appeared to be unharmed".
ICABS monitors present on the day witnessed the stag jumping onto a road from a gateway at a point where about twenty hunt followers were standing around. The deer looked terrified and nervous as it crossed the road between the mob and went into a field opposite.
ICABS has renewed its appeal to Minister John Gormley to stop licensing this hunt.
Stag forced to swim across Boyne to escape hunters
A stag being pursued by the Ward Union hunt was forced to swim across the River Boyne in a desperate bid to escape, the Irish Times has reported. The Irish Council Against Blood Sports is renewing its call on Environment Minister John Gormley (Green Party) to withdraw the 5½ month licence he issued to this cruel hunt and to refuse future licences.
According to the Times report, the stag went into the river near Navan during a hunt last Tuesday (December 30th). The chase involved "50 huntsmen and huntswomen on horseback, in addition to some Ward Union staff...and a pack of hounds".
You can read the full Irish Times report, and see a photograph of the stag, by clicking on the link below:
See also: Revealed: The deerhunting licence granted by Minister John Gormley
The cruelty of carted deer hunting
A selection of images showing the cruelty of carted deer hunting.
Videos: Carted deer hunting cruelty
More information about carted deer hunting
Carted deer hunting: Leaflet | Photos | Videos | Petition
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07 May 2009
The captive-bred, domesticated deer at the start of the hunt after being released from the Ward Union's trailer.
After being hunted for over two hours, the deer is captured and dragged from a river.
Close-up: Hunters grip the deer's head and body and drag it from the river. Please join our appeal to Minister John Gormley to stop licensing this cruel hunt.
22 April 2009
01 January 2009
Stag escapes from Meath hunters by swimming river
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Duration: 04:06
Duration: 04:51
