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The cubhunting horror "I will never forget"
10 January 2012
An ICABS supporter in Limerick recalls the horrors he witnessed at a cubhunt over 40 years ago. Shockingly, Irish foxes continue to suffer the same barbarism in 2012.
When I was a boy of 5 years old, I was taken to a cubbing. Even today, 43 years later, I can clearly recall the event.
The excitement of the men present. There were no women. The terror of the foxcubs. The frenzy of the dogs. The noise of the kill. Afterwards the mangled remains of the cubs, the entrails, the blood. Afterwards the shame of my father that he had attended this and worse, had brought his child to it. Even worse, it was on our farm. When my mother found out she was blind with rage. Blind with rage.
Many of those men are still alive. I remember one of them. He used foul language to one of the dogs because the dog was a coward. He only tore the cub when it was dead. He was afraid of being bitten while it was alive. When the show was over, the man took the dog away to kill it. He tied it to a stake. He was going to hit it with the spade that he had used to dig out the cubs.
My father stopped him and we got the dog as a pet. He was a little black and brown terrier called Tiny.
I will never forget. I will never forget.
Renewed call for end to digging out
10 January 2012
The Irish Council Against Blood Sports is renewing its call on the Minister for Agriculture to outlaw the horrendous practices of digging out and terrierwork. We are urging all TDs and Senators to back a ban on these activities.
Although similar to illegal badger baiting, fox baiting remains legal in this country. It is carried out by what can only be described as thugs and sadists who dig animals out with spades and take pleasure in seeing their dogs inflicting the most savage injuries on them.
Digging out and terrierwork is also an integral part of foxhunting in Ireland. The foxhunters' so-called code of conduct states that "only one terrier at a time may be used to locate the fox except in rocks, stacks of bales or stick piles, etc...Digging shall only be conducted by a small number of experienced people and assistants appointed by the Master or his nominee." It also highlights their desire to keep this appalling act away from the public eye, stressing that "reasonable efforts shall be made to ensure that digging out will not become a public spectacle."
Badger baiting, dog fighting and cock fighting are already illegal in Ireland. The next step must be for the heinous practice of fox digging and baiting to be outlawed.
ACTION ALERTS
Please contact the Minister for Agriculture and demand an end to digging out and terrierwork.
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Minister Simon Coveney
Dear Minister Coveney,
I support the Irish Council Against Blood Sports' call on you to urgently outlaw both digging out and terrierwork. These horrendous acts of cruelty are carried out by sadistic individuals and also by merciless foxhunting groups (when terrified foxes try to find refuge underground). There is absolutely no excuse whatsoever for this shameful animal abuse and it must be stopped.
Please make it an offence NOW to dig out any animal or send terriers below ground to catch and attack animals under any circumstances. I also call on you to outlaw the use of packs of hounds to harass, attack, injure and/or kill any animal.
Thank you, Minister. I look forward to your positive response.
[Your Name and Location]
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Appeal to all Irish politicians
Please send a copy of your correspondence to all your local TDs and Senators and ask them to put pressure on the Minister to ban digging out and terrierwork. Encourage all your friends, family and workmates to contact their local politicians too.
Write to your TD at:
Dail Eireann, Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. Tel: 01-618 3000 or 1890 337 889.
Write to your Senator at:
Seanad Eireann, Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. Tel: 01-618 3000 or 1890 732 623.
Find out the names of your TDs and their email addresses
http://www.oireachtas.ie/members%2Dhist/default.asp?housetype=0&HouseNum=31&disp=const
http://www.oireachtas.ie/viewdoc.asp?fn=/documents/Members_emails/document1.htm
Get active today and help bring hunting to an end in Ireland
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Video: Digging Out and Terrierwork Cruelty in Ireland
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