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Mauled hare cried out in distress: NPWS ranger
12 April 2012

A National Parks and Wildlife Service ranger who monitored a coursing meeting in Westmeath last season has described how a hare cried out in distress during a mauling incident. The creature was "hit about five times and mauled on the ground by the dogs" according to a report seen by ICABS.

The report, obtained under Freedom of Information, states: "There were nine hares hit on Day 1. Of these, one hare was tossed and rolled on the ground; another hare was tossed and mauled; another was mauled on the ground by the two dogs and placed in a wooden box; another was hit about five times and mauled on the ground by the dogs. When the dog owners came running in, one of them grabbed the hare and lifted it away from the dogs by its side and then the steward took it from him and handled it in a more appropriate manner. The hare cried with what I presume was distress during this incident. The steward placed this hare in the wooden box. Another hare was tossed and badly mauled by the dogs later in the day. In all, three hit hares were retrieved and placed in a wooden box,"

ICABS has brought this to the attention of Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore and urged them to intervene to outlaw coursing.

Please see our recent video footage showing hares being terrorised, hit and mauled:

 ACTION ALERTS 

Urgently contact An Taoiseach Enda Kenny and An Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore. Ask them to back a ban on hare coursing and give permanent protection to hares.

An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny
Department of the Taoiseach,
Government Buildings,
Upper Merrion Street,
Dublin 2
Telephone: 01-6194020
Fax: 01-6764048
Email: taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie

An Tanaiste, Eamon Gilmore
Office of the Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade,
Iveagh House,
80 St. Stephen’s Green,
Dublin 2.
Tel: 01 6183566 (Dail)
Tel: 01 408 2000 (Iveagh House)
Fax: 01 408 2400
Email: eamon.gilmore@oireachtas.ie

Contact Minister Jimmy Deenihan and urge him to stop licensing hare coursing.

Jimmy Deenihan, TD
Minister for Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht Affairs
Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht
23 Kildare Street
Dublin 2

Email: ministersoffice@tcs.gov.ie
[with a copy to An Taoiseach - taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie]
Tel: (01) 631 3802
Fax: (01) 661 1201

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.)

Dear Minister Deenihan,

I am one of the majority who want hare coursing outlawed. I am writing to urge you to stop licensing this blood sport and put in place permanent protection for the Irish Hare.

In coursing, hares suffer and die at all stages - during the capture, during the time they are kept in captivity and during the coursing meetings where they run for their lives in front of greyhounds. Among the injuries recorded are broken legs, damaged toes and dislocated hips.

I ask you to please act on the wishes of the majority, show compassion and bring coursing to an end in Ireland.

Thank you.

Yours sincerely,

[Name/Location]

Forward a copy of your correspondence to your local TDs:
Find out the name of your TDs and their email addresses.

Write to your TDs at:
Dáil Éireann
Leinster House
Kildare Street
Dublin 2.

Video: Ban Coursing in Ireland


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