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Netting of hares "will not happen again" at Teagasc property
20 June 2013
The netting of hares for coursing will be stopped at a Teagasc property in the South East following a report by the Irish Council Against Blood Sports.
Documents obtained by ICABS under the Freedom of Information Act showed that a total of 8 hares were netted at the property last November. The hares were taken away and subsequently used as live lures for greyhounds at a local coursing meeting.
In an email to Teagasc (the Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority), we pointed out that hares typically suffer fear, stress and/or injury during the capture process, during their months in unnatural captivity and while running for their lives from greyhounds. "When hit, hare injuries include broken bones and dislocated hips," we emphasised. "Every coursing season, hares are injured and killed on coursing fields around the country." (Read our Coursing Cruelty Catalogue report which reveals the latest victims of coursing).
Responding to our correspondence, Teagasc Director Professor Gerry Boyle stated that "the netting of hares for the purpose of hare coursing or for any other purpose is not something we would condone."
He went on to outline that "on this occasion, the coursing club received permission from a member of staff to remove hares under licence from the National Parks and Wildlife Service."
"This should not have happened and we can assure you that it will not happen again," he added. "We can assure you that if a breach like this occurs in the future we will be making a report to the National Parks and Wildlife Service."
ICABS welcomes this response from Teagasc. We are continuing to urge other landowners around Ireland to prevent coursers from taking hares for use in their cruel bloodsport.
ACTION ALERT
If you are a landowner, please make your land a haven for wildlife and act to prevent hunters and coursers from interfering with the resident creatures. Find out more on our Landowners Page
Hare coursers do not have a right to net hares without the permission of the landowner. Such a removal of hares, would constitute an offence under the Wildlife Act and therefore should be reported to the National Parks and Wildlife Service - 7 Ely Place, Dublin 2, Tel: 01-8883242.
Contact the Gardai if there is a breach of Section 44 of the Wildlife Act - this makes it an offence for any person who is not the owner or occupier of land to carry onto that land, without permission, any firearm, net, or other weapon, instrument or device capable of being used for hunting a wild bird or a wild animal.
Urgently contact An Taoiseach Enda Kenny and An Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore. Ask them to show compassion for wildlife and introduce an immediate ban on hare coursing and all bloodsports.
An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny
Department of the Taoiseach
Telephone: 01-6194020
An Tanaiste, Eamon Gilmore
Office of the Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade
Tel: 01 6183566 (Dail) or 01 408 2000 (Iveagh House)
Email Both: eamon.gilmore@oireachtas.ie;taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie
Urge Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney to remove exemptions for coursing from the Animal Health and Welfare Bill.
Minister Simon Coveney
Department of Agriculture
Agriculture House,
Kildare Street, Dublin 2.
Email: minister@agriculture.gov.ie
Tel: 01-607 2884 or LoCall 1890-200510.
Fax: 01-661 1013.
Contact all your local TDs now. Demand that they urgently push for bans on coursing and foxhunting.
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
If you prefer to post a letter to your TDs, address your correspondence to:
Dail Eireann, Leinster House,
Kildare Street, Dublin 2.
Please also arrange a meeting with your TDs at their local clinics. Contact us for details.
Videos: Ireland's hare coursing cruelty
| A hare is hit into the ground at the JP McManus-sponsored coursing meeting at Limerick Racecourse. February 2013 |
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