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Senator concerned about "integrity" of hare coursing
16 April 2014
A Labour Party Senator who is concerned about the "integrity" of Ireland's shameful hare coursing has been told that there is no integrity in snatching timid hares from the wild and using them as lures for dogs.
In a statement posted on the Labour Party website, Tipperary Senator Denis Landy raised the issue of the doping of greyhounds used in hare coursing and called on the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Tom Hayes, to include hare coursing in an Indecon enquiry into the greyhound industry. This followed revelations that six greyhounds had been doped at the national coursing finals in Clonmel in February.
"Speaking in Seanad Eireann this week, Senator Landy said that this practice is harmful to dogs, to the welfare of the industry and to the thousands of coursing enthusiasts around the country and abroad," the statement outlined, quoting Landy as saying "This is a totally unacceptable situation - genuine dog breeders, owners and enthusiasts are seeing their sport destroyed by this activity. There should be measures in place to deal with this blatant malpractice. Measures must be implemented to eradicate doping from this sport. The issue should be tackled head on through a combination of more severe punishments for those found guilty and expansion of drug testing to include all events."
He went on to say that doping must be eradicated "from all facets of the greyhound industry" to ensure "a high quality greyhound industry of which we can all be proud".
"It is vital that the livelihoods of all those involved with greyhounds are protected and the integrity of the sport assured,” he added.
"Integrity" is not a word that in any way fits with the barbaric activity of hare coursing.
In a letter to Senator Landy, ICABS stated: "We ask you to recognise that hare coursing is animal cruelty, devoid of the integrity you refer to and wholly unworthy of being classed as something of which 'we can all be proud'. The facts are that hare coursing is not a "sport", it brings shame on Ireland, not pride, and a majority of the electorate want it outlawed as it already is in our neighbouring jurisdictions of Northern Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales."
"There should be no doping in coursing, because there should be no coursing," we told Senator Landy.
ACTION ALERT
Contact Senator Landy and the Labour Party and urge them to act not on behalf of those involved in hare coursing but on behalf of the majority of the electorate who want hare coursing made illegal.
Senator Denis Landy
12 New Street
Carrick-on-Suir
Co Tipperary
Email: denis.landy@oir.ie
CC: info@labour.ie
Tel: 051-641 641
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/denis.landy.3
The Labour Party
17 Ely Place,
Dublin 2,
Tel: +353 1 6784700
Fax: +353 1 6612640
Email: info@labour.ie
Sign our petition - Save Irish hares from cruel coursing
Join us in urging Enda Kenny and Eamon Gilmore to introduce a ban on hare coursing.
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@oir.ie
Contact all your local TDs now. Tell them you are one of the majority who want coursing banned. Remind them that coursing is already illegal in Northern Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales. Urge them to respect the wishes of the majority of the electorate and back a ban.
How to eliminate the hare from coursing
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