A fox was pursued for over 13 miles during a hunt in County Cork last month, it has been revealed. According to an Irish Field report about a pre-Christmas Duhallow hunt, the unfortunate fox was disturbed near Churchtown and chased through a bog and a wood before being “marked to ground” near a golf club.

In foxhunting, “marking to ground” refers to the point when the pack of hounds chase the exhausted fox into an earth or drain. This is typically followed by the arrival of a terrierman who sends a terrier down the hole to attack and corner the fox until the clay is dug away from above, before the fox is killed.

The Irish Field report refers to the persecuted fox as “a smashing dog fox who set his mask for the Bog of Annagh”. The pack of 37 dogs chased the fox through Ardglass Wood and towards Dromina village “before swinging back and marking their fox to ground near Charleville Golf Club”.

The report outlines that the fox’s ordeal lasted for a distance of 13.2 miles, eight miles of which was covered in one hour and 40 minutes.

It goes on to detail how during a Scarteen hunt after Christmas, a pack of hounds “absolutely flew” after a fox over a distance of 6 miles in 35 minutes.

Witness the cruelty of foxhunting and join calls for a ban

 ACTION ALERT 

Sign our petition: "Irish Government: Save foxes and dogs from horrific cruelty"
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Sign our “Ban Blood Sports in Ireland” petition
https://www.change.org/petitions/ban-blood-sports-in-ireland

Please join us in appealing to the Minister for Agriculture to give wild animals the same protection that is given to domestic animals. Tell the Minister that since all animals are capable of suffering, all animals should be protected from cruelty. Demand the removal of an exemption for foxhunting from Ireland's Animal Health and Welfare Act.

Simon Coveney, TD
Minister for Agriculture
Department of Agriculture
Agriculture House,
Kildare Street, Dublin 2.

Email: minister@agriculture.gov.ie
Tel: 01-607 2000 or LoCall 1890-200510.
Fax: 01-661 1013.

Contact the Taoiseach and Tanaiste. Ask them to show compassion for foxes and hares and ban hunting and coursing.

An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny
Department of the Taoiseach,
Government Buildings,
Upper Merrion Street,
Dublin 2
Telephone: 01-6194020
Fax: 01-6764048

An Tanaiste, Joan Burton
Office of the Tanaiste
Iveagh House,
80 St. Stephen’s Green,
Dublin 2.
Tel: 01 6183566 (Dail)
Tel: 01 408 2000 (Iveagh House)
Fax: 01 408 2400
Email Enda Kenny and Joan Burton: taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie,joan.burton@oireachtas.ie

Appeal to all Irish politicians

Please join us in telling the Irish Government that it is now time to replace foxhunting with the humane alternative - drag hunting.

Drag hunting sees the hounds chasing an artificial lure instead of a live animal. This form of "hunting" is already practised successfully by a few groups in Ireland. In a modern and civilised country like Ireland, there should be no place for foxhunting, particularly when a transition to drag hunting would be simple.

Please contact all your local politicians and ask them to express their opposition to this blood sport. Encourage your friends, family and workmates to contact them 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.

Video: Ireland's cruel digging-out and terrierwork

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