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Kill greyhounds, don't rehome them - Callous advice from Irish Coursing Club
28 January 2015
The Irish Coursing Club is callously advising greyhound owners to destroy unwanted greyhounds instead of rehoming them. In a damning internal report, uncovered by the Irish Council Against Blood Sports, owners are advised: "Do not give away unwanted greyhounds. It is far better to put them painlessly to sleep."
What constitutes putting a dog "painlessly to sleep" is not specified in the document.
Entitled "A Summary of Directives, Instructions and Guidance Notes Issued by the Executive Committee of the Irish Coursing Club to Club Secretaries, Control Stewards Judges and Slippers" [pdf] it conveys the contempt with which coursers regard greyhounds incapable of winning money for their owners. Dogs "that have run a number of times during the season" without success are branded "no-hopers".
The document also reveals the use of injured greyhounds in hare coursing. In a section headed "Running Of Injured Greyhounds", it states "As the implementation of a rule to cater for the running of injured greyhounds in order to qualify for prize money would be difficult, the Executive Committee ask that the stewards of meetings use their judgement in relation to the matter."
The coursers' Instructions and Guidance document leaves no doubt that both hares and greyhounds are victims of this cruel bloodsport. The time is now for the government to ban this shameful activity.
ACTION ALERT
Please join the upcoming protests against cruel hare coursing...
Friday, January 30th from 12.30 to 2pm
outside coursing sponsor, BoyleSports, Westmoreland St, Dublin 1.
Monday February 2nd from 12 midday to 2pm
outside the national coursing finals, Powerstown Park Clonmel
Be there for the hares and the greyhounds. Thank you.
Express your support for a ban on coursing. Sign and share petitions
Stop Licensing Cruel Hare Coursing
Save Irish hares from cruel coursing
Ban horrific hare coursing cruelty in Ireland
Stop sponsoring hare coursing in Ireland
Urge Minister Heather Humphreys to show compassion for the persecuted Irish Hare and revoke the coursing licence she issued.
Email "Stop the cruelty. Revoke the hare coursing licence" to Heather.Humphreys@oireachtas.ie
[Heather.Humphreys@oireachtas.ie,ministers.office@ahg.gov.ie,taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie,joan.burton@oireachtas.ie,wildlifelicence@ahg.gov.ie,Gerry.Leckey@ahg.gov.ie]
Tel: (01) 631 3802 or (01) 631 3800
Leave a comment on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/heather.humphreysfg
Tweet to Heather Humphreys: @HHumphreysFG
Tweet to @HHumphreysFG
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.)
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Dear Minister,
I am one of the majority who want hare coursing outlawed. I am writing to urge you to revoke the licence you issued to the Irish Coursing Club. In coursing, hares suffer 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. Every season, hare injuries and deaths are documented. I ask you to please act on the wishes of the majority, show compassion and permanently revoke the licence. Thank you. Yours sincerely, [Name/Location] |
Appeal to the Minister for Agriculture
Please appeal to the Minister for Agriculture to remove an exemption for hare coursing from the Animal Health and Welfare Act.
Simon Coveney, TD
Minister for Agriculture
Agriculture House,
Kildare Street, Dublin 2.
Email: Simon.Coveney@oireachtas.ie
Tel: 01-607 2884 or LoCall 1890-200510.
Fax: 01-661 1013.
Urgently contact An Taoiseach Enda Kenny and ask him to back 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
Contact all your local TDs now. Demand that they urgently push for a ban on hare coursing and all bloodsports. 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.
Find out their contact details
Please also arrange a meeting with your TDs at their local clinics.
Videos: Ireland's hare coursing cruelty
Make a donation to ICABS
Please consider making a donation to ICABS. For more details, please click on the button below or follow this link to find out how to become a campaign supporter. Thank you.
