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Disturbing Westmeath Foxhunt video emerges
11 March 2015
A disturbing video showing the Westmeath Foxhunt in action at the end of last month has emerged. The video, filmed in Dysart Mullingar, provides an insight into the deplorable attitude hunters hold towards animals. At the beginning of the video, one of the hunters can be heard calling his horse a c***.
In another scene, a female rider whips her horse 5 times in quick succession (see 03:00 minute mark)
The video which was posted on Facebook and shared on the Westmeath Foxhunt's page, shows mounted hunters forcing horses to jump a wide and difficult ditch. The animals are clearly reluctant to jump and several land awkwardly and dangerously. In one upsetting scene, a horse can be seen landing on his front leg and tumbling backwards into the ditch (see 3 minute 25 second mark).
There has been much negative comments left in response to the video, including: "This made me sick...especially when the horse ended up in the ditch at the end", "I don't know much about horses but clearly none of them were very keen on jumping that ditch. People shouldn't do that", "Can't stand seeing this! Poor horses", "Can't watch any more", "unnecessary, pointless and stupid".
The Irish Council Against Blood Sports has brought the video to the attention of Loreto College Mullingar as part of a renewed appeal to management to disassociate from a Westmeath Foxhunt-organised "charity ride" fundraiser planned for this weekend.
"We are sure that the vast majority of students and staff at Loreto would find this treatment of horses and the use of such vulgar language to be obscene and unacceptable," we stated in a message to Loreto College principal, Marese Bell. "We are confident that most would also abhor the cruelty to wildlife perpetrated by foxhunts. Are these the type of people Loreto College Mullingar management is happy to associate with for a fundraiser?"
Urge Loreto College to show compassion for Irish wildlife and reject the fundraiser.
Email "Loreto College - Please reject cruel foxhunt's fundraiser" to mbell@loretomullingar.com,loretooffice@eircom.net,loretoeducationcentre@eircom.net
Phone +353 (0} 44 93 42055.
Suggest a readathon as an appropriate alternative fund-raiser, given that funds are being sought for the school's library..
Sign the Petition: Loreto College Mullingar - Please reject foxhunt's fundraiser
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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.
Leave a comment on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SimonCoveney
Tweet to: @simoncoveney
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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.
Find out the names of your TDs and their email addresses
Videos: Irish hunting cruelty
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