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Numerous breaches of last year's coursing licences. What will Minister Humphreys' response be?
14 August 2015
Among the breaches of a hare coursing licence issued by Minister Heather Humphreys last year was a coursing club netting 15 hares on a day outside the period allowed by the licence.
Just one of numerous licence breaches highlighted in an ICABS report submitted to Minister Humphreys as part of a renewed appeal to her to stop licensing the bloodsport. We reminded her of her previous assurance that licence breaches would no longer be tolerated.
"Kilflynn coursing club captured 15 hares on 15th August 2014 - the day before the licences allowed," we pointed out, providing an extract from a club document which clearly confirms the breach.
According to the licence, "The Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht authorises the Irish Coursing Club to attach a tag or other marking device...during the period beginning on the 16th day of August 2014"
Other breaches flagged in our report include failure to cooperate with NPWS personnel, failure to provide particulars of hare captures, the release of hares outside daylight hours, the presentation of inaccurate or incomplete veterinary reports, the failure to carry out post mortems on hares who were killed, etc. There are also additional suspected breaches relating to the presence of injured and pregnant hares in coursing compounds.
In our appeal to Heather Humphreys, we said: "Minister, you have previously stated that breaches of licence conditions will not be tolerated. We therefore expect you and the National Parks and Wildlife Service to take the identified licence breaches very seriously by initiating prosecutions against the relevant clubs and excluding them from any further coursing licences. Given the routine licence breaches, the unenforceability of licence conditions and the ongoing suffering, injury and death caused to hares, we implore you to reject the current licence application for a 2015-16 coursing season. This would be greatly welcomed by the majority of Irish people who are in favour of a ban on hare coursing."
ACTION ALERTS
Urge Minister Heather Humphreys to show compassion for the persecuted Irish Hare and stop licensing cruel coursing.
Email "Stop the cruelty. Refuse a 2015-16 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.)
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Dear Minister,
I am one of the majority who want hare coursing outlawed in Ireland. I am writing to urge you to reject a licence application for a 2015-16 coursing season. 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 occur. I ask you to please act on the wishes of the majority, show compassion and refuse to issue the licence. Thank you. Yours sincerely, [Name/Location] |
Express your support for a ban on coursing. Sign and share petitions
Stop Licensing Cruel Hare Coursing
https://www.change.org/p/minister-heather-humphreys-stop-licensing-cruel-hare-coursing
Save Irish hares from cruel coursing
https://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/minister-simon-coveney-replace-hare-coursing-with-drag-coursing
Ban horrific hare coursing cruelty in Ireland
https://www.change.org/petitions/taoiseach-prime-minister-of-ireland-support-a-bill-to-ban-the-cruel-practise-of-live-hare-coursing-in-ireland
Stop sponsoring hare coursing in Ireland
http://www.change.org/petitions/stop-sponsoring-hare-coursing-in-ireland
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.
Tweet to @simoncoveney
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
Tweet to @EndaKennyTD
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.
COURSING CRUELTY CATALOGUE 2014-2015
Ireland's Hare Coursing Cruelty Catalogue 2015 by Irish Council Against Blood Sports
Videos: Ireland's cruel hare coursing
Videos: Drag coursing, the humane alternative to hare coursing
