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Coursing cruelty continues this weekend in Charleville, Thurles, Miltown Malbay, Ballinagar, Castleisland and Waterford
23 October 2015
Hares are again running for their lives this weekend as Ireland's cruel hare coursing continues. At Charleville, Thurles, Miltown Malbay, Ballinagar, Castleisland and Waterford, hares forcefully netted from the wild are being used as live bait for greyhounds.
See below for more information about what happened to hares at these coursing meetings in recent years.
ICABS is renewing its appeal to Minister Heather Humphreys to show compassion for the hares and withdraw the licence she shamefully issued for this cruelty.
CHARLEVILLE
Charleville, Co. Cork - October 26/27/28, 2012
7 hares hit, with veterinary return noting 1 hare was injured on Day 2 and 1 hare considered "unfit" on Day 3.
Charleville, Oct 29/30,2011
5 hares hit. It was stated that no vet was present, but on call, while the ICC control steward said there was veterinary involvement. The vet completed a veterinary report, despite not being present.
THURLES
Thurles, Co Tipperary - 25, 26 October, 2014
Coursers state that 4 hares "required assistance" and 4 were examined by vet, with 1 being treated by vet. Coursers claim that 2 hares escaped. Meanwhile, the NPWS ranger in a memo to NPWS HQ, regarding an injured hare, stated: "I did not notice the hare on the Saturday. I don't take the hares out of the boxes but check their status by looking at them and feeling their backs. If I notice something unusual, I take it out or ask the club to take it out. What caught my attention on the Sunday was the smell coming out of the box. When I took the hare out, I noticed a large injury to the shoulder and front of one of the legs. I asked the attending vet to check the hare. He said it wasn't too bad, would give it some antibiotics. I did ask should it be put down right there but he disagreed. He later approached me in the day and said that he had given the hare a long acting antibiotic (3 days) and a steroid for pain and that the injury appeared worse than he initially thought. He said to bring the animal to a vet in 3 days. I did that and the vet I brought it to recommended it be put down."
NPWS officials cited other problems at this meeting, including a suspicion that hares were coursed twice in one day, a breach of the licence conditions, and also that not all hares were released in daylight, another breach.
Thurles, Co. Tipperary, 26/27 October 2013
Coursers stated that 3 hares "required assistance" and were examined by vet, who stated that on day 2, 2 hares were "not suitable" for coursing.
Thurles District, 29/30, October, 2011
10 hares hit over the two days, 2 hares killed, 2 injured and 2 died overnight in coursing compound.
MILTOWN MALBAY
Miltown Malbay, Co Clare 26/27 October, 2013
Coursers stated that 3 hares "required assistance", were examined by vet and certified injured. Vet stated 1 was "unfit". (Note: Hares "requiring assistance” is a euphemism for hares that have been struck and mauled by greyhounds)
BALLINAGAR
Ballinagar, Co Offaly October 26/27, 2013
Coursers stated that 4 hares "required assistance", 1 died of natural causes, as confirmed by vet, although no post mortem was carried out. It was claimed by coursers that 1 hare escaped. Coursers captured 71 hares, yet only 69 were available for coursing on day 1, leaving 2 unaccounted for.
CASTLEISLAND
Castleisland, Co Kerry 26/27/28 October 2013
Coursers stated that 4 hares "required assistance", and 1 hare died in the escape area. Coursers stated that among the hares captured, 4 were pregnant. They claimed that these hares were released.
Castleisland, Co. Kerry - October 28/29, 2012
6 hares hit, according to ranger, while veterinary return noted that 4 hares were considered "unfit for coursing" at the end of Day 2.
ACTION ALERTS
Urge Minister Heather Humphreys to show compassion for the persecuted Irish Hare and withdraw 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
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. 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.
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.
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.
