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Major blow to coursing: Australian company pulls ad from ICC website
05 November 2015
In the latest blow to Ireland's cruel hare coursing, an Australian company has pulled an advertisement from the Irish Coursing Club website. The move came after the Irish Council Against Blood Sports highlighted the animal cruelty involved in coursing.
The New South Wales-based Hidez company withdrew its advert when told about the suffering, injury and death caused to hares used in the bloodsport.
The ad for Hidez greyhound compression suits stated: "Give your dog an edge this coursing season. The Hidez compression suit...be better prepared for the next course."
In an appeal to the company, ICABS wrote "It is surprising that Hidez would allow its products to be associated with a bloodsport which is illegal in Australia and which a majority here in Ireland want outlawed (it is already illegal in all our neighbouring jurisdictions - Northern Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales). In Ireland's cruel coursing, thousands of hares are violently netted from the wild and used as live bait for greyhounds to chase."
Video footage from a recent coursing meeting in Edenderry showing hares being hit by greyhounds and sent tumbling was also brought to the attention of the company.
We pointed out that all the hares used in coursing suffer the fear and stress of running for their lives and that every coursing season, injuries and deaths are documented.
Responding, Hidez Managing Director Elwyn McCabe emphasised that the decision to advertise on the Irish Coursing Club website was "taken not as a show of support for coursing nor the work of the Irish Coursing Club" but to "expose our greyhound product to an audience of owners and trainers of the breed".
"We fully respect and understand why some view hare coursing as unacceptable," Mr McCabe added. "We have therefore instructed that the advertisement is removed from the ICC website."
The removal of this ad represents another major blow to coursing and once again demonstrates that sponsors and advertisers want to have nothing whatsoever to do with the cruel activity.
The Irish Council Against Blood Sports has thanked Hidez for acting swiftly to become the latest in a long line of companies to disassociate from hare coursing.
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. Permanently withdraw the hare coursing licence" to 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: @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 permanently withdraw 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 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.
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