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Urge St Vincent’s Hospital to reject foxhunting fundraiser
11 December 2015
The Irish Council Against Blood Sports is thoroughly shocked and disappointed that St Vincent’s Hospital is set to accept the proceeds of a so-called charity hunt by the Killinick Harriers in Wexford. The fundraiser – described by organisers as “an exciting day’s hunting” – is due to take place this weekend.
The CEO of St Vincent’s Foundation, John Hickey, stated "It is not appropriate for a foundation such as ours to have an organisation position on matters such as this" and that the "responsibility to allow or otherwise is a matter for legislators and we would not interfere in that." In other words, St. Vincent’s is literally turning a blind eye to the cruelty involved in foxhunting, and citing its shameful legality in this country as an excuse for so doing.
We wrote to St. Vincent’s Hospital, appealing to them to reject the proceeds of this hunt on the grounds of horrific cruelty to wildlife. We also cited a past incident involving Killinick Harriers hounds savaging a pet cat, tearing it to pieces in the driveway of a traumatised homeowner.
An Irish Field hunting report from January revealed the plight of foxes terrorised by the Killinick hunt. It described a hunt which involved an unfortunate fox being chased by a pack of hounds for over an hour and a half.
The report stated: "One and a half hours of hard hunting over some of the most challenging country in Ireland. The huntsman was up to it, the followers were up to it and the pack was on fire...The pack split momentarily but good work by the hunt staff had them settled on one fox and the field tackled five-bar gates, drains, rivers, wire and double banks through Ballycorreen in a wide circle back through Ashfield covert. Next the hounds swung left and embarked on a long run at pace in the direction of Kilmore Quay, then Tagoat village and left-handed parallel to the Rosslare road. The old black and tan hound Murdock, who is possibly 12 years old, could be heard in the distance hard on the line, pushing the fox back right-handed again."
The fate of the fox was later revealed - the pack of hounds "eventually marked him in briars at the side of the Rosslare road after a run of over one hour and 30 minutes."
In a related development, DoneDeal have responded positively to a request to remove an advertisement for the hunt. DoneDeal have similarly reacted in the past to other requests from us not to include ads for hunting dogs, and have a policy of rejecting ads that promote animal cruelty and bloodsports.
Join us in appealing to St Vincent’s Hospital Foundation to reject this foxhunt fundraiser and all fundraisers that involve cruelty to animals.
St. Vincent’s Foundation
St. Vincent’s University Hospital
Elm Park, Dublin 4
Tel: +353 1 221 5065
Fax: +353 1 221 4428
Email: stvincentsfoundation@svhg.ie
Leave a comment on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/St-Vincents-Foundation/854274001325712
Sign our "Ban Blood Sports in Ireland" petition
Sign Now
Please join us in appealing to the Minister for Agriculture to give wild animals the same protection that is given to domestic animals. 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
Tweet to @simoncoveney
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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