Order of Malta responds to animal cruelty appeal by blocking ICABS
13 January 2017

Please sign and share our petition: Order of Malta - Stop attending cruel hare coursing festival
https://www.change.org/p/order-of-malta-order-of-malta-stop-attending-cruel-hare-coursing-festival

The Order of Malta Ireland has blocked the Irish Council Against Blood Sports on Twitter after we renewed our appeal to the group to stop volunteering at Clonmel's hare coursing cruelty festival.

ICABS was blocked after we tweeted the latest video evidence of coursing cruelty to the first aid organisation along with an appeal to end its shameful association with the bloodsport. Our footage shows a hare being hit and severely mauled into the ground at a recent coursing meeting, before being pulled away from the dogs, carried away and dumped into a box. See video footage below.

This response from the Order of Malta is very disappointing. Instead of blocking out the shocking reality of hare coursing, it should be recognising that as a charity dedicated to alleviating suffering, it is highly inappropriate to associate with an activity which causes suffering, injury and death.

The Order of Malta is disregarding the inherent cruelty of hare coursing and choosing to continue providing first aid to those who get their kicks from watching hares running for their lives. During the three-day event at Powerstown Park, hares violently snatched from the wild in nets are used as live bait for dogs to chase while a merciless mob cheer and bet on the outcome.

In an email to the Order of Malta's Dublin headquarters, ICABS praised the organisation's laudable work across the country but pointed out that volunteering at an animal cruelty event is undoubtedly contrary to its core values.

"The coursing meeting in Clonmel is the culmination of a season of animal cruelty," we stated in our letter. "Every coursing season, hares are hit and mauled, resulting in painful injuries and deaths. Injuries include broken bones and dislocated hips. This is not the type of activity the Order of Malta should be associating with."

A petition urging the Order of Malta to stay away from coursing has been signed by 1,500 people. Among the comments from those who signed are:

• "I can't believe the Order Of Malta are present at such horror and cruelty. Please don't support this torture."
• "Stop supporting this cruel practice! God loves all creatures and helping those that torture and maim any of them is like doing the deed yourself!"
• "You are either compassionate to all life or you are not compassionate at all"
• "Compassion should be felt for all sentient beings, so surely the Order of Malta should make a stand against events that involve cruelty."
• "Order of Malta, please discontinue to encourage this 'sport' with your attendance at hare coursing"
• "I am shocked that you would even think it appropriate to attend this event which glories in animal cruelty."

 ACTION ALERT 

Please sign and share our petition: Order of Malta - Stop attending cruel hare coursing festival
https://www.change.org/p/order-of-malta-order-of-malta-stop-attending-cruel-hare-coursing-festival

Join us in urging the Order of Malta to stop volunteering at Clonmel's hare coursing cruelty festival.

Order of Malta Ireland,
St John's House,
32 Clyde Road,
Ballsbridge, Dublin 4
Tel: 01-6430000
Email: info@orderofmalta.ie, chancellery@orderofmalta.ie, sub-priory@orderofmalta.ie, omac@orderofmalta.ie, Clonmel@orderofmalta.ie
Leave a comment on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/OrderofMaltaIRL/
Tweet to: @OrderOfMalta @OrderofMaltaIRL

RT to urge @OrderofMaltaIRL @OrderOfMalta to show compassion for hares and stay away from Clonmel coursing festival https://t.co/V5PjfJz07u

— Ban Blood Sports (@banbloodsports) November 23, 2016

PREVIOUSLY: Renewed appeal to Order of Malta to disassociate from cruel hare coursing
15 January 2016

Please sign and share our petition: Order of Malta - Stop attending cruel hare coursing festival
https://www.change.org/p/order-of-malta-order-of-malta-stop-attending-cruel-hare-coursing-festival

The Irish Council Against Blood Sports has renewed an appeal to voluntary first-aid organisation, Order of Malta, to show compassion for Irish wildlife and stop attending a hare coursing cruelty festival.

The Order of Malta has a presence at the coursing finals in Clonmel to provide first aid to those getting their kicks from watching hares running for their lives. A posting on the Order of Malta's Facebook page shows the group's First Aid Station at the Powerstown Park venue alongside the message "Good week of duty over in Clonmel, with coursing and races".

The Order of Malta says it has nearly 4,000 members "volunteering their time to provide first-aid medical services at community and large national events".

In an email to the Order of Malta's Dublin headquarters, ICABS praised the organisation's valuable work across the country but pointed out that volunteering at an animal cruelty event at which defenceless animals are forced to run for their lives is surely contrary to the Order of Malta's ethos of compassion and alleviating suffering.

"The coursing meeting in Clonmel is the culmination of a season of animal cruelty," we stated in our letter. We brought to their attention photographs taken at Clonmel which show hares desperately running for their lives in front of greyhounds.

"Every coursing season, hares are hit and mauled, resulting in painful injuries and deaths," we added. "Injuries include bruises, broken bones and dislocated hips. This is not the type of activity the Order of Malta should be associating with."

Video: Hare terrorised at Clonmel coursing cruelty festival

Videos: Ireland's cruel hare coursing

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