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Fine Gael Senator Ray Butler sends "best wishes" to cruel hare coursers
06 November 2017

Fine Gael Senator Ray Butler has shamefully conveyed "best wishes" to cruel hare coursers. In the booklet for the Trim coursing meeting on November 4th and 5th, the Seanad Spokesperson on Social Protection placed an ad which includes the message "best wishes to Trim coursing club from Senator Ray Butler".

 URGENT ACTION ALERT 

Contact Senator Butler about his support for a cruel bloodsport in which hares are snatched from the wild and used as live bait for dogs to chase.

Phone: 01-6183378
Email: ray.butler@oir.ie, finegael@finegael.ie

Complain to Fine Gael HQ

Fine Gael Headquarters
51 Upper Mount Street, Dublin 2

Tel: +353 (0)1-6198444
Email: finegael@finegael.ie

Please appeal to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and the Irish Government to ban hare coursing.

Email "Stop the cruelty - Ban hare coursing NOW" to taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie, leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie, frances.fitzgerald@oir.ie

An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar
Department of the Taoiseach,
Government Buildings,
Upper Merrion St, Dublin 2
Telephone: +353 (0)1-6194020
Email: taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie, leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie,frances.fitzgerald@oir.ie
Tweet to: @campaignforLeo
Leave a comment on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/campaignforleo/

Contact Minister Heather Humphreys and the National Parks and Wildlife Service and urge them to withdraw the coursing licence and put in place permanent protection for hares.

Heather Humphreys, TD
Minister for Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht Affairs
Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht
23 Kildare Street
Dublin 2

Email: Heather.Humphreys@oireachtas.ie, ministers.office@ahg.gov.ie, taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie, leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie, wildlifelicence@ahg.gov.ie, Gerry.Leckey@ahg.gov.ie
Tel: +353 (0)1 631 3802 or +353 (0)1 631 3800
Leave a comment on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/heather.humphreysfg
Tweet to: @HHumphreysFG

See also
Balaclava-clad thug launches attack while ICABS gathers evidence of hare coursing cruelty in Ballinagar
https://www.facebook.com/banbloodsports/posts/1471800336268853

Gerry Leckey
Wildlife Licensing Unit
National Parks & Wildlife Service
Ely Place, Dublin 2
Tel: +353 (0)1 888 3289
Email: wildlifelicence@ahg.gov.ie,Gerry.Leckey@ahg.gov.ie

Express your support for a ban on coursing. Sign and share the petitions

Ireland: Ban cruel hare coursing
https://www.change.org/p/ireland-ban-cruel-hare-coursing

Stop Licensing Cruel Hare Coursing
https://www.change.org/p/minister-heather-humphreys-stop-licensing-cruel-hare-coursing

Ban Blood Sports in Ireland
https://www.change.org/petitions/ban-blood-sports-in-ireland

Video: Ireland's hare coursing cruelty

See video filmed by ICABS last season exposing the cruelty of coursing. Our footage shows hares being hit and mauled at coursing meetings around Ireland.

Senator Ray Butler and Animal Cruelty Issues

In March 2013, Meath West TD Ray Butler voted against amendments to the Animal Health and Welfare Bill which sought to secure a ban on some of Ireland's worst acts of cruelty to animals - foxhunting, hare coursing, digging out, terrierwork, ferreting, badger culling, fur farming and the use of animals in circus performances.

"I have been involved in greyhound racing all my life, it is in my blood. I have trained, raced and bred greyhounds. The greyhound industry employs 10,500 people, part-time and full-time. That is why the Government provides significant funding because the industry is both a significant employer and revenue stream for the Government. In some areas greyhound racing is like the GAA club because local people have their coursing dogs and greyhounds...With regard to the drugs situation, most owners and breeders say the fines do not fit the crime and the system used on the track and at coursing meetings will have to change." Ray Butler, Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine Indecon Report: Bord na gCon, 21 October 2014.

According to a July 2012 Irish Examiner report, Ray Butler TD organised and was a member of a 14-man syndicate of Fine Gael TDs who "stumped up €250 each for a share in [greyhound] Swift Starlet after the 17-month-old bitch showed impressive form at recent trials." The Irish Greyhound Board website shows that Swift Starlet was entered into 65 races between July 2012 and August 2014 and won 7. The total prize money is listed at €2,179. Her last race was at Mullingar greyhound track on 30th August 2014 when she came last. What happened to her after that remains unknown.

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