Fresh calls for ban on cruel hare coursing
20 June 2019

There are renewed calls for a ban on cruel hare coursing as hares continue to suffer and die at shameful coursing meetings held around Ireland. Documents obtained by ICABS under Freedom of Information show that, during the 2018-19 coursing season, hares were struck, mauled, injured and killed. Read our latest Coursing Cruelty Catalogue for more details and please respond to the urgent action alert below.

COURSING CRUELTY CATALOGUE 2018-19

INTRODUCTION

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION DOCUMENTS REVEAL THAT HARES CONTINUE TO BE STRUCK, MAULED AND KILLED AT COURSING MEETINGS

Very shortly, the Minister for Culture, Arts and the Gaeltacht Josepha Madigan will be making a decision on whether or not to grant a licence to the Irish Coursing Club and its 75 affiliated coursing clubs to snatch thousands of hares from the wild for use as live lures before greyhounds at coursing meetings between October and the end of February.

The netting begins as early as August and the hares, cruelly snatched from the wild, are kept captive in coursing compounds, where they endure the stress of being corralled and "trained" to run the course and find the so-called “escape” area. Some hares taken from the wild will be pregnant or lactating females with young leverets left behind in the wild, and it is not uncommon for leverets to be born in coursing compounds.

It is truly appalling that our Minister for Culture and Arts, with responsibility for wildlife, would countenance the abuse of the Irish Hare, an iconic species, supposedly "protected" under the Wildlife Act.

This year, as in previous years, documents obtained by ICABS under FOI reveal that captive hares continue to be struck, pinned to the ground, mauled, injured and killed by greyhounds at coursing meetings.

Among the victims are a hare who suffered a “broken leg” and was euthanised by vet, “a hare hit several times and mauled by the greyhound”, a hare who “dropped dead while being boxed at release”, a hare who died from injuries after being pinned to the ground by dogs, a hare who died after colliding with another hare, a hare “found dead in escape” and a hare who was “hit twice on the legs by the dogs”.

It is time for this cruel bloodsport to finally come to an end. After reading our report, please join us in urging the Irish Government to ban hare coursing.

Aideen Yourell Irish Council Against Blood Sports www.banbloodsports.com

ABBEYFEALE
28, 29 December 2019
Day 1 - 1 hare pinned by greyhounds and examined by vet for injuries
Day 2 - 1 hare pinned by greyhounds and examined by vet for injuries

ARDPATRICK & KILFINANE
16, 17, 18 November 2018
Day 1 - 1 hare pinned by greyhounds and examined by vet for injuries

BALLINAGAR
27, 28 October 2018
Day 1 - 1 hare pinned by greyhounds and examined by vet for injuries.
Day 2 - 1 hare pinned by greyhounds and examined by vet for injuries.

BALLYDUFF
16, 17, 19 November 2018
Day 1 - 1 hare died from so-called “natural causes”

BALLYHEIGUE
12/13/14 October 2018
Day 1 - 2 hares pinned and examined for injuries. 1 of these hares was euthanised by a vet.
Day 2 - 1 hare pinned and examined by vet for injuries
Day 3 - No hares were pinned, according to coursers. A NPWS ranger stated that 2 hares were hit on day 3.

BANDON AND CAREY’S CROSS
1, 2 December 2018
Day 1 - 1 hare pinned and examined for injuries by a vet
Day 2 - 1 hare pinned and confirmed injured by a vet. This hare died as a result of injuries.

BORRIS-IN-OSSORY
12, 13 December 2018
Day 1 - 2 hares pinned to the ground and examined by a vet for injuries
Day 2 - 1 hare pinned to the ground and examined by a vet for injuries. 1 hare died from so-called “natural causes”.

According to the coursing club’s vet, the hare who died on Day 2 died from “old age/natural causes”

According to a National Parks and Wildlife Service ranger monitoring the coursing, 3 hares were hit by dogs on Day 1, and 2 of these hares were “injured by dogs”. He also reported that on Day 2, another hare was injured by the dogs. Regarding the hare who died, the ranger noted: “one hare dropped dead while being boxed at release. Vet took it for post mortem”.

CAPPOQUIN & DUNGARVAN
14, 15, 16 December 2018
Day 2 - 1 hare pinned by dogs and examined by vet for injuries
Day 3 - 1 hare pinned by dogs and examined by vet for injuries

CO. CARLOW
10, 11 November 2018
Day 1 - 1 hare pinned by greyhounds and required treatment for injuries. According to a ranger report, 2 hares were hit by dogs on day 1.
Day 2 - According to the ranger’s report, 1 hare was hit by dogs

CASHEL AND DISTRICT
12/13/14 October 2018
Day 1 - 1 hare pinned and examined for injuries

CASTLEISLAND
27, 28, 29 October 2018
Day 3 - 1 hare pinned to the ground by greyhounds. This hare died as a result of injuries sustained.

CASTLETOWN GEOGHEGAN & WESTPORT
15, 16 December 2018
Day 1 - 1 hare pinned by dogs and examined by vet for injuries According to NPWS ranger, 6 hares were hit by greyhounds on Day 1 and 1 was injured by dogs. “Several hits, hare was pulled away from dogs then mauling it...a hare was hit several times and mauled by the greyhound. The course was stopped and an official intervened to pull the hare from the dogs”. Day 2 - The ranger reported that 4 hares were hit.

CO. CAVAN & DUNGANNON
16, 17, 18 November 2018
Day 1 - 1 hare pinned and examined for injuries.
Day 2 - 1 hare pinned and examined for injuries.
Day 3 - 1 hare pinned and examined for injuries. This hare died from injuries. According to a ranger report for Day 3, a hare was “hit in the first course of the semi finals of the K&C Smith but escaped...Hare trapped in 2nd course of the semi finals of the K&C Smith. Released by stewards and got out escapes.” The ranger went on to state: “After the meeting, a pair of hares collided in the back run, apparently as a result of the noise created by unauthorised person who had strayed into the boxing area. One of the animals died. The other was given attention and left to recover at the back run with the intention of later release.”

CHARLEVILLE
27 and 28 October 2018
Day 1 - 1 hare pinned by greyhounds and examined by vet for injuries

CLONAKILTY
11, 12, 13 January 2019
Day 1 - 1 hare pinned by greyhounds and examined by vet for injuries.

CLONMEL & KILSHEELAN
17, 18 November 2018
Day 1 - 1 hare pinned by greyhounds and examined by vet for injuries. This hare required treatment from vet for injuries.

CLONMEL, NATIONAL MEETING
3, 4, 5 February 2019
Day 1 - 1 hare pinned by greyhounds and examined by vet for injuries.
Day 3 - Ranger reported that “1 hare hit by dogs” on Day 3.

CORK
26, 27 December 2018
Day 2 - 1 hare pinned and examined by vet for injuries

CROHANE AND KILLENAULE
20, 21 October 2018
Day 1 - 1 hare pinned by greyhounds and examined by vet for injuries
Day 2 - 1 hare pinned by greyhounds and examined by vet for injuries

DOON
30 November, 1 December, 2 December 2018
Day 1 - 1 hare pinned by dogs and examined by vet for injuries
Day 2 - 1 hare pinned by dogs and examined by vet for injuries

DUNDALK AND BALBRIGGAN
26, 27, 28 December 2018
Day 1 - 2 hares pinned by greyhounds and examined by vet for injuries.

According to ranger, 2 hares were hit by dogs on Day 1 and 2 were “injured by dogs”.

On Day 2, ranger stated that 1 hare was hit by dogs. He added that on Day 3, “1 hare was found to be injured in box and was retained for vet inspection and released fulled [sic] healed on 6th January 2019”. The hare was “treated by vet”.

Contrary to the ranger’s account that two hares were injured, a report submitted by the coursing club’s vet stated that although 2 hares were examined for injuries on Day 1, zero hares were confirmed injured at this meeting.

The coursers also falsely claimed in a “hare release information” document that all hares were released on 29th December 2018. Only in a hare release form do they admit that “1 hare was held back and treated by vet before being released on 6/1/19.”

EAST DONEGAL (2)
31 December 2018, 1 January 2019
Day 1 - 1 hare pinned by greyhounds. This hare suffered injuries and was euthanised by a vet.
Day 2 - 1 hare pinned to the ground by greyhounds. This hare died from injuries. According to ranger report, 2 hares were hit by greyhounds and 1 was “put down as a result of injuries”

EDENDERRY
20, 21 October 2018
Day 1 - 1 hare pinned and examined for injuries

ENNIS CLARECASTLE
6, 7 October 2018
Day 1 - 2 hares pinned by greyhounds and examined for injuries. One of these hares was euthanized. According to ranger report, 3 hares were hit on Day 1 and 1 “had to be put down as a result of injuries”.
Day 2 - 1 hare was pinned and examined by vet for injuries. According to ranger report, 3 hares were hit by greyhounds on day 2.

ENNISCORTHY
24, 25 November 2018
Day 1 - Ranger report claims that zero hares were hit but a handwritten note states “ranger not present”.
Day 2 - Ranger reported that 2 hares were hit by dogs

FERMOY & GRANGE
17, 18 October 2018
Day 1 - 1 hare was pinned to the ground by greyhound(s) and examined by vet for injuries

GALBALLY
31 December 2018 and 1 January 2019
Day 1 - 2 hares pinned to the ground by greyhounds and examined by vet for injuries

GALWAY & ORANMORE
7, 8 November 2018
Day 1 - According to the coursers, 1 hare was pinned to the ground by greyhound(s) and examined by vet for injuries. This hare required treatment from vet for the injuries. The NPWS ranger report states that in addition to this pinned hare, 3 other hares were hit by greyhounds.
Day 2 - NPWS ranger report states that 2 hares were hit by greyhounds

GLANWORTH
5, 6 December 2018
Day 2 - 2 hares pinned by dogs and examined by vet for injuries

GLIN
5, 6, 7 October 2018
Day 1 - 2 hares pinned and examined by vet for injuries
Day 2 - 1 hare pinned and examined by vet for injuries

GOREY
8, 9 December 2018
Day 2 - 1 hare pinned and examined by vet for injuries.

IRISH CUP
22, 23, 24 February 2019
Day 1 - 1 hare pinned by greyhounds and examined by vet for injuries.
Day 2 - 3 hares pinned by greyhounds and examined by vet for injuries.
Day 3 - 1 hare pinned by greyhounds and examined by vet for injuries.

JOHNSTOWN AND URLINGFORD
1, 2 December 2018
Day 2 - 2 hares pinned to ground and examined for injuries by vet.

KERRY
26, 27 December 2018
Day 1 - 1 hare pinned and examined for injuries by vet.
Day 2 - 2 hares pinned and examined for injuries by vet. 1 of these hares was confirmed injured by a vet and euthanised.

KILFLYNN
28, 29, 30 October 2018
Day 1 - 1 hare pinned and examined for injuries
Day 2 - 1 hare pinned and examined for injuries. 1 hare died from so-called “natural causes”. This hare was “found dead in escape” according to veterinary report.

KILLIMER/KILRUSH
24, 25 November 2018
Day 1 - 1 hare pinned to the ground by greyhounds and examined by vet for injuries
Day 2 - 2 hares pinned to the ground by greyhounds and examined by vet for injuries

According to a report by the coursing club’s vet, no hares were confirmed injured, no hares died from injuries and no hares were euthanised. This was signed 25 November, the final day of the coursing meeting.

The following day, the National Parks and Wildlife Service reported that one hare “had to be put down as a result of injuries”. NPWS rangers reported that on day 1, four hares were hit by the muzzled greyhounds (with one pinned to the ground). The hare who died was apparently put down on the day the hares were being released back to the wild (26 November), the day after the conclusion of the shameful event.

The coursers claim in their report that a total of 78 hares were released. However, the National Parks and Wildlife Service rangers - who were present to witness the release - reported that, with one injured hare being destroyed, just 77 hares were released.

KNOCKGRAFFON
23, 24, 25 November 2018
Day 1 - 1 hare pinned by greyhounds and examined by vet for injuries
Day 2 - 2 hares pinned by greyhounds and examined by vet for injuries
Day 3 - 1 hare pinned by greyhounds and examined by vet for injuries

LIMERICK CITY
3, 4 November 2018
Day 1 - 1 hare pinned and examined by vet for injuries.
Day 2 - 1 hare pinned and examined by vet for injuries.

LISCANNOR
29, 30 September 2018
Day 1 - 1 hare pinned and examined for injuries.
Day 2 - 5 hares pinned and examined for injuries.

Ranger report stated that on Day 1, 3 hares were hit by dogs and 1 was “injured by dogs” and that it is “not known” if any hares died from injuries. Were hares released to same locations as capture? “NO. Individual hares not released at exact same locations, as this would be difficult to manage without tagging”

Ranger stated “I recommend that it is a condition of the coursing licence that injured hares are spray marked immediately on retrieval from the field for identification at all stages afterwards. I note that the vet does not have to report on hares which die overnight in the enclosure after the meet, which means that this information may not be available to NPWS”

On day 2, according to the ranger, 2 hares “appeared injured when slipped and were not coursed”.

LISTOWEL
9, 10, 11 November 2018
Day 1 - 2 hares pinned by greyhounds and examined by vet for injuries
Day 2 - 1 hare died from so-called “natural causes”
Day 3 - 1 hare pinned by greyhounds and examined by vet for injuries. Another hare died from “natural causes”.

LIXNAW
30 November, 1 December, 2 December 2018
Day 2 - 1 hare pinned to ground by dogs and examined by a vet for injuries. This hare died as a result of injuries.

LOUGHREA
20, 21 October 2018
Day 1 - 1 hare pinned by greyhounds and examined for injuries
Day 2 - 1 hare pinned by greyhounds and examined for injuries

Ranger report: Day 1 - 5 hares hit and another hare hit and pinned. Injured by dogs? “Unknown - check vet report”. Day 2 - 2 hares hit and another hare hit and pinned. Ranger stated “57 hares were released under NPWS supervision. According to Jack Mahony three hares escaped to the countryside through a hole in the fence on the morning of release as they were being boxed.”

MACROOM
16, 17 January 2019
Day 1 - 2 hares pinned by greyhounds and examined by vet for injuries.
Day 2 - 1 hare pinned by greyhounds and “confirmed injured”. This hare was “euthanized by vet”.

MALLOW
21, 22 October 2018
Day 1 - 2 hares pinned by greyhounds and required treatment from vet. One of these hares was euthanised by the vet.
Day 2 - 1 hare was pinned and examined for injuries by vet.

MILLSTREET
4, 5 January 2019
Day 2 - 3 hares pinned by greyhounds and examined by vet for injuries.

MILTOWN MALBAY
26, 27, 28 October 2018
Day 2 - 1 hare pinned and examined for injuries by vet

MOONCOIN
26, 27 December 2018
Day 1 - 2 hares pinned by greyhounds and examined by vet for injuries. According to the NPWS ranger, 0 hares were hit.
Day 2 - 1 hare pinned by greyhounds and examined by vet for injuries. According to the NPWS ranger, 0 hares were hit.

NENAGH
9, 10, 11 November 2018
“After having a discussion with the wildlife officer regarding illegal hunting of hares in our area, the club has decided with the wildlife officer’s permission to keep location of hares captured confidential. We will supply all details of where captured and released to the wildlife officer or any other details requested”. Ranger stated in her report: “Release locations are confidential due to significant problems with the illegal hunting of hares with lurchers in the area.”

NEWCASTLE WEST
8, 9 December 2018
During trials on 1 December, 1 hare was hit, pinned and injured. A vet euthanised the hare due to the injuries.
Day 1 - 1 hare pinned by dogs and examined by vet for injuries
Day 2 - 1 hare pinned by dogs and examined by vet for injuries.

NEW ROSS
3, 4, 5 November 2018
Day 1 - 1 hare pinned and examined by vet for injuries
Day 2 - 1 hare pinned and examined by vet for injuries
Day 3 - 1 hare pinned and examined by vet for injuries. According to ranger report, 3 hares were hit by dogs on Day 3.

NORTH KILKENNY
22, 23 December 2018
Day 1 - 3 hares pinned and examined by vet for injuries. According to ranger report, no hares were hit.

RATHCORMAC
24, 25 November 2018
Day 2 - 1 hare pinned, suffered “broken leg” and euthanised by vet

RATHDOWNEY
8, 9 December 2018
Day 2 - 2 hares pinned and examined by vet for injuries.

RATHKEALE
24, 25 November 2018
Day 1 - 1 hare hit by dogs according to NPWS ranger report. There is no mention of this hit on the coursers’ form.
Day 2 - 1 hare pinned by dogs and examined by vet for injuries According to veterinary report, there were 75 hares at the beginning of Day 1 and Day 2. Meanwhile, the coursers noted that 1 hare had escaped before trials and there was only 74 hares remaining. A handwritten note on the veterinary report states: “vet inspected hares on 18 November and counted 75. Was not made aware by club that a hare escaped later that evening.”

REGIONAL & TRADAREE
12, 13, 14 October 2018
Day 1 - 1 hare pinned and examined for injuries

ROSCOMMON
26, 27 December 2018
Day 1 - 1 hare pinned by greyhounds and examined by vet for injuries.
Day 2 - 1 hare pinned by greyhounds and examined by vet for injuries. According to ranger report, 2 hares were hit by dogs on Day 1 and 2 hares were hit on Day 2. On each day, “1 [hare was] boxed for inspection by vet”.

SEVENHOUSES
11, 12, 13 January 2019
Day 1 - 2 hares pinned by greyhounds and examined by vet for injuries.
Day 2 - 2 hares pinned by greyhounds and examined by vet for injuries.
Day 3 - 2 hares pinned by greyhounds and examined by vet for injuries.

According to the coursers, “4 hares died from natural causes as confirmed by vet”. The veterinary report, with the name of the vet blacked out, records no hare deaths.

In contrast, the report of a NPWS ranger who monitored the meeting, confirms that four hares died – not from “natural causes” but from injuries. The report states that on Day 1, two hares were “injured by dogs” and “died from injuries” and on both Days 2 and 3, one hare was hit by dogs, was injured and “died from injuries”.

TEMPLETUOHY
4, 5, 6 January 2019
Day 1 - 1 hare pinned by greyhounds and examined by vet for injuries.
Day 2 - 1 hare pinned by greyhounds and examined by vet for injuries.
Day 3 - 1 hare pinned by greyhounds and examined by vet for injuries.

THURLES & TIPPERARY
27 and 28 October 2018
Day 1 - 3 hares pinned and examined for injuries
Day 2 - 1 hare pinned and examined for injuries

Ranger report – On Day 1, “3 hares pinned and 1 hare tipped” “All release locations for hares are confidential due to the issues in relation to the illegal hunting of hares with dogs in the area. I personally oversaw the release of 50 hares. 12 hares were released in XXX and 4 other hares were released by the club in Tipperary and not overseen by me due to logistic constraints.”

TRIM
3, 4 November 2018
Day 1 - 3 hares pinned by greyhounds and examined by vet for injuries. All 3 hares “required treatment from vet for injuries”

TUBBERCURRY
11, 12, 13 January 2019
Day 1 - 3 hares pinned by greyhounds and examined by vet for injuries.
Day 2 - 2 hares pinned by greyhounds and examined by vet for injuries.

WESTMEATH UNITED
13, 14 October 2018
Among the hares at the coursing enclosure was a ¾ size hare. In a report, the ranger stated: “We noted an additional hare in this enclosure; it appeared to be a juvenile hare. We brought this to the attention of one of the club members”

According to ranger - on day 2, one hare was hit by dogs and “ran away to escape”. Ranger said it is unknown if hare was injured. “This hare was hit twice on the legs by the dogs but managed to run away to the escape.” “Early on during coursing, we noted a number of hares when released from the box to be coursed, ran right into the wire mesh on either side of the coursing run before they ran straight up the field. Some of these hares were coursed and some weren’t. The hares would appear to have been blinded by the sun as they left the dark boxes.” “It was explained to me that the juvenile hare from the enclosure had probably made its own way in there at some stage and that they would release it nearby with some of the others.”

WEXFORD AND DISTRICT
29, 30 December 2018
Day 1 - 2 hares pinned - 1 “required treatment from vet for injuries”
Day 2 - 3 hares pinned - 2 “required treatment from vet for injuries”. According to the ranger’s report, 3 hares were hit and “injured by dogs” on Day 2. Despite the wildlife ranger not being present on Day 1, a ranger report stated that there were “59 hares at the start of coursing”, the hares appeared healthy and all dogs were muzzled.

 ACTION ALERT 

With warnings from wildlife experts that the species is in trouble, it is now more clear than ever that the Irish Hare must be given full protection. Urgently contact Minister Josepha Madigan and the National Parks and Wildlife Service and demand that they revoke the 2018-19 hare coursing licence and end all forms of hare persecution.

Minister Josepha Madigan
Minister for Culture, Heritage & the Gaeltacht
Phone: +353 (0)1 631 3800
Email: josepha.madigan@oireachtas.ie, ministers.office@ahg.gov.ie, wildlifelicence@ahg.gov.ie, john.fitzgerald@ahg.gov.ie, Gerry.Leckey@ahg.gov.ie, nature.conservation@ahg.gov.ie
Leave a comment on Facebook: https://facebook.com/JosephaMadiganFG
Tweet to: @josephamadigan and @DeptAHG

John Fitzgerald
Director, National Parks and Wildlife Service
Phone: +353 (0)1 888 3242
Email: john.fitzgerald@ahg.gov.ie

VIDEOS

See the cruelty of hare coursing on our Youtube channel
https://www.youtube.com/icabs

SAMPLE LETTER
(If you have time, please compose your own personal letter. Otherwise, feel free to send the short sample letter below)

Dear Minister, I am one of the majority who want hare coursing outlawed. I am writing to demand that you stop licensing this cruel blood sport. In coursing, hares suffer and die 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. I ask you to please act on the wishes of the majority, show compassion and end this cruelty. Thank you. Yours sincerely, [Name/Location]

The Irish Hare is a protected species but an exemption for coursing in the Animal Health and Welfare Act means coursers are not liable for prosecution for their cruelty. Join us in our call to the government to remove the exemption and provide full and permanent protection to this cherished species.

Contact An Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar and ask him to ban hare coursing and give permanent protection to hares.

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
Tweet to: @LeoVaradkar Tweet to @LeoVaradkar
Leave a comment on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeoVaradkar

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

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

The licence which allows cruel hare coursing

The licence issued by Josepha Madigan which allows coursers to snatch thousands of hares from the wild for use as live lures for greyhounds to chase.

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