Four hares lost their lives after suffering injuries at a shameful coursing meeting held in County Kilkenny in January, it has emerged.
Documents released this week by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (which licenses the bloodsport) show that on the first day of the 3-day cruelty event, 2 hares were “pinned to the ground, held by muzzled greyhound(s), retrieved by a hare steward and examined by a vet”. The NPWS ranger monitoring the event, stated that two hares were hit and “injured by dogs” and “died from injuries”. On Day 2 and Day 3, the ranger documented another two hares who died after sustaining injuries. https://www.npws.ie/sites/default/files/files/coursing-sevenhouses-2018-19.pdf
In stark contrast, the coursers maintain in their reports that no hares were injured and none died from injuries. The four hares who died, they claim, “died from natural causes as confirmed by vet”.
Three days after this claim, a report submitted by the coursing club’s vet (whose name is blacked out) does not acknowledge any hare deaths - “natural” or otherwise. According to the vet’s report, 6 hares were examined for injuries, no hares were injured and no hares died from injuries.
Contrary to the ranger’s observation that there were 85 hares at the start of Day 1, 83 hares at the start of Day 2 (due to the two hare deaths) and 82 hares at the start of Day 3 (due to the third hare death the previous day), both the coursers and their vet claimed in their reports that there were 85 hares at the start of coursing every day.
Shame on Minister Josepha Madigan and the National Parks and Wildlife Service for continuing to license this cruel bloodsport, despite being aware of the suffering and deaths of hares. Please respond to our action alert below and join us in demanding a long overdue ban on coursing.
ACTION ALERT
With warnings from wildlife experts that the Irish Hare is in trouble, it is now more clear than ever that the species must be given FULL PROTECTION - no hare coursing, no hare hunting, no hare shooting. Urgently contact Minister Josepha Madigan and the National Parks and Wildlife Service and demand that they stop licensing coursing 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
John Fitzgerald
Director, National Parks and Wildlife Service
Phone: +353 (0)1 888 3242
Email: john.fitzgerald@ahg.gov.ie
SAMPLE LETTER
(If you have time, please compose your own personal letter. Otherwise, feel free to send the short sample letter below)
Dear Minister Madigan,
I am one of the majority who want hare coursing outlawed. I am writing to demand that you stop licensing this cruel bloodsport.
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
Government Buildings,
Upper Merrion St, Dublin 2
Telephone: +353 (0)1-6194020
Email: taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie, leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie
Tweet to: @LeoVaradkar
Leave a comment on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeoVaradkar
Please contact all your local politicians and ask them to push for a ban on this bloodsport. Encourage your friends, family and workmates to contact them too. Visit the Oireachtas website for names of TDs and their email addresses http://www.oireachtas.ie/members-hist/default.asp?housetype=0&HouseNum=32&disp=mem Write to your TDs at: Dail Eireann, Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. Tel: 01-618 3000 or 1890 337 889. Please also arrange a meeting with your TDs at their local clinics.
Support our campaign with a donation
https://www.paypal.me/banbloodsports
Videos: Ireland's hare coursing cruelty
https://www.facebook.com/banbloodsports/videos/1492231004225786/
https://youtu.be/Z7X1S_Nng3I
https://youtu.be/Q7njqNGKyiI