

A "fine dog fox" was among the foxes terrorised by a pack of hounds during a recent meeting of the North Tipperary Foxhounds.
According to a report in the Irish Field, the hunt started from Loughton House, owned by hunt joint-master Dr Andrew Vance and his partner Dr Michael Lyons - described as "dedicated foxhunters".
Vance ("a GP currently tending to the needs of his patients in greater Manchester" [Royton and Crompton Family Practice]) and Lyons (who "works with Astra Zeneca in Cheshire") purchased the 100-acre Georgian estate from former Fine Gael Health Minister Dr James Reilly.
The 25 February 2022 Irish Field report revealed that the hunt secretary Ciara Cairns is "a serving garda in Limerick".
The "fine dog fox" was hunted through woodland and "almost to the village of Moneygall where he was marked to ground."
The fate of this fox is unknown but “marked to ground” refers to the point when the pack of hounds chase the fox into an earth or drain and this is typically followed by the arrival of the hunt’s terrierman to cruelly catch and kill the fox.
Later, near a quarry, the pack of hounds started chasing another unfortunate fox.
"Hounds found and hunted on across the hills under the watchful eye of the Devils Bit before they marked him to ground almost where they had found," the report outlined.
The Loughton House website outlines that “Doctors Andrew and Michael, originally from Co Monaghan and Co Waterford respectively, work in UK and travel to Ireland as often as possible” and that they “love country living, and have a passion for all animals, including horses and dogs”.
A sickening “Hunting Holidays” page on the website encourages people to travel to Ireland to hunt, stating “what can be better than a day’s hunting in Ireland...two or even more days obviously.”
“At Loughton House we are positively spoilt for choice when it comes to hunting. We have three packs on our doorstep...Why not join us for a hunting holiday to be remembered?...We can arrange a full package at Loughton, including: airport collection...”
Foxhunting is completely unacceptable in modern Ireland and a majority want it stopped. A RED C opinion poll, commissioned by the Irish Council Against Blood Sports, has found that a massive 77% agree that the Irish Government should BAN FOXHUNTING. The opinion poll, carried out in September 2019, found that just 12% disagree with a ban. Please respond to our action alert below and join calls for a long overdue ban on foxhunting.
ACTION ALERT
Contact the leaders of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, the Green Party and Sinn Fein to tell them that you want fox hunting and all bloodsports banned.
Micheál Martin
Leader, Fianna Fail
Email: micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie; info@fiannafail.ie
Phone: +353 (0)1–618 4350 or +353 (0)21-432 0088
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michealmartintd/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@MichealMartinTD
Leo Varadkar
Leader, Fine Gael
Telephone: +353 (0)1-704 3630 OR +353 (0)1-640 3133
Email: leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@LeoVaradkar
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeoVaradkar
Eamon Ryan
Leader, Green Party
Tel: 01 618 3894
Email: eamon.ryan@oireachtas.ie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EamonRyanGP/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EamonRyan
Mary Lou McDonald TD
Leader, Sinn Fein
Tel: (01) 727 7102
Email: marylou.mcdonald@oireachtas.ie
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaryLouMcDonald
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MaryLouMcDonaldTD
Contact Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, Green Party, Sinn Fein and Labour Party TDs.
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