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A hare “collapsed and lay on side without moving” following a cruel coursing meeting in County Clare.
Documents published on the website of the National Parks and Wildlife Service – which shamefully licenses the bloodsport on behalf of Heritage Minister Darragh O'Brien – show that the unfortunate hare collapsed upon release from captivity after the 2-day animal cruelty event in Liscannor on 30 September and 1 October 2023.
The hare was among 66 captured from the wild for use as live lures for greyhounds. https://www.npws.ie/sites/default/files/files/coursing-liscannor-2023-2024.pdf
They were netted between 19th September and 24th September.
On day 1 of coursing, one hare was caught by the dogs, pinned to the ground, retrieved and examined by a vet for injuries. On day 2, two hares were hit and three were pinned.
In a form signed by a National Parks and Wildlife Service ranger, one of the questions was “number of hares which died from injuries?” The ranger's response was: “1 unconfirmed – collapsed on release and lay on side without moving when approached”.
To the question “did the vet certify the hares fit for coursing”, the ranger responded: “don't know”.
While the wildlife ranger noted one unconfirmed death, the coursers claimed that “one hare was checked by vet after coursing [on] 1 October and then released 2 October”.
The coursing club's vet recorded that zero hares were “confirmed injured” but went on to state: “Hare was treated on Sunday...and held overnight. I [deemed] it fit for release on Monday 2 Oct 2023”.
The fate of this hare is unknown.
Shame on the Irish Government for allowing this cruel bloodsport to continue.
Join us in demanding a long overdue ban on hare coursing
ACTION ALERT
Contact the leaders of government parties Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and the Green Party. Remind them that a RED C opinion poll has shown that a 77% majority want the government to ban coursing, with just 9% disagreeing with a ban. A majority in both rural and urban areas are in favour of a ban. Tell them that coursing is illegal in Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales and it's time for a ban in the Republic.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar
Leader, Fine Gael
Telephone: +353 (0)1-640 3133
Email: leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
X: http://www.twitter.com/@LeoVaradkar
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeoVaradkar
Tanaiste 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/
X: http://www.twitter.com/@MichealMartinTD
Eamon Ryan TD (Dublin Bay South)
Leader, Green Party
Tel: 01 618 3894
Email: eamon.ryan@oireachtas.ie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EamonRyanGP/
X: https://twitter.com/EamonRyan
Contact all TDs and tell them to act to ensure that a ban is urgently introduced. Visit the Oireachtas website for contact details for TDs https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/tds/?term=/ie/oireachtas/house/dail/33
Please sign and share the petitions
Sinn Fein: Support a ban on cruel hare coursing
https://www.change.org/p/sinn-fein-support-a-ban-on-cruel-hare-coursing
Ireland – Ban cruel hare coursing
http://www.change.org/p/ireland-ban-cruel-hare-coursing
Please support our campaign with a donation
https://www.paypal.me/banbloodsports