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A Department of Agriculture vet was among those at a hunt in Laois during which foxes ran for their lives from a pack of 25 dogs.
A January 2025 Irish Field report on the Laois Foxhounds hunt revealed that Liz Lane - "a distinguished veterinary surgeon, whose opinion is often quoted on veterinary matters" - was out with the hunt. According to the report, she previously "hunted with the Limerick Harriers and the Clare Hunt" and is "a former whipper-in of the Limerick Harriers" hunt.
Her Linkedin page shows that she has been a "Superintending Veterinary Inspector at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine" for the past ten years and before that, a Department Veterinary Inspector between 2006 and 2014. https://ie.linkedin.com/in/liz-lane-28601485
On the day, the hunt - which started out from the Castle Arms Hotel and Ashbrook Arms Guesthouse in Durrow - began searching for foxes at Knockatrina Wood "adjacent to Canice Farrell’s stud" [Knockatrina House Stud]. Liz Lane is described in the report as "the good wife" of Canice Farrell.
The pack of hounds soon "had a fine dog fox afoot". The unfortunate fox was chased through woodland and "over the river and into lands of Pat Mooney, before crossing over into Jim Bergin’s before going to ground in Randal Hasting’s farm".
The fate of this fox was not disclosed.
Later, there was "a smashing dash" as another fox was terrorised by the hunt in Derry Wood. According to the Irish Field report, this fox "found a welcoming shore and was given best".
The hunters later enjoyed "proper hospitality" provided by The Castle Arms manager, Seosamh Murphy who was seen on horseback at the start of the hunt.
As well as Liz Lane, there was also another vet present. The hunt report stated: "Our guide for the day turned out to Kieran Murphy...who practises as a vet in nearby Mountmellick."
The presence of vets at a fox hunt has been brought to the attention of the Veterinary Council of Ireland as part of a renewed appeal to the body to act. In 2020, we highlighted another Irish Field report which outlined that among those taking part in a Laois Foxhounds hunt was “Grainne Kavanagh who practises as a veterinary surgeon in Rathdowney”.
ACTION ALERT
Urge the Veterinary Council of Ireland to act to end vet involvement in fox hunting.
Niamh Muldoon
CEO, Veterinary Council of Ireland
Tel: +353 (0) 1 668 4402
Email: niamh.muldoon@vci.ie
Boycott The Castle Arms Hotel and Ashbrook Arms Guesthouse and Restaurant in Durrow, County Laois and all businesses that support fox hunting.
Get in touch with your local TDs and tell them to back a ban on fox hunting. Visit the Oireachtas website for contact details https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/tds/?term=/ie/oireachtas/house/dail/34
Contact the leaders of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, Sinn Fein and the Labour Party. Tell them that you want fox hunting, hare coursing and all bloodsports banned.
Micheál Martin TD
Leader, Fianna Fail
Email: micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie; info@fiannafail.ie
Tel: 01 619 4000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michealmartintd/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@MichealMartinTD
Simon Harris TD
Leader, Fine Gael
Telephone: 01 281 3727
Email: simon.harris@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
X: http://www.twitter.com/SimonHarrisTD
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DeputySimonHarris
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
Ivana Bacik TD
Leader, The Labour Party
Tel: (01) 6183136
Email: ivana.bacik@oireachtas.ie
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ivanabacik
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bacikivana/
Keep hunters off your land
If you are a landowner, make your land off-limits to hunters. Find out more about how to do this on our Farmers/Landowners Page – http://www.banbloodsports.com/farmers.htm
Witness the cruelty of foxhunting at
http://www.banbloodsports.com/videos.htm
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