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Hares “escaped” and six were “never recaptured” after what was described as a “malicious break-in” at a coursing field in County Galway.
Documents published on the website of the National Parks and Wildlife Service – which shamefully licenses the bloodsport on behalf of the Heritage Minister – show that the six missing hares were among 54 captured from the wild between 1 September and 13 October 2024 for use as live lures for dogs to chase at the 2-day Loughrea coursing meeting.
According to a report submitted by the coursers: “Malicious break-in on night of 17 October 2024 or early morning 18 October. Wire cut and some hares escaped. Six hares were never recaptured which brought number for coursing down to 48. Gardai were notified”
A NPWS ranger reported that “six hares had escaped when the park was vandalised in the early hours of Friday 18 October.”
The fate of the hares remains unknown. If they were released to be hunted by dogs, they are likely to be dead.
During the coursing meeting which took place two weeks later (30-31 October 2024), two hares were hit by dogs and pinned to the ground. They were both examined for injuries by the coursing club’s vet who had disgracefully certified the hares “fit for coursing”
See the documents at
https://www.npws.ie/sites/default/files/files/coursing-loughrea-2024-2025.pdf
Shame on the Irish Government for allowing this bloodsport to continue, despite majority support among the public for a ban. A 2019 RED C poll found that 77% want coursing banned, with just 9% disagreeing with a ban. A majority in both rural and urban areas are in favour of a ban.
Due to the cruelty involved, coursing is already illegal in all our neighbouring jurisdictions (Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales).
SEE ALSO
2 hares died from injuries at Loughrea coursing meet, a third was destroyed by vet
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2021/12/03/2-hares-died-from-injuries-at-loughrea-coursing-meet-a-third-was-destroyed-by-vet/
3 hares killed on Day 1 of Loughrea coursing meet
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2021/11/10/3-hares-killed-on-day-1-of-loughrea-coursing-meet/
20 hares hit or pinned by dogs at cruel coursing in Loughrea - one hare “died and was buried”
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2018/09/12/20-hares-hit-or-pinned-by-dogs-at-cruel-coursing-in-loughrea/
ACTION ALERT
HELP THE HARES: Tell Heritage Minister James Browne and Minister of State for Nature Christopher O’Sullivan to give full protection to the Irish Hare and stop licensing cruel coursing.
Minister James Browne (Fianna Fail, Wexford)
Tel: (01) 618 3094
Email: minister@housing.gov.ie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/james.browne.enniscorthy
Twitter: https://x.com/jamesbrownetd
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamesbrownetd/?hl=en
Christopher O’Sullivan TD (Fianna Fail, Cork South West)
Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity
Tel: (01) 618 3095 or 023 88 11011
Email: christopher.osullivan@oireachtas.ie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christopher.osullivan.716
Twitter: https://twitter.com/COSullivanTD
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christopher_o_sullivan_td
Urge Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon to remove exemptions for hare coursing and fox hunting from the Animal Health and Welfare Act.
Martin Heydon TD
Minister for Agriculture
Tel: 01-618 3017
Email: minister@agriculture.gov.ie; martin.heydon@oireachtas.ie
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/martinheydonfg
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/martinheydonfg
Urge the Veterinary Council of Ireland to act to end vet involvement in hare coursing.
Niamh Muldoon
CEO, Veterinary Council of Ireland
Tel: +353 (0) 1 668 4402
Email: niamh.muldoon@vci.ie
It is time for politicians to consign coursing and hunting to history. Join us in contacting all TDs and urging them to act to ensure that a ban is urgently introduced. 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 and tell them that you want 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/
Witness the cruelty of hare coursing in Ireland
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntgYjH06czs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVIKc2CS4ko
Please support our campaign with a donation
https://www.paypal.me/banbloodsports