One of the two hares who died at a cruel coursing meeting in Borrisoleigh, County Tipperary, “regrettably passed away” while under the care of a National Parks and Wildlife Service ranger “before it could be transported to a vet for assessment and treatment”.
That’s according to the office of Nature Minister Christopher O’Sullivan who was questioned about a related coursing report which stated that 1 hare “died on release” and 1 hare was “euthanized by range [sic]”.
A response from the Minister’s office stated that “the ranger did not euthanise the hare”.
The body of the hare was “subsequently sent for a post mortem” but no post-mortem details have been provided.
As reported previously, disturbing details about the abuse of hares at the 2-day animal cruelty event (26, 27 December 2024) show that:
On Day 1, 5 hares were hit by greyhounds. None of these hares were examined for injuries.
On Day 2, 1 hare was hit and 2 were pinned to the ground. 2 were examined by a vet for injuries.
In an originally redacted, and now uncovered statement, the NPWS ranger noted that “on day 2 of coursing, two hares were pinned and examined by the vet. The two hares did not require treatment from the vet. During the hare release [later on the same day] two hares died and both hares were submitted to the RVL [Regional Veterinary Lab] for testing.”
According to the ranger, both of the hares died of so-called “natural causes”. It is unclear if the hares who died are the same hares who were caught by the dogs and mauled into the ground.
The hares were among 54 captured from the wild in nets between October 27 and December 15 and held in captivity for up to 62 days. The vet had shamefully certified these hares "fit for coursing".
In correspondence to Ministers Christopher O’Sullivan and James Browne, the Irish Council Against Blood Sports pointed to a possible breach of the conditions attached to the hare netting licence, i.e. two pregnant hares were identified on Days 1 and 2; condition 11 states: "pregnant hares shall not be taken under the licence". This was not addressed in the response received.
See the documents at
https://www.npws.ie/sites/default/files/files/coursing-borrisoleigh-2024-2025.pdf
Shame on the Irish Government for allowing this cruel 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).
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 REFUSE 2025-25 coursing licences.
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