Fox ran "at speed" from 35 dogs at recent hunt in Limerick

Petition updateBan Blood Sports in IrelandFox ran "at speed" from 35 dogs at recent hunt in Limerick

Irish Council Against Blood SportsMullingar, Ireland

25 Nov 2025

A fox ran "at speed" from a pack of 35 dogs at a recent hunt in Limerick.

A report in the Irish Field (21 November 2025) outlined that at the start of the County Limerick Foxhounds hunt, the dogs were brought to Kilballyowen estate, described as "a huntsman’s dream” with "loads of covert".

The first fox to be targeted was seen running for his life with the pack of dogs behind - he "toured the estate at speed" and "after a circuit and a half, he ended back in the house covert, where both the mounted field and foot followers alike were treated to the Co Limerick orchestra [howling hounds] in full voice".

No details were revealed about the fate of this fox so it is unknown if he was caught and ripped apart by the dogs

Among those participating in this shameful hunt were two American hunt masters - from the Blue Ridge Hunt and Old Dominion Hunt in Virginia. Also present was a Limerick Foxhounds hunt master who "came from the Los Altos Hunt in California".

The Irish Government must not allow this cruel bloodsport to continue. A RED C opinion poll, commissioned by the Irish Council Against Blood Sports, showed that a 77% majority (in both urban and rural areas) agree that the government should ban fox hunting. The poll found that just 12 per cent disagree with a ban.

TAKE ACTION

Help get fox hunting banned in Ireland

Contact all your local TDs and urge them to support Ruth Coppinger TD’s Animal Health & Welfare (Ban On Fox Hunting) Bill when it returns to Dail Eireann on 17 December. Visit the Oireachtas website for email addresses and phone numbers for TDs 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 to vote in favour of Deputy Coppinger's bill - or at the very least, allow a free vote.

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, admin@sinnfein.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; info@labour.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

Sign and share our “Ban Blood Sports in Ireland” petition
https://www.change.org/petitions/ban-blood-sports-in-ireland

Watch our campaign video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jG9rMlE3VAQ

Please support our campaign with a donation
https://www.paypal.me/banbloodsports
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