Hare who died after Thurles coursing had “SEVERE INFECTION” of Coccidia
A hare who died after a hare coursing meeting in Thurles, County Tipperary was found to have a “SEVERE INFECTION” of Coccidia.
Coccidiosis is a highly contagious disease which is made worse by the stress of being taken from the wild, i.e. netting, handling, transport, etc (all of which can negatively affect a hare's immune system).
A Department of Agriculture Veterinary Lab report, obtained by Paul Murphy TD further to a Dail Question to Heritage Minister James Browne (who shamefully licences coursing), shows that the dead hare was received by the lab on 28 October 2025 (two days after the coursing meet).
The hare was one of 55 snatched from the wild and used as bait for dogs to chase at Thurles/Crohane/Killenaule coursing meet on 24/25/26 October 2025.
A National Parks and Wildlife Service conservation ranger, who was present to monitor the terrorisation of the hares, reported that:
On Day 1, a hare was pinned to the ground and examined by vet (“no treatment needed”). Another hare "got tangled in wire fence during coursing and was examined by the vet” (“no treatment needed").
On Day 2, a hare was pinned and examined by a vet for injuries. A hare was also hit
On Day 3, "1 hare died during release. No tag number available as tags are removed prior to boxing for release. The hare was submitted to Limerick RVL for testing."
It is unknown if the hare who “died during release” was one of the hares who were hit, mauled or tangled in the wire fence.
In relation to the same hare, the coursing club's vet recorded an “abscessation of toe on examination".
The vet's statement that the hare was “DEAD at time of release” is not consistent with what the coursers stated (“hare DIED AT release”) or what the NPWS ranger observed (“hare DIED DURING release”).
The vet - whose name has been redacted - shamefully certified this hare and 54 others "fit to course".
With new capture licences from Minister James Browne, coursing clubs are again rounding up thousands of hares around Ireland for another season of coursing cruelty. All the hares will suffer fear and stress and some will be hit, mauled and sustain injuries and die. A ban on this bloodsport is long overdue.
ACTION ALERT
Contact Ministers James Browne and Christopher O'Sullivan and appeal to them to show compassion for the persecuted Irish Hare and withdraw the 2026-27 hare 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
X: 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
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christopher_o_sullivan_td
X: https://twitter.com/COSullivanTD
SAMPLE LETTER
(If you have time, please compose your own personal letter. Otherwise, feel free to send the sample letter below)
Dear Ministers Browne and O’Sullivan,
I am writing to ask you to please WITHDRAW the licences you granted for another season of cruel hare coursing.
The licences allow coursers to net thousands of hares from the wild, transport them in boxes to coursing compounds, manhandle them, hold them in captivity for weeks/months and eventually force them to run for their lives in front of greyhounds.
All the hares suffer fear and stress and, despite the muzzling of the dogs, hares are injured and killed every coursing season when they are caught and mauled. Among the injuries documented are, broken back, spinal injury, detached/broken legs, damaged toes and dislocated hips.
Hares suffer at all stages – during capture, while held captive and at the coursing meetings where they can be seen desperately running as a merciless mob cheer the greyhounds on and gamble on which dog will be first to force the hare to change direction. Coursing compromises the welfare of hares and those who survive the ordeal remain at risk of dying from stress-related capture myopathy in the days and weeks after they are released back to the wild.
With the suffering, stress, injury and death caused to hares at coursing meetings, there should be no hesitation in finally ending this shameful activity. This would be widely welcomed by the 77% majority of Irish citizens who want coursing banned (just 9% disagree with a ban. Source: RED C poll).
Ireland is in the middle of a biodiversity crisis and it’s time for the iconic Irish Hare to be given full protection and allowed to live free from persecution. Please withdraw the licences as a step towards a long overdue ban on coursing.
Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
[Name/Address]
Please get in touch with all your local TDs and urge them to pledge support for a long overdue ban on cruel hare coursing in Ireland. 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 and Sinn Fein. Tell them that you want hare coursing, fox hunting 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/
X: 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
X: https://twitter.com/MaryLouMcDonald
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MaryLouMcDonaldTD
Watch our campaign videos
The suffering of hares during 2025-26 coursing season
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jN3OMM7_UY
Bill to ban hare coursing shamefully rejected - 24 in favour, 125 against
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMSh_T5l6i0