Hares are running for their lives TODAY in Abbeydorney, Co Kerry as Ireland's cruel hare coursing season continues. The three-day Abbeydorney meeting will see dozens of hares being terrorised by pairs of greyhounds for the amusement of a merciless minority who consider it entertaining to watch defenceless animals being chased. Cruel hare coursing will also take place over the weekend in Abbeydorney and also at meetings in Loughrea (Galway), Crohane & Killenaule (Tipperary) and Edenderry (Offaly). All the hares suffer the fear and stress of running for their lives and those caught and hit by the dogs risk sustaining painful injuries such as broken bones and dislocated hips. Every coursing season, there are hare injuries and deaths on coursing fields around Ireland. This shameful 5 month season of bloodsport continues thanks to a licence from Minister Heather Humphreys and the National Parks and Wildlife Service who, instead of protecting this iconic creature, prefer to pander to those who get their kicks from cruelty. Let us not forget today all the local TDs who were among the 114 who disgracefully piled into Dail Eireann on June 30th to vote AGAINST a bill which sought to ban hare coursing. Their lack of compassion has ensured that the suffering of hares continues today, over the weekend and up until the end of February. Kerry TDs who voted against a ban on hare coursing John Brassill (Fianna Fail) Martin Ferris (Sinn Fein) Brendan Griffin (Fine Gael) Michael Healy-Rae (Independent) Danny Healy-Rae (Independent) Galway TDs who voted against a ban on hare coursing Sean Canney (Independent) Ciaran Cannon (Fine Gael) Anne Rabbitte (Fianna Fail) Seán Kyne (Fine Gael) Hildegarde Naughten (Fine Gael) Éamon Ó Cuív (Fianna Fail) Tipperary TDs who voted against a ban on hare coursing Jackie Cahill (Fianna Fail) Seamus Healy (Workers and Unemployed Action Group) Michael Lowry (Independent) Mattie McGrath (Independent) Offaly TDs who voted against a ban on hare coursing Marcella Corcoran Kennedy (Fine Gael) Barry Cowen (Fianna Fail) Carol Nolan (Sinn Fein) ACTION ALERTS Contact Minister Heather Humphreys and the National Parks & Wildlife Service and urge them to stop licensing hare coursing Heather Humphreys, TD Minister for Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht Affairs Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht 23 Kildare Street, Dublin 2 Email: Heather.Humphreys@oireachtas.ie, ministers.office@ahg.gov.ie, taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie, wildlifelicence@ahg.gov.ie, Gerry.Leckey@ahg.gov.ie Tel: +353 (0)1 631 3802 or +353 (0)1 631 3800 Leave a comment on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/heather.humphreysfg Tweet to: @HHumphreysFG Gerry Leckey Wildlife Licensing Unit National Parks & Wildlife Service Ely Place, Dublin 2 Tel: +353 (0)1 888 3289 Email: wildlifelicence@ahg.gov.ie,Gerry.Leckey@ahg.gov.ie Urgently contact An Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Enda Kenny and urge him to ban hare coursing and give permanent protection to hares. An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny Department of the Taoiseach, Government Buildings, Upper Merrion Street, Dublin 2 Telephone: +353 (0)1-6194020 Email: taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie Tweet to: @EndaKennyTD Write to your TDs at: Dail Eireann, Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. Tel: 01-618 3000 or 1890 337 889. Please also arrange a meeting with your TDs at their local clinics.