The disappearance of the Irish Hare would be an ecological catastrophe. Hare coursing stands accused on both animal and conservation grounds. A ban is long overdue” - Read John Fitzgerald’s Letter to the Editor in today’s Irish Examiner...
Hare disappearance would be an "ecological catastrophe"
Letter to the Editor, Irish Examiner, June 1st, 2020
Mr. Eamon Kiely asserts that the RHD 2 virus which was confirmed in a number of hares in the Irish countryside last year “only affects the hare in rare instances and transfer within the specie is almost unknown.” (“Coursing clubs are fair to the hare: Irish Examiner. May 29th).
Yet Heritage Minister Josepha Madigan, in suspending the netting of hares for a period of several weeks, confirmed in response to Dail questions that the use of nets to capture hares for coursing had been identified as a significant risk factor in the possible spread of the disease. It killed millions of rabbits in China and hundreds of thousands of hares in Spain.
The Minister also rightly pointed out that the Irish Hare is a sub-species of the Mountain Hare unique to Ireland, the very symbol of Ireland’s biodiversity, and that the RHD2 virus could potentially wipe it out. Such a result would amount to an ecological catastrophe.
The hare-netting suspension was lifted following a frenzied week of lobbying by coursing clubs and pro- blood sport TDs. The scientists had not changed their view of the severe risk posed by the disease to the hare population. Political interests trumped the wellbeing, even the survival, of our precious native hare.
Mr. Kiely also makes the case that coursing benefits the hare via conservation measures. The truth is that the clubs capture hares for one reason only: to set pairs of dogs after them for “sport” so that gamblers and thrill-seekers can watch them perform at venues nationwide. Muzzling of greyhounds has not, unfortunately, prevented the infliction of injury on the hares in coursing, as evidenced by NPWS reports and video footage of fixtures.
Hare coursing stands accused on both animal and conservation grounds. A ban is long overdue.
John Fitzgerald,
Callan, Co Kilkenny
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ICABS ACTION ALERT
Please contact all the political parties and TDs and urge them to pledge support for Paul Murphy’s bill to ban hare coursing. Remind them that a RED C opinion poll in September confirmed that a 77 per majority of Irish citizens want the government to ban hare coursing, with just 9 per cent disagreeing with a ban.
Find names of TDs and contact details at
https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/tds/?term=%2Fie%2Foireachtas%2Fhouse%2Fdail%2F33&tab=constituency
Contact the leaders of Fine Gael, Fianna Fail, Sinn Fein and the Labour Party to tell them that you want hare coursing and all bloodsports banned.
Leo Varadkar
Leader, Fine Gael
Telephone: 01-619 4020
Email: taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie; leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
Leave a comment on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/LeoVaradkar
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@LeoVaradkar
Micheál Martin
Leader, Fianna Fail
Email: micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie
Phone: 021-432 0088
Leinster House: 01–618 3000
Leave a comment on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/michealmartintd/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@MichealMartinTD
Mary Lou McDonald TD
Leader, Sinn Fein
Tel: (01) 727 7102
Email: marylou.mcdonald@oireachtas.ie
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MaryLouMcDonaldTD
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaryLouMcDonald
Alan Kelly TD
Leader, Labour Party
Tel: 067 34190
Email: alan.kelly@oir.ie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alankellytd/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/alankellylabour
Please sign and share the petitions
Ban Blood Sports in Ireland Now
https://www.change.org/petitions/ban-blood-sports-in-ireland
Sinn Fein: Support a ban on cruel hare coursing
https://www.change.org/p/sinn-fein-support-a-ban-on-cruel-hare-coursing
Irish Government: Stop Giving Millions of Euro to Cruel Greyhound Racing
https://www.change.org/p/irish-government-stop-giving-millions-of-euro-to-cruel-greyhound-racing
Witness the cruelty of hare coursing in Ireland
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRkXOvbUPNNjMc6LShwiiXBfnDAPbykf
Find out more about John Fitzgerald
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1473520596
https://twitter.com/BadHareDays
http://banharecoursinginireland.over-blog.com/
Buy John Fitzgerald’s “Time to Stop Running” book
https://www.facebook.com/IrishHareBook/photos/a.2199689936935675/2199689870269015/