Thanks to everyone who made a submission to the Citizens Assembly on Biodiversity Loss, asking it to recommend a ban on the cruel practice of live hare coursing in Ireland.  Anyone who wishes to add his/her voice can still do so.

Towards the end of the year, the Assembly will make its recommendations to government on how best to tackle threats to Ireland’s biodiversity. Animal protection and conservationist groups want any move to protect wildlife to include a complete hare coursing ban.

If you haven’t already done so and feel strongly about this issue, you can send a submission (of any length) via email, requesting that the Citizen’s Assembly call on the Irish Government to ban hare coursing.

You can write your own submission, or use the following sample one if you wish. Address the submission or opinion to:

submissions@citizensassembly.ie    

(Sample letter/submission)

Dear Sir/Madam,

We understand that the Citizen’s Assembly is considering the various threats to Ireland’s; biodiversity and how best to tackle these. We ask you to please focus on the continuing scandal of live hare coursing, a practice that shame Ireland in the eyes of humane people everywhere.

Hare coursing involves the capture of thousands of hares annually by gangs who then hold public events where dogs are set on these animals. The hares can be mauled, tossed into the air, or have their bones crushed by the dogs, while fans cheer and place bets.

Apart from the obvious cruelty of hare coursing, there is a strong ecological objection to it: The Irish Hare is a species under threat from urbanization and the downside of modern agriculture. The hare population has declined by more than half since the 1960s due to habitat loss arising from these factors, but also thanks to the widespread disruption and trauma caused by coursing clubs that snatch the animals from their natural environment for their “sport.”

The hare is a solitary creature. It lacks the “herd” mentality” and is not accustomed to being corralled into confined spaces or being manhandled by humans.

Adding to the hare’s woes is the advent of the deadly RHD3 virus in the Irish countryside. This highly contagious disease can be spread by coursing activities such as the use of nets to capture hares and their unnatural confinement for prolonged periods. The disease has the potential to wipe out the Irish Hare, one of our few truly native species that has been on this island since before the last Ice Age.

In considering how best to address the multiple threats to Irish biodiversity, please do not overlook the plight of the iconic but persecuted Irish Hare. Please recommend to the government of Ireland that coursing be abolished.

Thanking you,