Since Ireland’s cruel coursing season began in late September several coursing events have been cancelled. But NOT because of the cruelty: They were called off when captive hares were observed to be sick or weakly. And hares have died mysteriously on coursing fields over the past month without even coming into contact with greyhounds.

This must be a cause for concern because the deadly RHDV2 virus is known to be rampant in the Irish countryside. This disease is fatal to hares and rabbits, is highly contagious, and can be spread by coursing activities, especially via the use of nets to capture hares and the prolonged, unnatural captivity (bunched together in compounds or paddocks) to which the hares are subjected by coursing clubs.

Postmortems have been carried out by the Department of Agriculture on the unfortunate hares whose deaths led to cancellations of coursing fixtures. However, despite repeated appeals from Irish animal protection and conservationist groups the government refuses to divulge the results of those postmortems. We wonder why.

Let’s ask Ireland’s Heritage Minister and its wildlife service to make the postmortem results PUBLIC.

It’s bad enough that hares are used as live bait in coursing without also risking the very survival of the Irish Hare as a species. This treasured creature could be wiped out if RHDV2 is allowed to spread.

 You can compose a letter of your own or use the following sample:

Mr. Darragh O’ Brien TD,

Minister for Housing; Local Government and Heritage

CC: National Parks and Wildlife Heritage

Dear Minister,

I am alarmed to hear that hare coursing has been allowed to go ahead this winter in Ireland despite the presence of the RHDV2 virus in the Irish countryside.

The fact that some coursing events have been cancelled due to hares appearing to be sick or diseased should set alarm bells ringing. I understand that the Department of Agriculture carried out postmortems on hares that died on coursing fields before the dogs could reach them.

I call upon you to immediately make known the results of those postmortem as there is a widespread concern that Ireland’s iconic native hare could be wiped out by the RHDV2 virus and that would represent an ecological catastrophe.

Hare coursing, in addition to being a cruel blood sport, is putting at risk the very survival of the Irish Hare as a species.

Thanking you,

Email to:

minister@housing.gov.ie,  darragh.obrien@oireachtas.ie, mos@housing.gov.ie,  malcolm.noonan@oireachtas.ie, natureconservation@housing.gov.ie, WildlifeLicence@housing.gov.ie