A former hare hunter has provided a disturbing insight into the horrors of blooding in Ireland's cruel greyhound racing industry. Quoted in an article in the Irish Times this month, he recalled how he used to go hunting hares and that the live hares were sold outside a greyhound track to dog trainers. "The hare’s leg would be broken in the car park and it would run away on three legs and they’d let the dogs after it. The dogs would kill it," he said. "When the dogs would catch the hare, their temper would be bolstered up and then they’d be brought in for a race, so they’d be fired up for the race." Although, his sickening account dates back to hunting in the 1980s, the blooding of greyhounds is believed to be widespread to this day. The illegal practice - in which greyhounds are fed live rabbits, hares, kittens and other small animals - is a cruel training method in the greyhound industry. In an article entitled "Why They Can't Halt the Blooding", one Irish Independent greyhound scene journalist noted: "The bald truth is that greyhound racing would not continue to exist without blooding. It follows that, with a constant greyhound population of close on 30,000, blooding must be widespread. Don't expect an admission of that from Bord na gCon [Irish Greyhound Board]." A blooding session was secretly filmed by BBC journalist Donal McIntyre at a private greyhound training track in Tipperary in the 1990s. The video footage which shows greyhounds being fed live rabbits. Dozens of caged rabbits were filmed being delivered to the track. In the BBC film, the rabbit cries are clearly audible - https://youtu.be/q33yiORJfXs Reporter Donal McIntyre stated at the time: "The use of live bait - in this case rabbits - is against the law in Ireland and the UK and is, in fact, an imprisonable offence. Nevertheless, blooding is a common training technique and in rural areas in Ireland, the use of live lures is an open secret." EXTRACT FROM IRISH TIMES ARTICLE May 5, 2018 "At night-time, we used to go lamping hares and would catch them alive, and then they’d be sold to the racing-dog trainers outside of a racing track before the races. The hare’s leg would be broken in the car park and it would run away on three legs and they’d let the dogs after it. The dogs would kill it. When the dogs would catch the hare, their temper would be bolstered up and then they’d be brought in for a race, so they’d be fired up for the race." "And that’s what used to happen back then. This is what we done to survive, to get money. I wouldn’t dream of doing it now.” https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/i-was-ann-lovett-s-boyfriend-1.3484311 ACTION ALERT Say NO to the greyhound industry - don't attend races or fund-raisers held at greyhound tracks (these are a significant source of funding for the greyhound industry). Distribute our "6 reasons to say NO to greyhound racing" leaflet outside greyhound tracks to encourage people to show compassion and boycott greyhound racing. You can download the leaflet at http://www.banbloodsports.com/ln170616.htm or order copies by emailing info@banbloodsports.com Encourage your local animal protection groups to join calls for an end to greyhound racing, given the cruelty and killing involved. The cruel and crumbling greyhound industry has received nearly a quarter of a billion euros of taxpayers' money since 2001 (including €16 million for 2018). Urge Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe to end funding to the greyhound industry and instead direct the money to charities and other deserving causes. Email "Stop funding the cruel greyhound industry" to taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie, leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie, paschal.donohoe@oireachtas.ie, minister@per.gov.ie An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar Department of the Taoiseach, Government Buildings, Upper Merrion St, Dublin 2 Telephone: +353 (0)1-6194020 Email: taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie, leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie Tweet to: @campaignforLeo Leave a comment on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/campaignforleo/ Paschal Donohoe TD Minister for Finance Email: paschal.donohoe@oireachtas.ie, minister@per.gov.ie Phone: +353 (0)1 6045810 Leave a comment on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaschalDonohoe/ Tweet to @Paschald