There is horror and disgust at the discovery of rabbit body parts dumped in a bin bag near a canal path in County Meath.

The bag - found near Blackshade Bridge in Ballynabarny contained the injured bodies of four rabbits as well as entrails, paws and a head.

The grim discovery was made by locals who were out walking along a stretch of the Royal Canal.

After examining the rabbit remains, they reported that there were no gunshot wounds and that the animals were “likely killed by a dog/dogs as their throats were damaged and ripped”.

It is believed that the unfortunate animals may be victims of barbaric blooding in the area. Blooding is an illegal activity that involves feeding defenceless rabbits, kittens or other small animals to greyhounds to psyche them up ahead of greyhound racing or hare coursing events.

Anyone with information on blooding activities is urged to immediately report it to the Gardai.

BLOODING CRUELTY

Last year, a former hunter provided a disturbing insight into the horrors of blooding in Ireland's greyhound racing. Quoted in an article in the Irish Times, 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.

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 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."

The capturing of rabbits for use in blooding may be carried out by hunters using ferrets.

Ferreting involves sending a ferret down a burrow. The rabbits within are either chased out of the hole and into nets or viciously gripped in place by the ferret while a hunter digs away the earth from above.

A ferreter profiled by the Westmeath Topic newspaper in 2008 revealed: “You have two different types of hunting ferret; you have the 'eye' ferret and you have the 'brain' ferret. An eye ferret in a hole only goes for the rabbit's eye - he blinds him. The 'brain' ferret, he'll bite straight onto the head between the ears.”

"On a typical day I'd get up at six in the morning while it's still dark. People contact me, often lads with greyhounds. These lads would be looking for rabbits,” the ferreter was quoted as saying “I bring my nets, cages, and of course my ferret finder. It's a collar you put on the ferret before he's sent underground. It beeps like a metal detector, so you know where he is...It's handier, because he 'pooches' the rabbit ('It's a certain kind of cul-de-sac where the rabbit goes up into to hide, where the ferret tries to tear at him to make him move). If he doesn't move the rabbit you have to use a barn spade (which is called a ferreting bar) to dig him out..."

He added: "Most of the rabbits go into the nets. The fellas who called me out would often take them off me. They sometimes use them for teasing the greyhound in a thing called a 'rolling cage' which is a small round cage they put the rabbit in to tease the dog before a race."

ACTION ALERT

Say NO to the cruel greyhound industry - don't attend greyhound races or fundraisers/hen parties/office parties held at greyhound tracks. 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.

Join us in an appeal to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe to stop funding greyhound industry.

An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar
Government Buildings,
Upper Merrion St, Dublin 2
Telephone: +353 (0)1-6194020
Email: taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie; leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.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