Talks on the formation of Ireland’s next government have begun, and animal protection groups worry that the plight of so many horribly ill-treated creatures may be overlooked by the political parties in the focus on the Covid 19 crisis and economic challenges. Let’s tell them the animals DO matter!
The recent seizure of thirty-three dogs in dreadful conditions at Dublin Port is another reminder that our animal welfare laws need updating. Ireland remains the puppy farming capital of Ireland, despite pledges by successive government to stamp out the abuse.
The sight of horses, half-starved and abandoned on the roadsides is so common now in many parts of Ireland as to barely elicit a shrug from passers-by and disturbing footage has emerged of exported livestock being subjected to savage beatings and other abuses aboard the ships.
Later in the year, hares will be snatched from their habitats and used as live bait, and pillars of society will hound foxes to exhaustion and death for a cheap thrill.
Hares that don’t perform on the coursing field are fed live to dogs in training sessions, along with stray cats, rabbits and birds.
Fox hunters employ gangs who dig out foxes that go to ground. Terriers and various mongrel breeds are dropped down into the underground refuges to retrieve the animals, resulting in horrific injuries to dogs and foxes alike, as you can see in the picture of the foxhunter holding a mauled fox and the dog he has used to “retrieve” the unfortunate animal.
The powerful people involved in these practises are counting right now on the bigger political issues to distract from their cruelties. Those of us who oppose animal cruelty must enure that our voices ARE heard, and that the incoming government knows that hare coursing, fox hunting and other animal cruelty practises are no longer acceptable.
Let’s give a voice to the voiceless. Please ask Ireland’s politicians to ensure that a ban on hare coursing, fox hunting and other animal cruelty practises are included in the Programme for Government that is to be negotiated. Below are the email addresses of all members of Ireland’s parliament, in blocks. Simply email your message to yourself and CC it to all of these.
Here is a sample message you could use, or compose one yourself:
“...The cruel practices of hare coursing and fox hunting are still legal in Ireland, despite overwhelming of the cruelty involved and the opposition of the majority of Irish people to these cruelties. Please ensure that the abolition of these abhorrent “sports” will form part of the Programme for Government that is to be negotiated in the coming days. Also, I appeal to you to prioritise the updating of animal welfare legislation to stamp out abuses of farm animals and domestic pets that is endemic in Ireland...”
Send your message to the following email addresses. Thank you!
Address list one:
richard.bruton@oireachtas.ie, sean.haughey@oireachtas.ie, denise.mitchell@oireachtas.ie, aodhan.oriordain@oireachtas.ie, eoghan.murphy@oireachtas.ie, jim.ocallaghan@oireachtas.ie, eamon.ryan@oireachtas.ie, paschal.donohoe@oireachtas.ie, marylou.mcdonald@oireachtas.ie, alan.farrell@oireachtas.ie, darragh.obrien@oireachtas.ie, joe.obrien@oireachtas.ie, louise.oreilly@oireachtas.ie, gino.kenny@oireachtas.ie, mark.ward@oireachtas.ie, eoin.obroin@oireachtas.ie, dessie.ellis@oireachtas.ie, roisin.shortall@oireachtas.ie, josepha.madigan@oireachtas.ie, catherine.martin@oireachtas.ie, neale.richmond@oireachtas.ie, joan.collins@oireachtas.ie, brid.smith@oireachtas.ie, aengus.osnodaigh@oireachtas.ie, colm.brophy@oireachtas.ie, sean.crowe@oireachtas.ie, john.lahart@oireachtas.ie, paul.murphy@oireachtas.ie, jack@jackchambers.ie, leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie, kathleen.funchion@oireachtas.ie, john.mcguinness@oireachtas.ie, malcolm.noonan@oireachtas.ie
Address list two:
jennifer.murnaneoconnor@oireachtas.ie, brendan.smith@oireachtas.ie, niamh.smyth@oireachtas.ie, pat.buckley@oireachtas.ie, david.stanton@oireachtas.ie, mick.barry@oireachtas.ie, colm.burke@oireachtas.ie, padraig.osullivan@oireachtas.ie, simon.coveney@oireachtas.ie, micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie, pearse.doherty@oireachtas.ie, padraig.maclochlainn@oireachtas.ie, charlie.mcconalogue@oireachtas.ie, thomas.pringle@oireachtas.ie, richard.boydbarrett@oireachtas.ie, sean.canney@oireachtas.ie, ciaran.cannon@oireachtas.ie, anne.rabbitte@oireachtas.ie, catherine.connolly@oireachtas.ie, noel.grealish@oireachtas.ie, hildegarde.naughton@oireachtas.ie, eamon.ocuiv@oireachtas.ie, bernard.durkan@oireachtas.ie, james.lawless@oireachtas.ie, catherine.murphy@oireachtas.ie, martin.heydon@oireachtas.ie, charles.flanagan@oireachtas.ie, sean.fleming@oireachtas.ie, carol.nolan@oireachtas.ie, brian.stanley@oireachtas.ie, willie.odea@oireachtas.ie, kieran.odonnell@oireachtas.ie, maurice.quinlivan@oireachtas.ie
Address list three:
patrick.odonovan@oireachtas.ie, peterm.fitzpatrick@oireachtas.ie, imelda.munster@oireachtas.ie, gerald.nash@oireachtas.ie, fergus.odowd@oireachtas.ie, dara.calleary@oireachtas.ie, rose.conwaywalsh@oireachtas.ie, michael.ring@oireachtas.ie, thomas.byrne@oireachtas.ie, peadar.toibin@oireachtas.ie, michael.fitzmaurice@oireachtas.ie, Denis.Naughten@oireachtas.ie, frank.feighan@oireachtas.ie, martin.kenny@oireachtas.ie, marc.macsharry@oireachtas.ie, alan.kelly@oireachtas.ie, mary.butler@oireachtas.ie, david.cullinane@oireachtas.ie, brendan.howlin@oireachtas.ie, joe.mchugh@oir.ie
Address list four:
jcarrollmacneill@cllr.dlrcoco.ie, cormac@cormacdevlin.ie, ossian.smyth@oir.ie, alan.dillon@oireachtas.ie, brian.leddin@oireachtas.ie, matt.shanahan@oireachtas.ie, ocathasaigh@oireachtas.ie, marian.harkin@oireachtas.ie, chris.andrews@oireachtas.ie, cian.ocallaghan@oireachtas.ie, info@askoconnor.ie, neasa.hourigan@oireachtas.ie, gary.gannon@oireachtas.ie, holly.cairns@oireachtas.ie, paul.donnelly@oireachtas.ie, roderic.ogorman@oireachtas.ie, matt.carthy@oireachtas.ie, patrick.costello@oireachtas.ie, violet-anne.wynne@oireachtas.ie, francisnoel.duffy@oireachtas.ie, paul.mcauliffe@oireachtas.ie, duncan.smith@oireachtas.ie, emer.higgins@oireachtas.ie, thomas.gould@oireachtas.ie, christopher.osullivan@oireachtas.ie, mairead.farrell@oireachtas.ie, reada.cronin@oireachtas.ie, patricia.ryan@oireachtas.ie, sorca.clarke@oireachtas.ie, ruairi.omurchu@oireachtas.ie, johnny.mythen@oireachtas.ie, Johnny.guirke@oireachtas.ie, darren.orourke@oireachtas.ie, claire.keranne@oireachtas.ie