Animal protection groups and conservationists in Ireland are shocked and sickened at the decision of the country’s Housing & Heritage Minister to grant a license permitting the capture of thousands of hares for live-coursing events.

The decision is abhorrent on two counts. Firstly there is the well-known animal cruelty aspect: Hares in Irish coursing are battered and mauled by the competing dogs. They have their bones crushed and routinely get tossed about like playthings. The picture shows a gentle hare at one of these so-called “sporting” events in Ireland...an all too familiar sight. One can only imagine the terror inflicted on this animal for the amusement of gamblers and sight-seers.

Secondly, the hare capture license has been granted just as the presence of the deadly RHD2 disease has been confirmed in the Irish countryside. This is fatal to hares and can be spread by coursing activities...especially the use of nets to capture the animals.

The Irish Hare, which is a sub-species of the Mountain Hare unique to Ireland, could potentially be wiped out by the disease, which would be an ecological catastrophe.

So all of us here in Ireland who care about the welfare and conservation of this wonderful creature are appealing to the Housing &  Heritage Minister, Darragh O’Brien, to REVERSE his decision to grant the hare capture license to coursing clubs.

Will you join us in making this appeal?

Following are contact details for him. You can phone or email him...send a tweet or leave a message on his political Facebook page:

Minister Darragh O’Brien, Government of Ireland.

Tel: (01) 618 3802 OR (086) 251 9893

Email: darragh.obrien@oireachtas.ie; minister@housing.gov.ie

Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/DarraghOBrienTD

Twitter: http://twitter.com/DarraghOBrienTD