Ban Bloodsports
Hare Coursing Cruelty January 31st 2015
Hares desperately ran for their lives today on the first day of the shameful "national hare coursing finals" in Clonmel.
The sickening images here show one of dozens of hares used as live bait for greyhounds. With bulging eyes, this terrified hare looks back to see the greyhound rapidly closing in.
The 3-day event in Clonmel is the culmination of a season of animal cruelty during which hares, cruelly snatched from the wild, are kept captive for months and forced to run for their lives in front of pairs of greyhounds. Every season, hare injuries (including broken legs, damaged toes, dislocated hips) and hare deaths are documented.
This appalling cruelty has continued thanks to Arts and Heritage Minister, Heather Humphreys who, last August, issued coursers with a licence to grab thousands of hares from the countryside for use as live bait for dogs. It continues thanks to Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney who enacted an Animal "Welfare" Bill which explicitly exempts hare coursers from prosecution for their cruelty. It continues also thanks to our Taoiseach Enda Kenny, who despite having previously expressed opposition to coursing, chooses to turn a blind eye to the suffering of the Irish Hare and refuses to stop it.
The vast majority of Irish people want hare coursing outlawed. Petitions calling for a ban have been signed by thousands in Ireland and around the world. A ban on the bloodsport is long overdue and it is time now for our legislators to follow the example of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and finally make it illegal.
Please share the photos, respond to the action alerts and demand that the government makes this the last ever hare coursing season.
* * * URGENT ACTION ALERTS * * *
Express your support for a ban on coursing. Sign and share petitions
Stop Licensing Cruel Hare Coursing
www.change.org/p/minister-heather-humphreys-stop-licensin...
Save Irish hares from cruel coursing
www.change.org/p/save-irish-hares-from-cruel-coursing
Join the anti-coursing protest this Monday, February 2nd (12 midday to 2pm) outside the hare coursing finals - Powerstown Park, Clonmel.
Urgently contact An Taoiseach Enda Kenny and demand a ban on hare coursing.
An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny
Department of the Taoiseach,
Government Buildings,
Upper Merrion Street,
Dublin 2
Telephone: 01-6194020
Fax: 01-6764048
Email: taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie
Urge Minister Heather Humphreys to show compassion for the persecuted Irish Hare and permanently end her licensing of coursing .
Email "Stop licensing cruel hare coursing" to Heather.Humphreys@oireachtas.ie,ministers.office@ahg.gov.ie,taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie,joan.burton@oireachtas.ie,wildlifelicence@ahg.gov.ie,Gerry.Leckey@ahg.gov.ie
Tel: +353 (0)1 631 3802 or +353 (0)1 631 3800
Leave a comment on Facebook
www.facebook.com/heather.humphreysfg
Tweet to Heather Humphreys: @HHumphreysFG
SAMPLE LETTER
(If you have time, please compose your own personal letter. Otherwise, feel free to send the short sample letter below. Be assertive, but polite, in all correspondence. Thank you.)
Dear Minister,
I am one of the majority who want hare coursing outlawed. I am writing to urge you to stop licensing this cruel bloodsport. In coursing, hares suffer at all stages - during the capture, during the time they are kept in captivity and during the coursing meetings where they run for their lives in front of greyhounds. Among the injuries recorded are broken legs, damaged toes and dislocated hips. Every season, hare injuries and deaths are documented.
I ask you to please act on the wishes of the majority, show compassion and permanently end the licensing of coursing.
Yours sincerely,
[Name/Location]
Please appeal to the Minister for Agriculture to remove an exemption for hare coursing from the Animal Health and Welfare Act.
Simon Coveney, TD
Minister for Agriculture
Agriculture House,
Kildare Street, Dublin 2.
Email: Simon.Coveney@oireachtas.ie
Tel: 01-607 2884 or LoCall 1890-200510.
Fax: 01-661 1013.
Contact all your local TDs now. Demand that they urgently push for a ban on hare coursing and all bloodsports. Tell them you are one of the majority who want coursing banned. Remind them that coursing is already illegal in Northern Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales. Urge them to respect the wishes of the majority of the electorate and back a ban.
Witness the cruelty of hare coursing on our Youtube Channel
Hare Coursing Cruelty January 31st 2015
Hares desperately ran for their lives today on the first day of the shameful "national hare coursing finals" in Clonmel.
The sickening images here show one of dozens of hares used as live bait for greyhounds. With bulging eyes, this terrified hare looks back to see the greyhound rapidly closing in.
The 3-day event in Clonmel is the culmination of a season of animal cruelty during which hares, cruelly snatched from the wild, are kept captive for months and forced to run for their lives in front of pairs of greyhounds. Every season, hare injuries (including broken legs, damaged toes, dislocated hips) and hare deaths are documented.
This appalling cruelty has continued thanks to Arts and Heritage Minister, Heather Humphreys who, last August, issued coursers with a licence to grab thousands of hares from the countryside for use as live bait for dogs. It continues thanks to Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney who enacted an Animal "Welfare" Bill which explicitly exempts hare coursers from prosecution for their cruelty. It continues also thanks to our Taoiseach Enda Kenny, who despite having previously expressed opposition to coursing, chooses to turn a blind eye to the suffering of the Irish Hare and refuses to stop it.
The vast majority of Irish people want hare coursing outlawed. Petitions calling for a ban have been signed by thousands in Ireland and around the world. A ban on the bloodsport is long overdue and it is time now for our legislators to follow the example of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and finally make it illegal.
Please share the photos, respond to the action alerts and demand that the government makes this the last ever hare coursing season.
* * * URGENT ACTION ALERTS * * *
Express your support for a ban on coursing. Sign and share petitions
Stop Licensing Cruel Hare Coursing
www.change.org/p/minister-heather-humphreys-stop-licensin...
Save Irish hares from cruel coursing
www.change.org/p/save-irish-hares-from-cruel-coursing
Join the anti-coursing protest this Monday, February 2nd (12 midday to 2pm) outside the hare coursing finals - Powerstown Park, Clonmel.
Urgently contact An Taoiseach Enda Kenny and demand a ban on hare coursing.
An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny
Department of the Taoiseach,
Government Buildings,
Upper Merrion Street,
Dublin 2
Telephone: 01-6194020
Fax: 01-6764048
Email: taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie
Urge Minister Heather Humphreys to show compassion for the persecuted Irish Hare and permanently end her licensing of coursing .
Email "Stop licensing cruel hare coursing" to Heather.Humphreys@oireachtas.ie,ministers.office@ahg.gov.ie,taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie,joan.burton@oireachtas.ie,wildlifelicence@ahg.gov.ie,Gerry.Leckey@ahg.gov.ie
Tel: +353 (0)1 631 3802 or +353 (0)1 631 3800
Leave a comment on Facebook
www.facebook.com/heather.humphreysfg
Tweet to Heather Humphreys: @HHumphreysFG
SAMPLE LETTER
(If you have time, please compose your own personal letter. Otherwise, feel free to send the short sample letter below. Be assertive, but polite, in all correspondence. Thank you.)
Dear Minister,
I am one of the majority who want hare coursing outlawed. I am writing to urge you to stop licensing this cruel bloodsport. In coursing, hares suffer at all stages - during the capture, during the time they are kept in captivity and during the coursing meetings where they run for their lives in front of greyhounds. Among the injuries recorded are broken legs, damaged toes and dislocated hips. Every season, hare injuries and deaths are documented.
I ask you to please act on the wishes of the majority, show compassion and permanently end the licensing of coursing.
Yours sincerely,
[Name/Location]
Please appeal to the Minister for Agriculture to remove an exemption for hare coursing from the Animal Health and Welfare Act.
Simon Coveney, TD
Minister for Agriculture
Agriculture House,
Kildare Street, Dublin 2.
Email: Simon.Coveney@oireachtas.ie
Tel: 01-607 2884 or LoCall 1890-200510.
Fax: 01-661 1013.
Contact all your local TDs now. Demand that they urgently push for a ban on hare coursing and all bloodsports. Tell them you are one of the majority who want coursing banned. Remind them that coursing is already illegal in Northern Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales. Urge them to respect the wishes of the majority of the electorate and back a ban.
Witness the cruelty of hare coursing on our Youtube Channel