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CALLS ARE BEING made to ban live hare coursing in Ireland after it was announced yesterday that wild animals are to be banned in circuses.
Yesterday, Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed signed regulations that will ban the use of wild animals in circuses. The measures will come into effect on 1 January 2018.
The Campaign for the Abolition of Cruel Sports (CACS) has said that it is taken aback at the “breathtaking hypocrisy” of the government’s move against circuses while allowing hare coursing to continue.
“If anything, coursing is worse than circuses. That hares are terrorised for the amusement of gamblers and thrill seekers,” John Fitzgerald from CACS said.
It is scandalous that these defenseless creatures should be in the possession of any coursing club.
“It’s bad enough that healthy hares are forced to run the gauntlet of a contrived chase in a wired enclosure, and that a percentage of them every year succumb to injury resulting in death when they are mauled, pinned down, or forcibly struck by dogs,” Fitzgerald said.
That is a the public farce of hare coursing, which stands condemned as a perversion of true sport.
In 2015, Sinn Féin representatives in North Kerry came in for criticism after being accused of promoting animal cruelty after wishing a hare coursing group “the best of luck”.
The ad had been taken out in a programme for an event which featured the Listowel coursing club.
CACS has criticised the government for last year voting against the abolition of hare coursing in Ireland.
“They must accept a measure of responsibility for the plight of our iconic Irish hare, a mammal that survived the last Ice Age only to serve a live bait in this so-called sport,” Fitzgerald said.
Circus ban
Announcing the circus ban yesterday, Creed said that “the use of wild animals for entertainment purposes in circuses can no longer be permitted”.
“This is a progressive move, reflective of our commitment to animal welfare,” he said.
While circus owners and operators may have their regrets about this move, Creed said that he appreciated their concern and care for the animals that have been part of their lives.
However, he said the ability of a travelling circus to provide fully for all the needs of animals such as camels or tigers is no longer a tenable position.
“While the retirement of the small numbers of wild animals in circuses might seem like a loss, I am confident that this move will do more to secure the future of the circus community,” Creed said.
The Circuses (Prohibition on Use of Wild Animals) Regulations 2017 are made under the Animal and Welfare Act 2013.
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While were at it could we end the horrific use of horses racing on tarmac roads frightened by HGV’s wissing past. There owners obviously care less about them too. http://www.kilkennypeople.ie/video/home/256816/video-horror-as-horse-dies-in-kilkenny-sulky-incident.html
@Dáithí Ó Raghallaigh: but shur its in their culture boss. If you tell them they cant do that, you might as well tell them they rob people, or arrange marriages with their cousins.
@Dáithí Ó Raghallaigh: I thought hare coursing was banned.
@Gillian Weir Scully: it is in most civilized countries but unfortunately not in Ireland with our shameful record of neglect and abuse towards animals domestic, agricultural as well as wildlife. It’s not for nothing we’re known as the puppy capital of Europe
@Dáithí Ó Raghallaigh: or horse racing generally.
@Do the Bort man: f there culture …boss
@Dáithí Ó Raghallaigh: travellers are also heavily involved in hare coursing. Lovely race
@Liam Byrne: Or racing sulkies.
Yes it should be banned….Watching a Hare been hunted down in fear and panic for its life and sometimes torn to pieces is not a sport….Celebration of animal cruelty….
@John003: The hares are not torn to pieces the dogs are muzzled.
@Owen Lynch: don’t go telling the truth
@Owen Lynch: Well I’m sure the hare is much more relaxed knowing that
Bullsh.t
@Kevin Slater: Not sure I’d enjoy being chased by a Doberman, even if it is muzzled….
@Shane McGettrick: Dobermans are not used in hare coursing, you’d be fine.
@Owen Lynch: relevance Whether muzzled or not I cannot get my head around the idea that somebody can get enjoyment from watching a frightened Hare being chased bye a dog
@Owen Lynch: yea the dogs just try lick and kiss the hare with the mussel on, let’s stick a mussel on a few dogs and they chase you around a field at night then
@David: I’m also not a hare, hope you eventually figured out the point I was making.
Why not try ban the 5 or 6 fellas and 6 lurchers that go hunting at 10 until 3 or 4 in the afternoon and walk miles and dogs kill everything it meets rabbits , hares , squirrels , terriers , cats, a farmer saw them kill 3 rabbits in one field last sat and these are drawing social welfare aswell and are not greyhound owners
@Martin Doonachan: did the keep the rabbits or just kill them .
@Martin Doonachan: Yes these dregs of society have nothing better to do than terrorise our wildlife for fun. I saw packs of them in broad daylight with shovels and dogs, going to dig out foxes no doubt. Mind you, they did look like inbreds. Disgusting
@Ogie Carbery: THEY dont eat rabbit they eat steaks look at the size of them
@Martin Doonachan: they also rob the odd house
@Martin Doonachan: some of these lads are so called “homeless” too…. makes you wonder. Dregs of society indeed
@mcgoo: its bad enough robbing the odd house but they beat up pensioners aswell , brave boys
Could we not just dress criminals up in a bunny suit instead? Make it pay per view and give the money to animal welfare groups. It’s a win win for everyone.
Coursing is barbaric and shameful practice. It should be illegal.
Illegal everywhere (including N I) – except Western USA, Iberia and here…
I have been at hare coursing when younger and never saw a single hare caught. Not saying it doesn’t happen but it isn’t the goal for them to catch the hare. Some people are not aware of that.
@Kal Ipers: does the hare know that?
@Dearbhla Russell: yes the hare is informed in the pre-race briefing, why do people care so much about the feelings of a hare? i don’t understand
@Kal Ipers: sure that makes it fine then – just chase the hares, I am sure the hares just love being taken from the wild and/or bred specifically to be chased by dogs with muzzles on – great family entertainment wtf
@Liz Gallagher: sure they are only hares. I ate a chicken last night, Gonna have some cow pieces later too. I’m sure they would have loved the life of a hare.. people are obsessed with animals these days, don’t think they are worrying about you,
@Kal Ipers: tell that to the hares and see how many volunteer to run the dogs
@Dave Hogan: idiot troll, get lost
@Dave Hogan: Maybe because people are human?
Kal Ipers, so you never saw a hare being caught by a dog when you were younger. Here’s what happened at a coursing meeting in Borrisoleigh last year, according to a National Parks Ranger, who noted “… 6 hares died as a result of being directly killed during coursing or the following days as a result of injuries/shock sustained by coming in contact with the dogs during coursing”. Hares are in fact being pinned down and mauled by dogs. See video footage of such a mauling https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqkdHvzH52A
Disgusting practice, should have been outlawed long ago
Definitely its sick.
Coursing is LEGAL? what the actual f…
Build houses on every greyhound venue there is is in this Country . I love the greyhounds to have as a pet and many people do but I hate the sport with a Vengeance I don’t respect anyone who follow or anything to do with this so called cruelty
The windscreen on my car has killed hundreds of flies this year. I will smash it later to avoid upsetting people.
@takemine: you’re not funny
I think while we are at it we should think about banning bread.
@Clancy: Why?
Came across this by accident some years ago in the Midlands … barbaric excuse . Never a sport ! Ban it
I told my dog to stop chasing rabbits. She just ignored me. What can I do?
Let’s ban fishing and forestry while we’re at it
@Denis Doyle: no, let’s ban idiots like you making nonsensical statements online
@Denis Doyle: The only reason people want to keep this is because of betting, I’m sure. Those who bet on it would bet on who could pee the highest as well but seriously there is something wrong with people who call this a sport because it is not.
Fishing and hunting is about food, this hare coursing is about betting and criminality as whenever you have large amounts of money changing hands then you know there is criminality somewhere behind that?
Scaring an animal to death due to exhaustion is no sport in my view.
@Denis Doyle: Why?
Too many TDs publicans and preeshts involved
Will anyone check on the status of the animals once they are sold to other circuses around the world, My guess is they will still be treated poorly in their new jobs.
I.m not in support of animals in circuses but for the welfare of the animal.
I wish to report a sighting of the lesser spotted J.Fitzgerald.
Camels have been domesticated for millennia. No wild dromedaries left, except those gone feral in Australia. There are wild bactrian camels (2 humps) but again most are domesticated. Might as well ban horses from circuses.
@Niall O Neill: These people want to ban circuses. Your argument falls on deaf ears.
@Clancy:
Ban circuses? Sure we would have to get rid of the Dail and Seanad then!
Lets all be ‘Outraged’ about this for a while.
Being outraged is the thing to do in 2017 if your not, you’re ‘Totes Un-cool’
The author of this article should in no way be comparing animal suffering. Suffering and cruelty is suffering and cruelty to the very animals concerned. John, if you’re looking in, please leave this angle of your letter writing be the last, it’s unhelpful and will pit the public attitude on animal cruelty against each issue.
@John Carmody:
I respect your views and analysis JC, and your great commitment to your cause, but it is perfectly legitimate to compare a given animal cruelty practice with another (if one deems such comparison helpful or instructive) in the course of campaigning and to express one’s opinion these matters generally.
I and many others hold the view that it is hypocritical of the government to express opposition to circuses while allowing hare coursing to continue. Both cruel activities should be banned.
Here we go again. The same delusional liberal halfwits who are “appalled” at the barbaric nature of hare coursing and animal cruelty, are the exact same brainwashed minions calling for the deliberate destruction on innocent human beings through abortion. What utterly vile hypocrisy!
“Don’t do it, Marvo” will be consigned to history.
What has GAA members to say lol.
have your say