Ask
the PRII to drop RISE from its awards shortlist
ICABS
is calling on the Public Relations Institute of Ireland (PRII) to drop
the RISE campaign from its 2011 Awards shortlist. In an email to the
group's CEO, we highlighted that the campaign was criticised for spreading
misinformation and that the deerhunt ban it fought was widely welcomed
by the Irish public.
In
an email to PRII CEO, Gerry Davis, we questioned the inclusion of RISE
on the shortlist for the so-called 2011 Awards for Excellence in Public
Relations.
"The
RISE campaign was a highly reprehensible campaign," we stated.
"It attempted to block a ban on the Ward Union carted deer hunt
- one of Ireland's worst examples of cruelty to animals. This internationally
condemned activity, now thankfully illegal, involved taking out a pack
of hounds and chasing a terrified, farm-bred deer across the countryside.
Carted deer hunting was cruel from beginning to end. Among the victims
of the Ward Union were a deer that died from fractured ribs, a deer
that died as a result of 'dry drowning' having fallen into a quarry,
a deer that dropped dead with a ruptured aorta, a deer choked to death
in a wood and a deer that died from a ruptured aortic aneurism."
The
RISE campaign aimed to convince the public and politicians that "Hunting
is not cruel to the deer" and "is not a danger to the public".
We have presented Mr Davis with evidence showing that both of these
claims are untrue.
This
includes details of an incident in December 2009 in which a hunted deer
jumped on to a road, was struck by a car, smashed into its windscreen
and suffered a fractured leg before hobbling away in agony. It was later
caught and shot in the head. The occupants of the car were said to be
badly shaken and lucky to be alive.
Referring
to Section 7 of the Code of Lisbon to which the PRII subscribes ("Any
attempt to deceive public opinion or its representatives is forbidden")
and to the Code of Athens which discourages the circulation of information
which is "not based on established and ascertainable facts",
we pointed out that the RISE campaign was criticised for scaremongering
and spreading misinformation.
Meath
Councillor, Shane Cassells, is on record as saying; "I was very
pleased to speak out against the MISTRUTHS which the RISE campaign are
using to try and advance their cause."
Senator
Ivana Bacik too was unhappy with RISE, describing their tactics as "UNACCEPTABLE"
and stating that they engaged in scaremongering (Seanad debate, 30th
June 2010).
Government
Minister, John Gormley, was also very critical of the RISE campaign.
In the Winter 2010 edition of Country Sports and Country Life magazine,
he is quoted as saying "RISE's campaign was one not based on any
foundation of respect. Its supporters and representatives continued
to make a series of FALSE CLAIMS that the Greens' policy was opposed
to shooting and angling, which is simply NOT TRUE. RISE supporters went
to extreme lengths. For example cars outside a church belonging to people
attending a religious service organised by Mary White TD were covered
with leaflets saying Greens RIP. In another instance eggs were pelted
at cars."
The
Irish Times of June 29, 2010 reported that "members of the Rural
Ireland Says Enough! (RISE!) campaign group...booed and jeered"
Minister John Gormley and Minister of State Mary White as they attended
the opening of a library in Borris. The report outlined that eggs were
placed on the bonnet and inside the interior of the Minister's State
car and that GardaI had to remove Rise! stickers which protesters attached
to the state car. Minister Gormley described the protesters' behaviour
as "MALICIOUS" and "UNACCEPTABLE".
In
the Offaly Express of May 11, 2010, the then Councillor, and current
TD, Barry Cowen, similarly criticised RISE. He stated: "Having
recently attended a public meeting organised by RISE, I feel it necessary
to re-affirm the Bills' contents and refute the claims by RISE that
there is some wider agenda...RISE are WRONG to suggest there is some
wider agenda. Minister Gormley recently confirmed the legislation will
not have any implications for other country pursuits such as fox hunting,
hare hunting, hare coursing or deer stalking. This bill only affects
those involved in stag hunting, any suggestion otherwise by RISE is
MISLEADING and FALSE."
ICABS
has suggested that RISE could be replaced on the shortlist with the
successful, positive, public relations campaigns by animal welfare groups
which were instrumental in securing a historic ban on carted deer hunting.
"This
campaign was based on an approach the Public Relations Institute would
surely favour," we remarked. "This involved the presentation
of evidence-backed facts, a respectful approach to lobbying politicians,
good-natured demonstrations and helpful collaboration with members of
the public negatively affected by hunting."
ACTION
ALERT
Please
lodge a complaint with the CEO of the Public Relations Institute of
Ireland and ask them to drop the RISE campaign from their shortlist.
Mr
Gerry Davis
Chief Executive
Public Relations Institute of Ireland
8 Upper Fitzwilliam Street
Dublin 2
With
a copy to:
Barry Kenny, President, PRII National Council - barry.kenny@irishrail.ie
Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communications, of which the
PRII is a member info@globalalliancepr.org
Question: You see them everyday; at work, on the streets, in your back
garden - they run when they see you, and they are all over Galway, Ireland,
the world. What are they??
Answer: Feral cats. To some people they are looked on as vermin, more
see them as objects to abuse, and others see them as part of our habitat
and a very important part of our Eco system. Yes folks like it or not
without these little colonies we would actually be over run with rats
and mice. They play a huge part in naturally keeping the rats and mice
population under control.
Ferals are cats who through no fault of their own find themselves having
to live on the wild side. The majority of feral cats started life a
pets but found themselves living rough because their owners dumped them,
yet again another example of man's inhumanity to animals. The population
has grown to epidemic and lots of colonies suffer sickness, starvation,
especially the kittens. A female cat in one year can form a colony of
up to 30 cats.
The solution is very simple, it's called trap, neuter and return in
short TNR. What happens - the adults are TNR and the kittens caught
and socialized and homes found for them.
This year the Galway SPCA are joining with Galway Cat Rescue and are
launching a joint appeal to help these cats. The cats and kittens caught
by GCR and GSPCA will be neutered, vaccinated, wormed and brought back
to where they live or new homes found for them. To do this we do need
the councils, housing estates members farmers and people with stables
and members of the public to row in and support us. How can you help?
Firstly we need money, neither group have the money to undertake this
project. Secondly we need farmers and people with stables to take some
of the cats, (you will be required to offer shelter and food for them).
Thirdly volunteers to help with the project.
We cannot do it without your help so let's all get together and work
to help these wonderful cats
Gardai are now trying
to track down a group of youths behind the horrific incident which happened
on Cardiffsbridge Road in Finglas, Dublin, about 6.30pm on Wednesday.
The small tan terrier,
believed to be two or three years old, was probably somebody's pet,
the DSPCA believes.
Operations manager
Orla Aungier said it was difficult to judge the the dog's age because
of the damage to its mouth. All its teeth were blown out.
"The female
dog was in good body weight and appeared to be somebody's pet, but we
still do not know who the owner is."
Horrified members
of the public began ringing gardai and the society around the same time
on Wednesday night. When a DSPCA inspector got to the scene gardai had
managed to contain the dog.
"The entire
bottom jaw was blown off. There was no bone left. It was just pulp.
The injuries were horrific. She lost a huge amount of blood.
"She was taken
to our veterinary surgeon who was on standby. There was no alternative
but to put it to sleep," said Ms Aungier.
"It is deeply
concerning particularly if it was a deliberate act. It is alleged that
the fire work was put in its mouth. Our inspector took about seven quick
calls from gardai and people looking for help. He was told the firework
was put in the dog's mouth."
"We are in
shock and appalled. It also highlights the danger of fireworks being
so easily available, even though they are illegal.
"We are appealing
to anyone that has any information to contact the gardai or the DSPCA."
BUAV
exposes kitten experiments at Cardiff University
The
BUAV has uncovered the use of kittens in experiments at Cardiff University.
The experiment is reported in the Wales
on Sunday newspaper as part of an investigation by the paper on
the rise in the number of animal experiments in universities in Wales,
especially at Cardiff University. The paper has revealed that almost
200,000 animals including cats, mice, rats, guinea pigs, rabbits,
birds, frogs and fish have been used in experiments in the past
four years. Cardiff University alone used 191,549 animals (96% of all
animal tests at Welsh universities). The number of experiments carried
out at the institution has risen 13% since 2006.
In
the experiment, nineteen kittens, just two-six months old, were subjected
to invasive surgery under anaesthesia in which their windpipes were
sliced, catheters were inserted into blood vessels and parts of their
brains exposed in order to implant electrodes. The fate of these kittens
was not stated. In 2009, Cardiff University was responsible for using
46 cats, which accounted for 26% (over a quarter) of all those cats
used in research facilities in the whole of the UK during that time
period.
In
four years Cardiff University experimented on 157,839 mice, 17,324 rats,
11,096 fish, 1,941 birds,
1,253 guinea pigs, 933 pigeons, 884 frogs, 207 cats, 54 rabbits and
18 tree shrews from the tropics of south east Asia. By comparison, Bangor
University used 1,464 mice and 664 fish, Aberystwyth used 289 cattle,
153 mice and 102 sheep and Swansea used 1,208 fish.
Much
of the animal research carried out at universities is funded by taxpayers.
The Medical Research Council supported the kitten experiment.
The
Irish Anti-Vivisection Society
PO
Box 13, Greystones, Co. Wicklow, Ireland
Tel:
00353 1 2820154
Email:
info@irishantivivisection.org
http://www.irishantivivisection.org
IAVS
Facebook Official Fan Page <http://www.facebook.com/pages/IAVS-Their-pain-is-our-shame/278215275540>
The
Taking of Hares from Millstreet Country Park for use in Barbaric Blood
Sport.
Millstreet
Country Park is a 500-acre environmental nature park in County Cork,
renowned for its lovely lakes, waterfalls, streams, moorlands, ornamental
gardens, well-preserved wetlands, herb rich meadows, and inspirational
picnic areas.
Its
native deer, birds and other wildlife add to the scenic attractions.
Its exquisitely designed arboretum and its important archaeological
sites appeal to students of all ages and to casual visitors alike.
How
sad then that a dark shadow has been cast over this breathtaking amenity,
this "little piece of Heaven" that has done County Cork proud
and that could indeed be offered as a prime example of the kind of life-enhancing
heritage/environmental awareness project that ought to be encouraged
nationwide.
Information
obtained from the Parks and Wildlife Service by the Irish Council Against
Bloodsports under FOI reveals that Millstreet Coursing Club in November
and December of last year captured a total of 78 hares in Millstreet
Country Park and surrounds.
These
hares were taken for use in one of the most barbaric and utterly discredited
blood sports ever devised by man.
CACS
has contacted the park's management, asking it to review its position
in relation to coursing clubs capturing hares in Millstreet Country
Park. We pointed out that hare coursing is at odds with the whole ethos
of the park itself, being a cruel and unnatural practise that is opposed
by the majority of Irish people.
We
asked the park management to have a look at the following brief film
of live hare coursing, as practised in Ireland. www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFdjBy5S8k8
This
is the activity for which the 78 hares referred to were captured in
Millstreet Country Park and Surrounds
If
you have time, you might consider also asking the park to KEEP THE COURSERS
OUT! You can contact them at: info@millstreetcountrypark.com
Further
information re Dog Breeding Establishments Bill
From:
John Fitzgerald
Sent: Tuesday, May 11, 2010 7:25 PM
Subject: Further information re Dog Breeding Establishments Bill
An Oireachtas committee
today met many groups concerned about aspects of the proposed Dog Breeding
Establishments Bill. Worryingly, most of the groups represented were
pro-hunting/coursing and wanted hunt kennels and the greyhound industry
exempted from the provisions of the Bill. Ive sent the following
circular to all TDs and Senators to remind them the greyhound industry
cannot be allowed to self-regulate where animal welfare is concerned the
film excerpt to which a link is provided shows one of the unacceptable
practises associated with the industry
Campaign for the Abolition of Cruel Sports
May 11th 2010
Lower Coyne Street,
Callan,
Co. Kilkenny.
Phone: (056)
7725543 or 086-3271179
Re Dog Breeding
Establishments Bill and the Greyhound Industry.
Dear Deputy,
Regarding the above
matter, we wish to further remind you that the greyhound industry, contrary
to misleading propagandistic correspondence being circulated by lavishly
paid officials of the pro-blood sport lobby, is not animal welfare friendly
or even remotely worthy of being trusted to self regulate.
In addition to the
recent figures on the numbers of greyhounds put down annually in Ireland,
and the appalling cruelty captured on video at the National Coursing
Festival in February (the video, made by two foreign students who have
since come forward and identified themselves, has been authenticated
despite attempts by the ICC to discredit it); we would like to emphasise
that blooding of greyhounds on live animals continues to be widespread
in the industry.
We ask you to please
have a look at a brief excerpt from a film made by respected award winning
investigative journalist Donald McIntyre in 1994 in County Tipperary.
This shows what happens at a typical greyhound blooding session and
serves as a cautionary tale against any attempt to water down the very
necessary and reasonable provisions of the proposed Dog Breeding Establishments
Bill that is currently proceeding through the Oireachtas.
We are hopeful that
Fine Gael in particular will adopt a more humane and responsible position
on animal welfare and reverse its support for hare coursing and other
unacceptable practises that shame and ultimately damage the greyhound
industry.
The Fine Gael Senators
and TDs who have savagely attacked the proposed legislation are either
unaware of the cruelty and low standards of animal welfare in the greyhound
coursing/track racing business, or completely indifferent to it. Either
attitude must be a matter of concern to anyone who wishes to eliminate
deliberate cruelty to animals from sport.
Here is the excerpt
from Donald McIntyres expose (now on U Tube for all to see) of
practises that are at the heart of this discredited industry.
Irish Council Against Blood Sports (ICABS)
PO Box 88, Mullingar, Co Westmeath, Ireland
Website: www.banbloodsports.com
ICABS on Youtube: www.youtube.com/icabs
ICABS on Twitter: www.twitter.com/banbloodsports
ICABS on MySpace: www.myspace.com/banbloodsports
ICABS on Bebo: www.bebo.com/banbloodsports
ICABS on your mobile phone: www.banbloodsports.com/wap
RSS Feed: http://twitter.com/statuses/user_timeline/27974637.rss
In this edition of Animal Voice:
01. What are your politicians saying about blood sports?
02. SUCCESS: Donedeal drops ads for dogs used in blood sports
03. Video shows struggling hare dying at Clonmel
04. ICABS criticises milk group over pro-hunting stance
05. Urge Labour and Fine Gael to back ban on staghunting
06. Another Ward Union deer chased into river
07. Cruelty of blood sports highlighted on RTE's Frontline
08. ICABS tells bishop: Clergy blessing hunt dogs is inappropriate
09. Farmer "angry that a hunt came across his land without permission"
10. "No Exemptions for Hunt Kennels": Farmers group
11. "Hare coursers are sick, bloodthirsty varmints" - Queen's
Brian May
12. Queen star May launches bid to stop return of hunting
13. ICABS responds to Ruby Walsh's hunting statement
14. Mobile Phone Action Alerts
15. Queen's university's hare research criticised
16. Blood sports issues discussed on RTE TV and Radio
17. Galway TD urged to support Ward Union ban
18. Hunting horror for cousins: pet torn apart by hounds
19. New ICABS leaflet exposes deerhunting cruelty
20. Death by a Thousand Cuts - Act for Hedgerows
21. Hares killed in illegal hunting, man fined
22. Campaign Quotes
23. Parliamentary Questions and Answers
24. Petitions
25. Letters to Editors
26. Twenty Tweets
______________________________________
01. What are your politicians saying about blood sports?
______________________________________
The Irish Council Against Blood Sports' campaigns enjoy cross-party
support. Please contact your anti-blood sports TDs/Senators to praise
their efforts to get hunting and coursing banned. If your TD/Senator
is in favour of animal cruelty, please let them know that their stance
will affect your future voting decisions.
For an updated list of TD and Senator views, visit our Politicians page
at www.banbloodsports.com
______________________________________
02. SUCCESS: Donedeal drops ads for dogs used in blood sports
______________________________________
Irish classified ads website, Donedeal.ie, has responded positively
to an Irish Council Against Blood Sports appeal in which we called for
a rejection of ads for dogs used in hunting, baiting, digging-out and
terrierwork. A big thumbs up to the Wexford-based company for updating
its dog policy and beginning the process of permanently removing such
ads.
When ICABS originally contacted DoneDeal about a number of dog adverts
on their website, we were assured that "all of us at DoneDeal are
big animal lovers" who didn't want their site to be used by those
involved in cruelty.
As part of our appeal, we highlighted videos which explicitly show the
cruelty involved in hunting and related activities such as the digging
out of foxes and the use of terriers to trap animals underground and
viciously attack them.
Donedeal's updated dog policy now includes the paragraph: "No Killing
or Digging: We do not like the idea of dogs killing prey (e.g. foxes,
badgers, deer, etc), as it can be a cruel experience for the prey, or
the dog, or both. Therefore we do not accept ads that imply that the
dog could/should be used for such activity. Also, we do not accept ads
that mention or imply 'digging'." You can read the policy in full
at http://help.donedeal.ie/info/dog-policy
"We're absolutely delighted with the stand DoneDeal has taken on
this cruelty issue," responded ICABS spokesperson Aideen Yourell.
"We will now be stepping up our campaign to try and get legislation
introduced in Ireland to ban this barbarism."
For more information about DoneDeal or to place/view adverts, please
visit www.donedeal.ie
______________________________________
03. Video shows struggling hare dying at Clonmel
______________________________________
A video filmed by two Swedish students shows a hare desperately struggling
within a coursing enclosure at Powerstown Park in Clonmel. The disturbing
footage can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTi2k6nfJSo#t=2m40s
"We could easily see the hare enclosure from the other side of
the fence. Anyone could see the hares from there," the film makers,
Emelie and Patrick, say in a statement. "We filmed through the
fence. We had no intention of filming a dying hare. If we hadn't filmed
the dying hare nobody would probably have heard about it. It would probably
not have
reached the media and people wouldn't know that there are hares dying
because of hare coursing."
You can read the full statement at http://www.huntsabsireland.org
The Irish Daily Mirror described the footage of the dying hare as "sickening".
In an editorial headed "Mindless cruel 'sport'" (31 March
2010), the editor comments that "you don't have to be an ardent
animal rights activist to be touched by the plight of dying hares at
a coursing meeting".
"The scenes are shocking and disturbing. This sickening 'sport'
pits defenceless creatures against lightning fast dogs. But even when
the prey escapes the bloodthirsty hounds, they are often too exhausted,
shocked or injured to survive."
A report in Swedish paper, The Local, refers to the hare "writhing
in agony before dying" and states that police in Clonmel are investigating.
The hare seen suffering in this shocking footage is just one of many
victims of hare coursing in Ireland. Please demand an end to coursing
now. Phone, fax, email your TDs and demand that they act to bring this
cruelty to an end. Email "Stop Licensing Hare Coursing" to
minister@environ.ie and taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie To find out the names
and contact details for your TDs, click on Politicians at www.banbloodsports.com
______________________________________
04. ICABS criticises milk group over pro-hunting stance
______________________________________
ICABS has expressed disgust to the Irish Creamery and Milk Suppliers
Association after its president referred to carted deerhunting as a
"humane country activity" and claimed that the ban on the
Ward Union is "unwanted, uncalled for, unfair and unprecedented
in terms of the bias it represents against traditional country pursuits".
The group has been told about the cruelty of deerhunting and presented
with the results of an opinion poll which show that a majority want
the hunt banned.
The comments from president Jackie Cahill were made in an April 2nd,
2010 statement headed "Minister Gormley should 'cop-on' and drop
Wildlife Bill".
"The President of the country's second largest farmers' organisation
has given his association's full support to the RISE [pro-blood sports]
campaign against the Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2010," the statement
says. "We have here a perfect example of Minister Gormley acting
on the advice of a tiny but vocal group and banning something that the
silent
majority know to be a traditional and humane country activity."
"It is simply not acceptable to have perfectly legitimate pastimes
banned," it adds.
In a letter to Jackie Cahill and ICMSA General Secretary, Ciaran Dolan,
ICABS highlighted the suffering caused to deer by the Ward Union and
rubbished claims that it was in any way "humane". Photos of
terrified, exhausted, bleeding deer at the end of hunts, as well as
links to our campaign videos, have also been forwarded to the organisation.
We also
dismissed the claim that the ban was unwanted, pointing to the results
of an opinion poll which shows that a two thirds majority in County
Meath want the hunt banned.
ACTION ALERT 1
Contact the ICMSA and tell them that carted deer hunting is inhumane
and that a ban is most definitely wanted.
Jackie Cahill, President
Ciaran Dolan, General Secretary
ICMSA Head Office
John Feely House, Dublin Road, Limerick
Tel: +353 (0)61 314532 or 314677
Email: info@icmsa.ie,policy@icmsa.ie
Forward a copy of your correspondence to your local TDs and urge them
to reflect the wishes of the majority by voting in favour of legislation
banning the Ward Union. Tell them that their attitude towards animal
issues and their commitment to bringing animal cruelty to an end will
be a major factor in your voting decision. Why not also arrange a meeting
with your local politicians to discuss your concerns about animal cruelty
and encourage them to take action.
Address your correspondence to:
Dail Eireann, Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2.
Find out the email address of your TDs at
http://www.oireachtas.ie/viewdoc.asp?DocID=12684&&CatID=138
Dear Deputy
I am writing to urge you to vote in favour of the upcoming legislation
which will outlaw the Ward Union deerhunt.
The unacceptable suffering caused to animals by this hunt is clearly
presented in a new Irish Council Against Blood Sports leaflet which
can be viewed at http://www.scribd.com/doc/29287961
I also encourage you to watch the following ICABS videos which explicitly
show the cruelty: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4fw00 AND http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4V9l4ChELo
Deputy, I am one of the majority of the electorate who abhor animal
cruelty. I want to see the Ward Union banned. Please do the right thing
and vote in favour of the legislation.
Thank you. I look forward to your positive response.
Yours sincerely,
Name/Location
ACTION ALERT 2
Please send "I support a ban on the Ward Union" to Environment
Minister, John Gormley, and An Taoiseach, Brian Cowen - minister@environ.ie,taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie
Ask all your friends, work colleagues, neighbours and family members
who are against blood sports to support this action alert. Thank you.
______________________________________
05. Urge Labour and Fine Gael to back ban on staghunting
______________________________________
The Labour Party has said that it has "not yet taken any formal
decision" in relation to the upcoming vote on banning the Ward
Union deerhunt. Fine Gael, meanwhile, has reportedly said that it "will
vote against the proposed ban and will repeal it if the party forms
the next government". Please join us in urging both parties to
show compassion and fully support the ban.
ACTION ALERT
Please contact the leaders of the Labour Party and Fine Gael today and
urge them to fully support the upcoming ban on the Ward Union.
Eamon Gilmore, TD
Leader, The Labour Party
Leinster House, Kildare St, Dublin 2
Email: eamon.gilmore@oir.ie
Tel: 01 6183566. Fax: 01 6184574
Enda Kenny, TD
Leader, Fine Gael
Leinster House, Kildare St, Dublin 2
Email: enda.kenny@finegael.ie
Tel: 01 618 3105. Fax: 01 618 4502
______________________________________
06. Another Ward Union deer chased into river
______________________________________
A deer being hunted by the Ward Union in February ended up in the River
Boyne, it has been reported. An article in the Irish Field describes
how the unfortunate animal "entered the River Boyne to put the
hounds off the scent". This is just the latest incident involving
a deer jumping into a river to escape the pack of dogs. ICABS has brought
it to the attention of Minister John Gormley.
The February 13th 2010 Irish Field report outlines that as the stag
"retraced his way back down the river and returned to dry land"
the hounds were called off and the animal was left to "remain at
large as an outlier".
Previously, ICABS has highlighted an incident involving a deer being
dragged out of the Broadmeadow River after being hunted for over two
hours by the Ward Union. Another Ward Union deer was hunted for two
and a half hours and "recaptured in the river at Burtonstown".
On another occasion, a deer went into the Boyne near Navan during a
chase which the Irish Times reported involved "50 huntsmen and
huntswomen on horseback, in addition to some Ward Union staff...and
a pack of hounds".
______________________________________
07. Cruelty of blood sports highlighted on RTE's Frontline
______________________________________
The cruelty of hunting in Ireland was highlighted to the nation in March
on RTE's Frontline programme. The devastating impact trespassing hunts
have on farmers was also featured.
Among those who highlighted the cruelty of carted deer hunting on the
show were ICABS spokesperson, Aideen Yourell. Speaking on behalf of
farmers negatively affected by hunts was Philip Lynch, chairman of Farmers
Against Foxhunting and Trespass
You can watch Frontline online now at http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0322/thefrontline_av.html
[forward to the 14 minute, 20 second mark for start of debate]
ICABS thanks RTE/Frontline and Pat Kenny for covering this important
issue.
In March, ICABS expressed disappointment to the bishop of Cloyne that
a priest in his diocese was involved in a hunt blessing last season.
We reminded then bishop of Cloyne, John Magee, about a previous statement
from the Irish Bishops Conference that bishops "would not condone
the practice of priests blessing foxhunts".
According to a report in the Irish Field of 12th Sept 2009, "hunt
supporters and locals attended the blessing by parish priest, Fr Barry
Flynn, of the United Hunt Club's new kennels in Clonmult, Co Cork last
week." An accompanying photo shows the pack of hounds being blessed
above the caption "Fr Barry Flynn blesses the hounds at the United
Hunt
Club's new kennels." The United Hunt is a foxhunt.
Highlighting the cruelty of foxhunting, ICABS pointed to Paragraph 2418
of the Catechism which states that "it is contrary to human dignity
to cause animals to suffer and die needlessly". We also quoted
from Paragraph 2416 which outlines that: "Animals are God's creatures.
He surrounds them with his providential care. By their mere existence
they
bless him and give him glory. Thus men owe them kindness. We should
recall the gentleness with which saints like St. Francis of Assisi or
St. Philip Neri treated animals."
"We believe it is very inappropriate for members of the clergy
to bless hounds that carry out cruelty to Irish wildlife," we added.
______________________________________
09. Farmer "angry that a hunt came across his land without permission"
______________________________________
A farmer on Liveline radio show expressed his anger that a foxhunt came
on to his land without permission. Listen to what the farmer had to
say by downloading and listening to the show.
Listen to the show on the RTE website
http://www.rte.ie/radio1/liveline/
["Liveline Podcast - hunts - Matt, a farmer who is angry that a
hunt came across his land without permission"]
(Friday 26th February 2010)
Download the show
http://www.fileden.com/files/2009/8/26/2555237//pod-v-260210-24m25s-livelinehunt-1-.mp3
(24 minutes, 5.6Mb)
Keep hunters off your land: Further information
Make it known publicly that your land is off-limits to hunters. Place
a preservation notice in your local newspaper now. Here is a sample
notice that you may wish to use: "Take notice that all my lands
at [Insert address(es) of land] are private and preserved day and night.
All forms of hunting and shooting are strictly prohibited. Trespassers
will be
prosecuted. Signed [Insert name(s) of landowner]"
For more information, click on Farmers at www.banbloodsports.com. You
may also wish to contact the Farmers Against Foxhunting and Trespass
organisation which is happy to offer advice to landowners. Chairman,
Philip Lynch, can be reached at 056-7725309. Visit the FAFT website
at www.myspace.com/farmersagainstfoxhunting View the FAFT information
leaflet at http://www.scribd.com/doc/17651383
______________________________________
10. "No Exemptions for Hunt Kennels": Farmers group
______________________________________
National farmers group, Farmers Against Foxhunting and Trespass (FAFT)
has called on the government not to grant an exemption for hunt kennels
under new dog breeding legislation. In a statement issued by the group,
they describe foxhunting as anti-farmer and express support for a full
ban.
Chairman Philip P. Lynch states: "Farmers Against Foxhunting and
Trespass, representing thousands of farmers all over Ireland concerned
about the havoc wrought by hunts on land (ripping up crops, scattering
livestock, knocking fences, tearing domestic pets asunder in farmyards)
wish it to be known that we wholeheartedly support Minister Gormley's
inclusion of hunt kennels in the proposed puppy farms legislation. We,
the REAL voice of rural Ireland, say: foxhunting is anti-farmer and
should be banned completely."
"We believe it is absolutely vital from the point of view of safeguarding
the interests of farmers in every part of Ireland that the hunt kennels
are made accountable for their conduct. We hope that every Dail Deputy
and Senator is aware of the destructive potential of dogs at loose in
the countryside. Have you ever seen a dog attack a flock of sheep? Have
you ever witnessed a full pack of hounds, or strays from a pack, attack
sheep or other livestock?"
"We farmers have endured more of this rural vandalism and emotional
heartache from the hunts than we can tolerate."
You can read the full statement at
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=301677077&blogId=529359871
______________________________________
11. "Hare coursers are sick, bloodthirsty varmints" - Queen's
Brian May
______________________________________
Queen's Brian May has described hare coursers as "sick, bloodthirsty
varmints". The guitar legend was reacting to a pro-hare coursing
video on Youtube in which a Queen song is used without permission.
"It's hard to imagine a more despicable 'fun' activity," Brian
says in a blog post. "I was sent this link [to the video] by someone
who was appalled that they have used a Queen track as the soundtrack.
They asked me if I could get it taken down from YouTube. Well, I nearly
did... and maybe I will eventually. But, you know...maybe there is a
better idea. I
want to show it to anyone who seems to think it would be cool to repeal
the Hunting Act...Perhaps it's worth seeing, to be clear just how low
these people can stoop...I have a feeling that, given enough rope, these
bloodthirsty varmints will hang themselves."
______________________________________
12. Queen star May launches bid to stop return of hunting
______________________________________
The following article from the Scotsman appears on Brian May's official
website http://www.brianmay.com/whatsnew.html
Queen Star May Launches Bid To Stop Return Of Hunting The Scotsman -
14 April 2010
Queen star Brian May has launched an effort to stop the return of hunting
by financing his own poster campaign.
The guitarist is urging voters to find out how their candidates would
stand if MPs have a free vote on the matter after the General Election.
Chart-topping May unveiled a giant poster in west London to raise awareness
of his Save Me campaign, named after one of his band's hits.
The Tories have pledged to introduce a free vote on overturning thehunting
ban in England and Wales, which was introduced by the Hunting Act in
2004. This made it illegal to hunt wild animals using dogs.
May said yesterday: "For me it's a very important issue. I think
most of the issues we talk about are purely selfish; the money in our
pocket and whatever. I've always felt that our relationship with animals
is seriously not right, so this is an attempt to put things back."
May is asking members of the public to support animal welfare by signing
up at www.save-me.org.uk and hopes to recruit a million supporters by
polling day.
______________________________________
13. ICABS responds to Ruby Walsh's hunting statement
______________________________________
ICABS has responded to a claim by jockey Ruby Walsh that going hunting
is "the best way to learn to ride". Galloping after a pack
of dogs as they push a frightened animal across the countryside would
undoubtedly be viewed by most as the least desirable way to learn, we
stated.
Quoted in the Irish Times of March 15, Mr Walsh went on to speak out
against a ban on the Ward Union and to express fear that it could lead
to a ban on other blood sports. "This is a bigger issue than stag-hunting
and has to be stopped before it gathers momentum," he said.
He told the Times that he "occasionally rode out with the Ward
Union Hunt" and went foxhunting in Limerick and Wexford.
"Ruby Walsh seems to be blinkered to the cruelty of hunting when
he praises deplorable hunting as the best way to learn to ride,"
ICABS stated in response. "Galloping after a pack of dogs as they
push a frightened, desperate animal across the countryside would undoubtedly
be viewed by most as the least desirable way to learn."
We added: "Mr Walsh expresses concern that a ban on blood sports
would result in job losses but it's more likely that it would act as
a major stimulant for the rural horse scene. Taking cruelty out of the
equation and transitioning to drag hunting immediately opens cross-country
equestrianism to the compassionate majority who value a clear conscience.
Drag hunting is the future for hunting in Ireland."
Read the full Irish Times report:
Leading jockey says proposed ban on stag-hunting 'has to be stopped'
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0315/1224266294048.html
______________________________________
Please make a donation to ICABS
______________________________________
The Irish Council Against Blood Sports relies entirely on your generosity
to continue our campaigning for an end to blood sport cruelty. Please
become a supporter of our work today - click on "Shop" at
www.banbloodsports.com for more details or send a cheque to ICABS, PO
Box 88, Mullingar, Co Westmeath, Ireland. Thank you very much.
______________________________________
14. Mobile Phone Action Alerts
______________________________________
Please download an Irish Council Against Blood Sports' action alert
image on to your mobile phone and forward to your friends by MMS or
email. Sending the image will help bring our important action alerts
to a wider audience. Thank you for your help.
Note: The images are free but please check with your mobile phone operator
for internet access/MMS/email charges.
Stop the Ward Union
Dimensions: 240x320. File Size: 49kb
Download link: www.tinyurl.com/mobilewu
Help the Hares
Dimensions: 240x320. File Size: 34kb
Download link: www.tinyurl.com/helpthehares
______________________________________
15. Queen's university's hare research criticised
______________________________________
Research carried out by Queen's University Belfast has been criticised
by the League Against Cruel Sports in Northern Ireland. The research
which claims that coursers benefit hare numbers has been described by
ICABS as "a promotion for the Irish Coursing Club".
A statement issued by the League criticised the Queen's report for "failing
to adequately consider vital issues" and went on to highlight that
the Irish hare can "suffer from injuries and fatality at all stages
of the coursing process including capture, handling, transportation
captivity, during the coursing event and also after release."
"Of particular concern is the impact of a stress based syndrome
'capture myopathy'," League spokesperson Mary Friel added. "The
syndrome leads to a compromise in the immune system and consequently
death to hares which have appeared to initially survived a coursing
event. This syndrome is thought to vastly increase the number of mortalities
by the 'sport' and its effects on the local population are unknown."
Quoted in the Irish Examiner of February 25, 2010, Aideen Yourell of
the Irish Council Against Blood Sports said the Queen's study "seems
to be a promotion for the Irish Coursing Club".
"Hare preserves were merely places where coursers go to trap the
animal rather than organised preserves," she said. "I would
have no faith in any data that was supplied to this study by the ICC."
She also said clubs routinely struggle to trap enough hares.
Referring to their findings, the authors of the report concede that
"we cannot rule out the role of habitat" and that the claimed
level of hares recorded could be "because [coursing] clubs select
areas of high hare density". On its website, it also adds that
"it is necessary to evaluate the impact of removing hares from
the source population and of returning
coursed hares to the wild before the wider impact of coursing on wild
hare populations can be determined."
According to the "Status of EU Protected Habitats and Species in
Ireland" report (2008), the overall conservation status of the
Irish Hare is "poor" and "factors likely to reduce hare
numbers locally include loss of refuge areas, change from grassland
to silage growing, increased urbanisation and HUNTING." The report
confirms that the main pressures and threats to the hare include "trapping,
poisoning, poaching" and concludes that the overall assessment
of the hare is
"unfavourable" and "inadequate".
______________________________________
16. Blood sports issues discussed on RTE TV and Radio
______________________________________
Blood sports and puppy farming were among the issues discussed on Prime
Time on 15th April. Appearing on the show were Trevor Sargent of the
Green Party and Nuala Donlon of the Campaign Against Cruel Sports.You
can watch the show online at http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0415/primetime_av.html?2737166,null,230
RTE Radio's Sunday Forum Show on April 11 included discussions about
blood sports and vivisection
You can listen to the show online at http://www.rte.ie/radio1/thesundayforum/
The show features Green Party deputy leader, Mary White, TD and UCD
sociology lecturer Roger Yates.
______________________________________
17. Galway TD urged to support Ward Union ban
______________________________________
Galway West TD, Padraic McCormack, has been urged to show compassion
and vote in favour of a ban on the Ward Union deerhunt. The call is
in response to a statement from the Fine Gael TD that his party will
"oppose any change to existing licensing arrangements for stag
hunting". The hunt is due to be banned this year.
In an email to an ICABS supporter, Deputy McCormack stated: "Fine
Gael will oppose any change to existing licensing arrangements for stag
hunting and will reverse any changes made by the present Government
in that regard."
ICABS has appealed to him to reconsider his stance on the Ward Union
issue.
"It is an extremely poor reflection on your party that it is unashamedly
backing animal cruelty," we stated. "We urge you and Fine
Gael to show compassion and side with the majority who want despicable
activities like deer hunting, foxhunting and coursing outlawed in Ireland."
ACTION ALERT
Please contact Padraic McCormack, TD and urge him to vote in favour
of legislation banning the Ward Union.
18. Hunting horror for cousins: pet torn apart by hounds
______________________________________
BBC News has reported that a pet dog in Newry was torn apart by a pack
of hounds as two cousins looked on in horror.
The boys were out walking their dog, Pip, in a field when the hunt arrived.
The out-of-control pack tore him to bits in what is the latest hunt-related
mauling of a pet.
According to the March 18th report, the boys said a member of the hunt
got off his horse and examined what was
left of Pip - "He then threw the various parts into the hedge.
When the boys asked him if their dog was dead, he replied 'yes', got
back on his horse and rode off."
"The shock of what happened seems certain to remain with the boys
for a long time to come," the BBC report concluded.
Source of information: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/8575497.stm
______________________________________
19. New ICABS leaflet exposes deerhunting cruelty
______________________________________
A new leaflet published by the Irish Council Against Blood Sports documents
some of the horrendous suffering caused to deer by the Ward Union hunt.
The leaflet has been brought to the attention of all Ireland's TDs as
part of our appeal to them to support legislation banning the hunt.
The leaflet shows how deer suffer during Ward Union hunts and details
casualties and fatalities based on data obtained from the NPWS and Veterinary
Inspectors from the Department of Agriculture.
"We hope that having read the leaflet and watched our video footage
evidence that you and your party will support the legislation to outlaw
the Ward Union," ICABS stated in an email to TDs. "Your support
will be welcomed by the majority of the electorate who abhor animal
cruelty and want blood sports ended in Ireland."
Download the Leaflet
http://banbloodsports.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/thecrueltyofcarteddeerhunting.pdf
[pdf, 2.1 Mb]
______________________________________
20. Death by a Thousand Cuts - Act for Hedgerows
______________________________________
Please help protect Ireland's hedgerows and their resident wildlife
by reporting illegal hedge cutting. The following article from the Irish
Wildlife Trust website [http://www.iwt.ie] provides more information
on what you can do to help...
Illegal hedgerow cutting is detrimental to Irish wildlife and the Irish
Wildlife Trust are appealing to land managers to stop. Hedge cutting
typically starts around now and continues well into the summer months
but, unless for reasons of health and safety, this practice is prohibited
by the Wildlife Act from the 1st of March to the 31st of August every
year. At this time of year birds and mammals are breeding and flowering
is providing seeds for the next generation. Despite this
it seems that Local Authorities in Ireland only start cutting hedges
in the summer months, creating eye-sores and causing untold destruction
to wildlife.
Hedgerows are essential in providing habitats and corridors for maintaining
wildlife diversity, supporting species such as badgers, owls, hedgehogs,
stoats, blackbirds and innumerable plants, butterflies and other insects.
Not only are they an invaluable reserve for much of our wildlife they
are important in providing pollinators, cleaning our air, defining our
landscape, storing carbon and by holding back the flow of water off
land they can alleviate flooding.
"In spite of all these benefits, the Irish hedgerow is suffering
'death by a thousand cuts'. They are frequently mismanaged, flayed to
within an inch of their existence, or simply removed during the construction
of one-off houses and replaced with invasive alien cherry laurel - a
plant of no value to wildlife." Commented Padraic Fogarty - IWT
Chairperson.
Each year the IWT encourages the public to report instances of illegal
hedgerow cutting to the IWT, which are followed up with letters to the
relevant county council and the Minister for Environment. Just email
the date, location, and if possible the name of the land manager involved
and a photo to enquiries@iwt.ie
______________________________________
21. Hares killed in illegal hunting, man fined
______________________________________
The following article was published in the Anglo Celt of 10th March,
2010
http://www.anglocelt.ie/news/roundup/articles/2010/03/10/3995467-hares-killed-in-illegal-hunting
Hares killed in illegal hunting
Bilgun Argana, Kilnatruhan, Killoe was fined Euro300 for concealing
wild mammals from conservation officer Michael Hackett, contrary to
the Wildlife Act of 1976 at Rossduff, Moyne on May 5, 2009.
He was fined a further Euro300 for failing to comply with a requirement
by Mr. Hackett and or impeding or obstructing him in the exercise of
his powers, conferred by the Wildlife Act.
The defendant was fined a further Euro300 for not being the owner or
occupier of lands and entering such lands at Rossduff to hunt wild animals
without permission. He was also fined Euro300 for hunting exempted wild
mammals on the occasion without a licence.
Mr Hackett, replying to Mr. Tory Hayden, SS, told the court he was on
duty in the area on the date in question. At around 2.20pm he was informed
that a person known to them was hare-hunting in the area. Witness went
to the location and met Mr. Argana and two local men, who notified him
about the activity.
Witness identified himself to Mr. Argana and he knew who witness was.
He admitted that he did not have permission to be on the land.
Asked what he was hunting, the defendant told witness he was training
puppies. Asked on what, the defendant said rabbits, hares, foxes and
any damn thing.
Witness searched his vehicle and found two lurcher dogs and a greyhound.
He found a roll of black bin liner in the front seat of the car.
Witness asked the defendant about a pool of blood where his vehicle
had been parked, he said he was not responsible for it. He denied killing
hares. A follow-up search uncovered two dead hares in a black bin liner.
Mr. Argana took off at speed in his vehicle. Witness later made contact
with the gardai and went to the garda station in Arva, where he met
Mr. Argana. Sergeant William Ward and Garda Linda Harkin were present.
He admitted that his dogs had killed the hares and he had put them in
the bin liners. He apologised and asked to be given another chance.
Witness had not encountered the defendant before but other staff members
had received complaints. He pointed out that one of the hares killed
on this occasion was a female with dependant young.
Defending solicitor Ms Brid Mimnagh said her client, a Turkish national,
had no previous convictions. He was not working and did not receive
any income from any source. Her client instructed her that he did not
own the dogs, but was looking after them for someone else.
Judge MacBride noted that the accused had been training young pups to
hunt: "That tells me all I need to know about your client and his
attitude to the law. He's lucky he's not going to prison - if he had
not gone back to the garda station and copped himself on, I would have
been giving him two months," said the judge.
He added that the picture of the dead hares handed into court was nauseating
and terrible.
"Former chairman of Meath County Council and Fianna Fail councillor
Nick Killian [nkillian@members.meathcoco.ie] said the proposed ban was
'the Green tail wagging the Fianna Fail dog' and he was 'disgusted'
with his party for supporting the ban." Irish Times, December 15,
2009 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/1215/1224260713599.html
"Foxes aren't so different to us. They have children that they
love and families they have to feed. Therefore, it can be said that
fox hunting is completely unnecessary and is animal cruelty at its worst.
The people who participate in this disgusting pastime are devoid of
any compassion towards animals and are stamping cruelty all over the
countryside. I am
passionate in my belief that the government should make fox hunting
illegal." from Ban Fox Hunting in Ireland by popgirl14, http://www.spunout.ie/mag/Rant-your-rage/Ban-Fox-Hunting-in-Ireland)
"Stag Hunting - If these blood thirsty heartless scum think it's
such fun and that the stags/foxes are not terrified, why don't they
take it in turns to get their sorry arses off the horses, give them
a 10 minute headstart and let them run off into the fields then let
the dogs loose after them." [From a comment on the rollercoaster.ie
website,
23/03/2010 - http://www.rollercoaster.ie/boards/mc.asp?forumdb=1&order=0&g=37&ID=325743&page_num=2]
"Foxes are very good parents. Unlike some other wild animals, the
dog-fox is an excellent father. He provides food for the vixen and her
cubs and helps his mate to rear the family. The cubs begin to leave
home in late summer. They soon go their separate ways for foxes are
solitary animals and prefer to be on their own. Foxes do a very important
job of
controlling the numbers of pests like rats and mice." From a poster
on the Ask About Ireland website -
http://www.askaboutireland.ie/aai-files/assets/Environment/Environment%20for%20Kids/Posters/Animated_Posters-1.pdf
"There are not so many hares left"
(http://www.askaboutireland.ie/learning-zone/primary-students/subjects/environment/furry-friends/rabbithare)
"The Minister [Michael Finneran, Fianna Fail] does not propose
to change his mind and does not respect or accept the bona fides of
the Irish Coursing Club or greyhound industry." Paul Bradford (Fine
Gael) Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009: Committee Stage, 9 March
2010
"I have no doubt that the ban on coursing in England will be lifted"
Paddy Burke (Fine Gael) Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009: Committee
Stage, 9 March 2010
"The Minister of State is a reasonable man and he will accept how
well regulated is the coursing industry." Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael)
Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009: Committee Stage, 9 March 2010
"As a very young girl I saw how well run coursing was and how the
integrity of the industry was protected at all times." Ann Ormonde
(Fianna Fail) Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009: Committee Stage,
9 March 2010
"Those involved in these rural pursuits are not breaking any law;
they are only doing what previous generations did. They are concerned
that the Bill will affect the viability of these pursuits, in the process
threatening their existence. I can appreciate their concerns, which
is why we have tabled amendments to protect an indigenous industry that
dates back many generations." Paudie Coffey (Fine Gael), Dog Breeding
Establishments Bill 2009: Committee Stage, 9 March 2010
"A number of months ago, the website of the Irish Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals stated that the society's long-term
objective is to have greyhound racing banned in Ireland...The ISPCA
wants to close down the greyhound industry. It wants to close down the
industry." Paudie Coffey (Fine Gael) Dog Breeding Establishments
Bill
2009: Committee Stage, 9 March 2010
"Ban Blood sports.. It's bad enough we kill animals for meat but
for sport is unacceptable...Keep up the good work." Pete Mac, lead
singer, guitarist and songwriter of Irish based alternative rock/grunge
outfit band Paradox. http://www.myspace.com/petemacparadox March 3,
2010
"It's only with the good will of the landowners that we are allowed
out...our hunt along with several hunts in the country do a huge amount
of work to raise funds for local schools and local benefits and it's
that that generates the goodwill for the landowners and because of that
farmers are very good to us and we really appreciate that." A member
of a foxhunt speaking on RTE's Liveline, February 26th 2010. The link
between hunt fundraisers and gaining access to farmers' lands - ICABS
will be highlighting this quote as part of our appeal to charities to
refuse money from hunts.
"Whether it's an apology or not, it's irrelevant because they ruined
his land. Someone said they [the hunters] offered him alcohol. So what?
You need to dig up the whole land, resow it...[Hunting] absolutely destroys
land. Three or four horses going all across land absolutely ruins it."
A former huntswoman describes the destruction caused by hunts, RTE's
Liveline, February 26th 2010.
"On Monday morning, three local Fianna Fail TDs, Mary Wallace,
Johnny Brady and Thomas Byrne, visited the Ward Union kennels at Greenpark
in Skryne to see for themselves how it operated and how the hunt operated
health and safety and other measures. Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey
has already indicated his support for John Gormley's proposals
to ban the hunt." (Meath Chronicle, 10th February, 2010)
"In recent years, a neurological condition of greyhounds has been
observed at University College Dublin (UCD).
This condition occurs in young dogs aged between four and 18 months,
of both sexes, and often affects multiple animals in the same litter.
The clinical signs vary in severity and type, but include any combination
of dullness, weight loss, head tilt, unsteady gait, circling, blindness,
aggression and vocalisation. The condition is invariably fatal despite
treatment, and can be confirmed only by post-mortem examination."
From the Irish Coursing Club website, February 2010
"Fox hunting has been banned in the UK for several years now. The
industry suffered for a while but recovered. I worked in Equestrian
manufacturing too for 8 years and saw it happen and people worked around
it and drag hunting came in to play. No reason why it could not be banned
here, drag hunting has also existed for decades here already."
[From a comment on the rollercoaster.ie website, 23/03/2010 -
http://www.rollercoaster.ie/boards/mc.asp?forumdb=1&order=0&g=37&ID=325743&page_num=2]
"Still watching Frontline & I cannot understand these people's
mindsets...All these animals have a right to be treated well & cruelty
of any form is just unacceptable. I say fair play to anyone who gets
in the way of these so called traditional hunts or any kind of animal
cruelty. It's just sick imo & beyond my comprehension altogether!"
[From a comment on the rollercoaster.ie website, 22/03/2010 -
http://www.rollercoaster.ie/boards/mc.asp?forumdb=1&order=0&g=37&ID=325743&page_num=2]
"I've just been watching Frontline & they were on the topic
of the Stag hunt. They showed a clip of a hunt in session & my God,
my stomach was turning at all the dogs surrounding the Stag & grown
men holding onto the terrified thing.I've never witnessed a hunt in
my life & I'm left wondering why the hell people would do this??"
[From a comment on the
rollercoaster.ie website, 22/03/2010 -
http://www.rollercoaster.ie/boards/mc.asp?forumdb=1&order=0&g=37&ID=325743&page_num=2]
"On Saturday 13th March 2010, I was appalled to see over 100 meters
of ancient and biologically rich hedgerow destroyed outside Tullamore...It
is all the more disturbing as this happened during Ireland's 'National
Tree Week'-a nationwide event run annually by The Tree Council of Ireland
to help us all to appreciate our native trees and associated
biodiversity." (Tom Roche, Just Forests, Rhode, Co Offaly. Extract
from letter on Irish Environmental Network website)
______________________________________
23. Parliamentary Questions and Answers
______________________________________
Question 507 - Answered on 26th January, 2010
Maureen O'Sullivan, TD: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage
and Local Government if a deer was killed during a hunt (details supplied)
on 29 December 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Mr John
Gormley): The hunt which was organised by the club in question on 29
December, 2009 was monitored by a team from my Department. No deer was
killed and the hunt passed off without incident. However, my Department's
monitoring team had attended a hunt meeting held on 11
December, 2009 where a deer collided with a motor vehicle. The deer
was examined by two veterinary surgeons, including the veterinary surgeon
employed by my Department, and it was decided to euthanise the deer
on account of its injuries.
Ban Blood Sports in Ireland Now
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/784506550
Hare coursing will start again if protection is lifted
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/petition/392804410#signatures
Help India's monkeys
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/only-performing-monkeys-left-unattendedwhy
Stop Burning Live Bulls - End Sadistic Festivals
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/firebull---stop-the-burning-of-live-bulls
Live bull to be set on fire in Spain - action needed
http://animalrights.change.org/actions/view/live_bull_to_be_set_on_fire-spain-action_needed
______________________________________
25. Letters to Editors
______________________________________
MCGURK VIEW ON FOX HUNTING
Sunday Business Post, April 11 2010
Tom McGurk (28/3/2010) attacked the Green Party's views on animal welfare
issues, and called them ''our own homegrown suburban Taliban''.
McGurk says he was struck by the arrogance and moral self-righteousness
of the Greens and others who appeared on RTE's Frontline programme seeking
to advance the issue of the prevention of cruelty to animals.
He goes on to say that animals reared to feed man are subjected to suffering
in their lives and deaths.
His article is typical of the type of argument one gets each time one
seeks to address the glaring issue of animal abuse.
Hunting a wild animal with hounds for fun and entertainment is a well-organised
form of animal abuse: comparing it to other animal abuses is neither
here nor there.
Those of us concerned for the welfare of animals in general are well
aware of other animal welfare issues. We do not need Tom McGurk to remind
us through his efforts to defend the Ward Union Hunt and others like
them.
Brendan Purcell Rathkeale, Co Limerick
TAKE THE CRUELTY OUT OF COURSING
Irish Independent, April 12 2010
The Irish Coursing Club has offered a reward of 20,000 Euro for information
leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever caused a hare to be
ill-treated in an incident caught on film by two Swedish students who
attended the National Coursing Meeting in Clonmel, Co Tipperary, in
February.
While commending any initiative that advances the cause of animal welfare,
I cannot help reflecting that such proactive concern and compassion
for the plight of Irish hares used in coursing has not been evident
in the past.
To my knowledge, no coursing club has ever previously offered a reward
in relation to any one of the many thousands of hares that have been
terrorised, injured, or killed at coursing events over the decades.
Still, I welcome this new-found solicitude for the inoffensive hare
in the higher echelons of the politically well-connected coursing fraternity.
Can I suggest that the ICC might now take the next logical humane step
and consider replacing the live hare in coursing with a mechanical lure,
with the aim of eliminating all cruelty from coursing?
John Fitzgerald, Callan, Co Kilkenny
DRAG-HUNTING SHOULD BE THE COMPROMISE
Meath Chronicle, 7th April, 2010
Dear sir - After watching the recent RTE 'The Frontline' programme which
dealt with the subject of hunting in Ireland, I was compelled to write
this letter to outline my disgust and abhorrence at this so called form
of 'sport'.
I listened to apologist after apologist claim that the animals involved,
be they stags or foxes, did not suffer during this barbaric activity.
These people claim to be animal lovers, however they have no problem
sitting in their comfortable fleece lined saddles chasing defenceless
animals to the point of exhaustion. A film clip was shown in which a
stag gasping and on the point of collapsing was cornered by some of
these brave 'animal lovers' and manhandled back into captivity. Surely
not the actions of people professing to love and care for animals.
Some tried to justify their existence by claiming that stag and fox
hunting is a tradition in this country. This does not necessarily make
it right. Perhaps in olden times when people were hunting for food for
their families there may have been some justification but not any more.
Others tried the age old argument that urban dwellers are ganging up
on
country folk and trying to spoil their bit of so called fun. These days
most of the hunting fraternity come from rich middle class urban society
so this does theory not wash either.
It was also suggested that if hunting was banned, other pastimes such
as fishing would follow suit. This is nonsense. Unlike hunting, fishing
is a skill. The fisherman uses his knowledge to find where fish are
located and uses his skill to find which bait is required to catch the
fish. Only a very small amount of the catch is ever kept and those that
are kept are instantly killed ensuring that they do not suffer.
If these people really care about the well being of animals they would
change to drag-hunting. They could still spend their days galloping
around the fields, blowing their horns, shouting 'tally ho' and jumping
across briar filled ditches content in the knowledge that no animal
was suffering unnecessarily in their pursuit of enjoyment. Surely this
would be an acceptable compromise for all concerned.
Yours, Jimmy Rafter, Hill of Tara.
HUNTING IS NOT AN URBAN V RURAL DEBATE
Sunday Tribune - February 14, 2010
Resistance by the hunting fraternity to this government's attempt to
improve animal welfare through the proposed Puppy Farming Bill is hardly
surprising - after all, hunters and coursers routinely frighten, hurt
and kill animals for fun. It is annoying though, that these same people
have been allowed to turn the current discourse on this bill into a
'rural v urban' debate.
As someone who grew up on a farm and still resides in rural Ireland,
I resent the implication that common decency and compassion is somehow
the preserve of city dwellers. It is particularly galling, by the way,
when this message is delivered in the Dublin 4 accent of some of hunting's
most prominent spokespersons.
If these gentlemen were to get off their horses or out of their four-wheel
drives for longer than it takes to kill a fox, then they would soon
discover that the great majority of us who are of rural Ireland deplore
animal abuse, whether it is perpetrated for profit or for fun. I don't
know anyone in my rural community who has a problem with dog-breeding
establishments of any kind being subject to inspection. How could anyone
with a genuine concern for animal welfare
have a problem with that?
Could it be that if the practices of hunt breeding kennels were at last
exposed to public view, then the hunting fraternity would have to answer
some very awkward questions indeed? Questions such as, where do all
the hounds who have outlived their five-seasons hunting career go? Hunting
hounds have a natural life span of 12-14 years. Yet, on the admission
of the hunters themselves, these animals are not homeable, and would
have to be killed should hunting be banned. What happens to the dogs
who are bred to surplus and never make it into the hunting pack? Or
the ones who
have failed to make the grade during the cub hunting season when fox
cubs are used as live bait to blood the hounds? It is, perhaps, no wonder
that the hunters are afraid of the Puppy Farming Bill.
It is way past time that those of us who live in rural Ireland and are
opposed to wanton cruelty to animals (and make no mistake, we are in
the majority) had our voices heard by both the media and our public
representatives. Rural Ireland has had enough of hunters creating an
urban-rural divide where none exists, in an effort to divert attention
from the fact that the vast majority of Irish people oppose killing
animals for fun.
Nuala Donlon, Watervale, Rooskey, Co Roscommon.
______________________________________
Top ways you can help the campaign
______________________________________
Join our email list (and encourage friends to join) and respond
to our Action Alerts. Email "Subscribe" to info@banbloodsports.com
Become a campaign supporter and make a donation to help fund
our efforts. Click on "Join ICABS" at www.banbloodsports.com
for more information.
Contact your local politicians and ask them to support a ban
on blood sports. Click on "Politicians" at www.banbloodsports.com
for contact details and a sample letter.
Be our friend on MySpace, Bebo, Twitter and Youtube -
http://www.myspace.com/banbloodsports,
http://www.bebo.com/banbloodsports,
http://www.twitter.com/banbloodsports, http://www.youtube.com/icabs
Sign up for our free text alert service and receive occasional
campaign updates to your phone. To subscribe to this free service, simply
text the word GO to our textline on 00 353 86 038 6617.
Link to our website and display one of our banners. Click on
"Links" at www.banbloodsports.com for linking options.
Monitor blood sports meetings in your area and provide us with
photos, video and reports.
Write a letter to your local newspaper about the cruelty of blood
sports
Sign and collect signatures for our petitions. Click on "Petitions"
at www.banbloodsports.com for online and printable petitions.
Organise a fund-raiser to help raise funds for the campaign
Set up an online anti-blood sports group (Myspace, Bebo, Facebook,
etc) to cover your area.
Download, print and display our posters and leaflets - click
on "Leaflets" at www.banbloodsports.com now.
Set up an information stand at your school/library/youth group/adult
group, etc
Introduce your friends to our website and encourage them to get
involved.
Simply keeping your ear to the ground. Email ICABS about any
blood-sport related incidents in your area.
______________________________________
Please make a donation to ICABS
______________________________________
The Irish Council Against Blood Sports relies entirely on your generosity
to continue our campaigning for an end to blood sport cruelty. Please
become a supporter of our work today - click on "Shop" at
www.banbloodsports.com for more details or send a cheque to ICABS, PO
Box 88, Mullingar, Co Westmeath, Ireland. Thank you very much.
______________________________________
Keep hunters off your land
______________________________________
Make it known publicly that your land is off-limits to hunters. Place
a preservation notice in your local newspaper now. Here is a sample
notice that you may wish to use: "Take notice that all my lands
at [Insert address(es) of land] are private and preserved day and night.
All forms of hunting and shooting are strictly prohibited. Trespassers
will be
prosecuted. Signed [Insert name(s) of landowner]"
For more information, click on Farmers at www.banbloodsports.com. You
may also wish to contact the Farmers Against Foxhunting and Trespass
organisation which is happy to offer advice to landowners. Chairman,
Philip Lynch, can be reached at 056-7725309. Visit the FAFT website
at: www.myspace.com/farmersagainstfoxhunting
Download the FAFT leaflet from: http://www.scribd.com/doc/17651383
______________________________________
Tune in to the ICABS Channel
______________________________________
Footage of blood sport cruelty and the humane alternatives can be viewed
on the ICABS Channel on Youtube - www.youtube.com/icabs or by clicking
on "Videos" at www.banbloodsports.com Please ask your local
TD/Senator
to view our videos and back a blood sports ban.
Help us to highlight our campaigns to even more people. If you have
friends who would like to receive "Animal Voice", please ask
them to send an email to info@banbloodsports.com with "Animal Voice
- Subscribe" in the subject line.
Vital
to get Irelands Labour Party to back Staghunting Ban
.URGENT
APPEAL .!!
Before
the end of this month, the Bill to ban carted stag hunting in Ireland
comes before our countrys parliament, the Dail.
While
it is expected that this long awaited proposed legislation will pass,
and that the horrific cruelty of carted stag hunting will indeed be
made illegal, the Fine Gael Party has pledged to repeal the ban if and
when it forms the next government.
To
prevent that from happening, we need to persuade Irelands Labour
Party, which will be in coalition with Fine Gael in that future government
(within two years from now) TO GIVE ITS FULL BACKING TO THE BILL TO
BAN STAG HUNTING.
If
Labour supports the Bill, this will send a very powerful message to
its future coalition partner that the stag hunting ban is here to stay.
The
Labour Party, which has twenty seats in the Dail (parliament) will meet
within the coming week to decide whether to vote for the Bill or otherwise.
Can
you please email Irish Labour Party leader, Eamon Gilmore, requesting
that his party support the abolition of stag hunting?
His
email address is
eamon.gilmore@oireachtas.ie
Or
you may wish to contact, or email, Deputy Joanna Tuffy, who, we are
informed, is coordinating party policy on stag hunting,
requesting support for the Bill. You could perhaps draw her attention
to the film footage of stag hunting on this Irish website: www.banbloodsports.com
Ms. Tuffy can be contacted at 01-6183822 or emailed at joanna.tuffy@oireachtas.ie
1,286
minke whales could die this year. Will you help them?
When
the Norwegian whaling season begins in April 2010, over 1,200 minke
whales will face death by exploding harpoon and rifle shots.
Ive just taken action to protect them: Ive written to the
Norwegian Prime Minster, asking that the country cease whaling. Signing
the letter takes just a minute please help end this cruelty!
Ulick
Burke, TD (FG, Galway East):
"FF back bencher Noel Treacy made good his support for fieldsports,
as did East Galway FG TD Ulick Burke." (From a report in the Irish
Horse section of the Irish Famers Journal, 26 January 2008 about a hunt
meeting in Galway)
Noel Grealish,
TD (Independent, Galway West):
"I fully support your quest to ban live hare coursing." (September
2003)
Michael D Higgins,
TD (Labour, Galway West):
Michael D Higgins is a former vice-chairperson of the Irish Council
Against Blood Sports.
Noel Treacy,
TD (FF, Galway East):
According to a report in the Sunday Times (November 18th, 2007), one
of the few TDs who defended the Ward Union deerhunt was Noel Treacy,
TD. The Galway SPCA criticised the TD for his stance and encouraged
Galway people to lodge complaints.
At a pro-hunt meeting
in January 2008, Deputy Treacy spoke in favour of hunting, suggesting
that the biggest threat it faced was complacency. "When I was in
charge of the Wildlife Service," he announced, "I got constant
letters from ICABS to ban hunting and in all my time there only ever
got one letter pro hunting." (Galway Independent - 23 January 2008)
It
has come to our attention that people think that giving street donations
to 'Paws' and 'Ash' is supporting Galway SPCA.
This is completely untrue , your donation does not help one animal in
Galway. We have one street collection a year and one church gate collection
that's it, and if it does not state GSPCA then it is not us.
With the recession we are being hit with reduced donations so please
give and support your local animal welfare groups who are in need of
it.
We hate having to say this, but neither Ash(Wicklow) or Paws(Tipperary)
do anything for the welfare of Galway animals. Indeed they will tell
you they do because the GSPCA don't do anything. But please bear in
mind these are professional sellers who get paid as do the company they
work for out of your donation.
We know from other welfare groups who are as fed up as we are of these
people coming in to their towns and cities and collecting money which
the local welfare groups badly need and with total disregard to the
local welfare group.
Finally we would like to thank all our loyal supporters who keep helping
us , its you who are keeping us afloat and enabling us to help the abused,
distressed, abandoned animals of Galway city and county and the islands.
Good
News: UK Circus Consultation Brings Hope for Animals in UK Circuses
Dear ARAN Supporters,
Recently we wrote
to you asking you to fill in a UK government conslutation on the use
of animals in UK circuses. The consultation ended earlier this month
and the results have spoken! Of the 10576 responses recorded, it has
now being revealed that:-
· 94.5% believed
a ban on the use of wild animals in traveling circuses was the best
option to achieve consistently better welfare standards for these animals.
· 95.5% believed
that there are no species of wild animal, which it is acceptable to
use in traveling circuses.
· 96% believed
traveling circuses should be prevented from obtaining any further wild
animals.
According to Jim
Fitzpatrick, UK Animal Welfare Minister, "I agree with the clear
view emerging from the huge response to the government's consultation
that keeping wild animals to perform in traveling circuses is no longer
acceptable. So, I am minded to pursue a ban on the use of these animals
in circuses."
Outside of the UK
online consultation, a further 2300 postcards from ADI supporters have
been received by DEFRA, but, these have not yet been included. In Ireland,
huge numbers of ARAN supporters nationwide filled in the online consultation
and some sent postcards it what we would agree has probably to
date been the greatest response yet to any of our appeals to help animals.
This consultation was prompted by a long time campaign by our campaign
partners at Animal Defenders International (ADI) along with being supported
by ARAN and others.
We are continuing
to work with ADI in the UK in order to support their campaign to end
the use of animals in circuses.
In Ireland ARAN
is working hard across the country to bring about an end to the use
of animals in Irish circuses as part of our joint campaign campaign
with ADI called Stop Circus Suffering in Ireland and is
currently working on the following:-
· Working
with two new towns to bring in new motions to ban animal act circuses.
· Coordinating
national demonstrations wherever the circus pulls up and just recently
we targeted circuses in Waterford, Cork, Limerick and Newcastlewest.
· Working
to strengthen the new and revised upcoming Irish animal welfare bill
to bring in national legislation. Although we are not confident about
this going ahead, our ultimate goal now is to bring about local city
and town ordinances.
· Public
education urging people to boycott animal act circuses.
· Working
with the Irish press and bringing our media campaign into various towns
and cities across Ireland.
· School
education, with our respected volunteers who work with children and
students across the country in a friendly manner.
ARAN would like
to thank each and every supporter in Ireland that took part in our Irish
appeal for the UK circus consultation. Together your efforts will go
on to ensure that a future without the use of animals is most now hopeful.
Thank you for all
you do to help animals and for your loyal ongoing support of ARAN. We
simply could not be the voice we are for animals without you, and, together
we will end all forms of animal abuse and establish much needed rights
for all innocent animals.
ARAN
Fighting against
animal abuse across Ireland
www.ARAN.ie
Ps, ARAN continues
to promote our campaigns in a professional and peaceful manner. Since
our inception, we continue to oppose the use of violence and intimidation
towards humans and animals and strive to work in a mainstream manner
that the public will understand and to be apart of.
Discovery
Communications -- the parent company of The Discovery Channel, Animal
Planet, TLC and others, and known for their wildlife-focused programs
-- is planning to produce an 8-part TV show on Sarah Palins Alaska!
Discovery
says it regards Palin as being one of [Alaskas] proudest
daughters.
Never
mind that the former governor was an unabashed champion of Alaskas
brutal and bloody aerial wolf-slaughter program. According to reports,
shell earn about $1 million per episode from the nature-focused
series.
Sarah
Palins Alaska is a reality TV show that aims to showcase
the powerful beauty of Alaska, according to Discoverys
TLC website.
But
the real Sarah Palins Alaska is an ugly reality. As governor for
only two-and-a-half years, Sarah Palin escalated a bloody aerial wolf-slaughter
campaign that continues to this very day. She even planned to offer
a $150 bounty for the severed forelimb of each killed wolf.
Palin
also fought against increased protections for endangered Cook Inlet
beluga whales and Americas dwindling populations of polar bears.
It
seems ironic that Sarah Palin will now earn millions hosting a nature
show after spending years fighting against Alaska's natural heritage!
Its
surprising that Discovery Communications, parent company of such cable
television channels as Animal Planet, The Discovery Channel and TLC
-- and known for their stunning wildlife-focused shows -- would chose
to embrace such a controversial and anti-wildlife persona as Sarah Palin.
We
would ask the people of Galway not to support collectors collecting
for ASH. Your money will not support Galway animal welfare or Galway
animals. We are also a registered charity and all our funds go directly
to the animals in our care. We look after the abused, ill and lost animals
around Galway city, county, and the islands.
We do not like having to say this but a collector said to a GSPCA member
that they collect the dogs in Galway because the GSPCA do nothing.
The collectors get a 30% commission we were told, as does the company
they work for.
Action
Alert (Galway) - support the upcoming ban on the Ward Union
Dear
Galway Supporter,
We
would be grateful for your help with the action alert below. It relates
to Galway TD, Padraic McCormack (Fine Gael), who has said that his party
will oppose efforts to ban the cruel Ward Union hunt. Thank you for
your support.
With
best wishes.
Yours sincerely,
Philip Kiernan
Irish Council Against Blood Sports
PO Box 88, Mullingar, Co Westmeath, Ireland
Email: info@banbloodsports.com
Website: www.banbloodsports.com
ICABS on YouTube: www.youtube.com/icabs
ICABS on Bebo: www.bebo.com/banbloodsports
ICABS on MySpace: www.myspace.com/banbloodsports
ICABS on your mobile: www.banbloodsports.com/wap
ICABS on Twitter: www.twitter.com/banbloodsports
Galway
TD urged to support Ward Union ban
4 March 2010
Galway
West TD, Padraic McCormack, has been urged to show compassion and vote
in favour of a ban on the Ward Union deerhunt. The call is in response
to a statement from the Fine Gael TD that his party will "oppose
any change to existing licensing arrangements for stag hunting".
The hunt is due to be banned this year.
In
an email to an ICABS supporter, Deputy McCormack stated: "Fine
Gael will oppose any change to existing licensing arrangements for stag
hunting and will reverse any changes made by the present Government
in that regard."
ICABS
has appealed to him to reconsider his stance on the Ward Union issue.
"It
is an extremely poor reflection on your party that it is unashamedly
backing animal cruelty," we stated. "We urge you and Fine
Gael to show compassion and side with the majority who want despicable
activities like deer hunting, foxhunting and coursing outlawed in Ireland."
ACTION
ALERT
Please
contact Padraic McCormack, TD and the leader of Fine Gael and urge them
to fully support the upcoming ban on the Ward Union.
Enda
Kenny, TD
Leader, Fine Gael
Leinster House, Kildare St, Dublin 2
Email: enda.kenny@finegael.ie
Tel: 01 618 3105
Fax: 01 618 4502
The
cruelty of carted deer hunting
The
following list conveys just some of the cruelty of carted deer hunting
and the suffering caused to the deer.
"In
January 1999, Irish Council Against Blood Sports monitors obtained the
first ever photographic and video evidence of the cruelty of the Ward
Union carted deer hunt. Available to view in the videos and gallery
pages of www.banbloodsports.com, it shows a terrified and exhausted
stag, having been pursued across countryside for one and a half hours
and cornered in a field by a pack of hounds. An ICABS cameraman raced
to the scene and managed to film the terrified stag under pressure from
hounds and being bitten. A number of hunt supporters manhandled the
stag to the ground, and the exhausted animal with blood on its mouth
and its tongue hanging out, was dragged away down a laneway through
a farmyard and pushed into a cart." (Irish Council Against Blood
Sports report, 1999)
During a Ward Union hunt in December 2009, a hunted deer jumped on to
a road, was struck by a car, smashed into its windscreen and suffered
a broken leg. The animal was put down. The occupants of the car were
left badly shaken according to a relative speaking on RTE's Liveline
radio show. The Irish Times of December 19, 2009 reported on the collision
as follows "An incident occurred last Friday week which will only
strengthen Gormley's view that it should be banned. At 1.30pm a stag
collided with the windscreen of a car on the Slane-to- Ashbourne road
near Ashbourne. The animal broke a leg and was put down."
On 25 November 2008, a National Parks and Wildlife Service ranger monitoring
the Ward Union hunt reported that he was forced to "brake hard"
to avoid a collision with a hunted deer. The ranger said he "narrowly
avoided killing" the animal.
In a veterinary report submitted to the National Parks and Wildlife
Service, a veterinary surgeon monitoring a hunt at Scurlogstown, County
Meath during the 2006-07 season, reveals that a deer "died as a
result of 'dry drowning' having fallen into a quarry." The vet
mentioned other deer that suffered injuries during the season. Five
deer had "slight lameness" and two had "skin abrasions",
he said.
In an official report dealing with the 2004-05 Ward Union season (obtained
by ICABS under the Freedom of Information Act), details are provided
about an 8-year-old deer that dropped dead after trying to escape. The
death occurred after the creature was hunted for approximately one and
a half hours. The following provides a harrowing glimpse into the deer's
final minutes of life... "the stag...jumped over a 5 foot in height
wall into the cottage garden, following which 3 nominated handlers entered
the garden through a side gate. The stag, in full view of two of the
handlers then attempted to escape from the garden by attempting unsuccessfully
to scale a higher wall (approximately 8-9 feet high) before being captured
on his feet by the three nominated handlers...The stag was held for
approximately five minutes by the handlers as they waited for the deer
cart to arrive, following which he suddenly dropped dead...The cause
of death was due to a ruptured aorta."
A report in the Irish Times revealed that a stag being pursued by the
Ward Union hunt was forced to swim across the River Boyne in a desperate
bid to escape. The stag went into the river near Navan during a hunt
on December 30th 2008 during a chase involving "50 huntsmen and
huntswomen on horseback, in addition to some Ward Union staff...and
a pack of hounds". (from "Stag escapes from Meath hunters
by swimming river", Irish Times, December 31, 2008)
A farmer who phoned in to RTE's Liveline show following the chasing
of a Ward Union deer into a school playground, said he had never before
seen "an animal so shook looking". "I pitied him,"
the farmer said. "He was covered in a lather of sweat and his tongue
was hanging out." When he questioned the hunt about their behaviour,
he said they told him to "F*** off." (Liveline Radio Show,
RTE, January 2007)
A Ward Union deer was choked to death in a wood, the Irish Farmers Journal
has revealed. The death occurred at the end of a hunt and is one of
the fatalities caused by the Ward Union "over the last few years",
the newspaper reported. (From a report highlighted on the Irish Council
Against Blood Sports website, 2007)
Two deer were hounded to their deaths by the Ward Union hunt during
the 2004-05 season. The deer deaths were recorded in a Department of
Agriculture report obtained by ICABS under the Freedom of Information
Act. A veterinary inspector from the Department highlighted in the report
how one deer died from fractured ribs while another died from a ruptured
aortic aneurism.
According to a Department of Agriculture report obtained by ICABS, a
deer hounded by the Ward Union Deerhunt died when recaptured at the
end of a hunt. Following a post mortem, it was found that the deer had
died from a ruptured aneurism. The report concluded that it was "most
likely that the physiological stress of hunting led to the rupture".
(From an article in ICABS newsletter, Animal Watch, Issue 1, 2003)
A report from a Department of Agriculture Veterinary Inspector revealed
that a deer "accidentally choked" while being captured.
"As a young Irish man living in Dunshaughlin County Meath in the
1950's as a groom, I saw many a deer put down after breaking his back
as a result of having to make a jump because the hounds were at its
heels. I can honestly say it was not a pretty sight. Whilst at home
a few years ago the hunt came by and to see the reaction of the huntsmen
on the Dublin / Navan road galloping up and down was unbelievable."
(From a comment on the Irish Times website, Joe Dowd, United Kingdom,
December 2009)
The quotes in this section are extracts from the Kane Report on the
Ward Union The conclusions of Veterinary Inspector, Kieran Kane are
utterly damning of the Ward Union...
"The
transportation of the stags in the cart is inhumane in its manner and
in the design of the cart. The enlargement of the stags is inhumane
in that they are ejected suddenly into a strange environment and alone.
A stag which has been hunted previously appears, before the hunt starts,
to be distressed and aware that he is about to be hunted again. Stags
being hunted appear to be terrified of the hounds. A stag is aware when
he is being hunted and continues to flee even when the hounds are far
behind. Stags are sometimes wounded or injured during hunts by physical
incidents or by the hounds. Stags are terrified by people and motor
vehicles during the hunt. Stags are apparently distressed and exhausted
towards the end of hunts and will hide and lie down at this stage. At
the end of the hunt the fact that a man can catch and hold him would
seem to be adequate evidence of physical exhaustion by the stag. The
handling of the stag when taken at the end of a hunt must be terrifying
and stressful to the animal." (Kane Report)
"Nervousness
of stags in the cart prior to hunts was variable...with some appearing
very nervous or stressed. At one hunt it was notable that of the two
stags in the cart, one which had been hunted previously was showing
body tremors, excessive salivation and panting."
"A
farmer who saw, at very close range, the stag at bay on 7th February
told me that it was bleeding from one leg; also I was informed by Hunt
staff that some stags are given antibiotic treatment after hunts if
they have injuries such as wounds or swollen limbs." (Kane Report)
"On
two hunts on which the route of the stag was traced well on a half inch
map, it was calculated that one stag had run at least 8 miles and the
other at least 12 miles." (Kane Report)
"A
stag which has been hunted before is, presumably, aware that he is about
to be followed by hounds and runs from fear: indeed it is notable that
the stag runs although the hounds are not yet on his trail. In the early
stages of the hunt the stag runs constantly but as the hunt progresses
he may stop running and hide or even lie down and it is at this stage
that the hounds may catch up with him." (Kane Report)
"A
major hazard encountered by stags is barbed wire. One stag was seen
attempting to jump a very fence and getting his front leg caught on
a top strand of barbed wire and hanging, thus suspended, for some seconds
before his struggles and/or weight tore him free." (Kane Report)
"Stags
are frightened by people and motor vehicles when they cross public roads,
which they frequently do during hunts.
"A
stag observed, down to 30 yards range through binoculars, having run
at least 8 miles in 90 minutes showed extreme physical distress, panting
through its mouth and with a lather of white foam around its muzzle."
(Kane Report)
"I
was informed by two eye-witnesses that hounds, although chary of a stag
at bay, will attempt to bite him." (Kane Report)
"Stags
are hunted until about 9 years of age at which time they may get "stiff"
or fail in condition and I was told that they are then sold or exchanged
with commercial deer farms or slaughtered for venison." (Kane Report)
"Domesticated
Red Deer are obviously completely unfit for a prolonged chase by hounds.
A recent scientific report in England has concluded that wild Red Deer
are physiologically unable for a prolonged chase by hounds." (Kane
Report)
In December 2003, ICABS monitors filmed and photographed a Ward Union
deer at the end a hunt. The injured animal was seen panting for breath.
There was blood on its head. Photos taken on the day can be viewed in
our Gallery Page, including this one showing an injured deer with blood
on its head
"Of course the stag suffers. I saw the hounds attack the hind quarters
of the legs of the poor, unfortunate animal. It's horrific to see the
end of the hunt." (Fianna Fail Meath Councillor, Noel Leonard,
on his opposition to the Ward Union hunt, Meath Chronicle, 9th January
2010)
Campaign
leaflet
Please
print our leaflet and distribute among friends and family. Thank you.
The
Facts About Carted Deer Hunting - Download
Now (pdf, 85Kb)
We
would be grateful if you could help highlight our current anti-blood
sports action alerts by sending a link to our latest Animal Voice magazine
to your supporters and displaying a copy of the magazine on your website...
Direct link to magazine
http://www.scribd.com/doc/27343241/Animal-Voice-Issue-1-2010
Download link
http://banbloodsports.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/av2010-01.pdf
(pdf, 1.8 Mb)
Philip Kiernan
Irish Council Against Blood Sports
PO Box 88, Mullingar, Co Westmeath, Ireland
Email: info@banbloodsports.com
Website: www.banbloodsports.com
ICABS on YouTube: www.youtube.com/icabs
ICABS on Bebo: www.bebo.com/banbloodsports
ICABS on MySpace: www.myspace.com/banbloodsports
ICABS on your mobile: www.banbloodsports.com/wap
ICABS on Twitter: www.twitter.com/banbloodsports
ICABS RSS Feed: http://blog.myspace.com/blog/rss.cfm?friendID=201867779
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Join our mailing list: Send "Subscribe" to info@banbloodsports.com
along with your name and location.
Receive occasional campaign updates to your mobile phone:
Text GO to 086-0386617 (this is a free service)
Sign our "Ban Blood Sports" petition at www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/784506550
Keep hunters off your land: Click on Farmers at www.banbloodsports.com
Download posters and newsletters from www.scribd.com/banbloodsports
The Irish Council Against Blood Sports is pleased to announce the publication
of the latest edition of our popular Animal Voice magazine (Issue 1,
2010).
The 24-page online magazine features news about our campaigns against
blood sports as well as updates, successes and action alerts.
Request a pdf copy by email
Email us now at info@banbloodsports.com
Please support
our work: make a donation today
The Irish Council Against Blood Sports relies entirely on your generosity
to continue our campaigning for an end to blood sport cruelty. Please
become a supporter or renew your support today - click on "Shop"
at www.banbloodsports.com for more details or send a cheque to ICABS,
PO Box 88, Mullingar, Co Westmeath, Ireland. Thank you very much.
In the latest edition of Animal Voice magazine:
The end of the Ward is nigh: Legislation banning the Ward Union hunt
will be published as soon as possible
Renewed appeal to Minister John Gormley: Cancel the coursing licence
extension
FG challenged on blood sports stance
Species Protection Unit quizzed over coursing recommendation
Minister Dempsey thanked
Westmeath Senators criticised for defending hunters and coursers
Revoke hunts licence "before someone gets killed"
Deputy O'Sullivan raises issue of public safety
Dublin hospital will no longer associate with Ward Union
Kidney Assoc rejects deer hunts offer
Appeal to Minister Gormley: No fee exemptions for killer hunting hounds
Hunt dogs are kept in disturbing conditions
Green TD's astounding suggestion to deerhunt: Hunt foxes or hares instead
The animals get my vote
Taxpayers cash funding squirrel killing contests
I support ban on Ward Union: FF Councillor Noel Leonard
Matador is removed by travel company
I'm no fan of coursing: Pat Kenny
Cruelty to horses in county Waterford: Renewed appeal for information
Clonmel 2010: Protestors call for ban on cruel coursing
Get active at a local level
Letters to Editors
Winter Wildlife Photos
NPWS cull considers terriers and digging out baby mink
Trevor Sargent defends badger snaring
Water Disgrace - Say NO to the Faroe Islands bloody barbarism
Campaign quotes
Bullring cards removed by card company
MySpace thanked for removing hunt advertisement
Shop fined for unlawful glue traps
Response to Carberry hunt ban comments
Vet praises coursers
Pet food company stops coursing pup competition
Grotesque hunt will be outlawed
Help us protect foxes
Follow ICABS on Twitter at www.twitter.com/banbloodsports
Irish Council Against Blood Sports
PO Box 88, Mullingar, Co Westmeath, Ireland
Email: info@banbloodsports.com
Website: www.banbloodsports.com
ICABS on YouTube: www.youtube.com/icabs
ICABS on Bebo: www.bebo.com/banbloodsports
ICABS on MySpace: www.myspace.com/banbloodsports
ICABS on your mobile: www.banbloodsports.com/wap
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Receive occasional campaign updates to your mobile phone:
Text GO to 086-0386617 (this is a free service)
The
IAVS is pleased to announce that both Superdrug and Argos have been
approved as animal testing free cosmetics and toiletries retailers under
the BUAVs internationally recognised Humane Cosmetic Standard
<http://www.irishantivivisection.org/crueltyfree.html> (HCS).
Superdrugs
entire own brand toiletries product range now carries the globally recognised
leaping bunny logo and Argos own brand make-up and cosmetic product
range is now cruelty free.
There are currently
5 Superdrug branches in The Republic of Ireland.
* The Square SC,
Tallaght, Dublin 24
* Omni Park SC, Santry, Dublin 9
* North Main Street, Wexford Town
* William Street, Limerick City
* Letterkenny, Co Donegal
Fine
Gael are opposed to a ban on stag hunting, we ask all animal lovers
not to vote for Fine Gael
Subject: [All Senators]
banning of stag hunt
We the members of
Galway spca ask you to give your full backing to the proposed stag hunting
ban. We look forward to hearing your answer
Margaret O Sullivan
P.R.O.
Galway SPCA
---------------
Please see responses below ---------------
I support you in
this matter.
Michael D Higgins
TD
----------
Dear Millie,
Thank you for your
email.
The renewed programme
for Government includes a commitment to ban the practice of stag hunting.
There is now only one hunt club in the State which continues to hunt
deer using a pack of hounds and horses.
I continue to believe
that this particular hunting practice should cease for animal welfare
and public safety reasons. I believe a large proportion of the public
consider such activity is no longer acceptable. A few years ago there
was an incident when a deer pursued by a pack of hounds entered a school
yard during the school day. I find an incident like this totally intolerable.
Since then, there have been other public safety incidents involving
deer in flight leaping through hedges onto public roads. Most recently
where a couple were treated for shock after an accident involving a
stag leaping in front of their car. The Stag later had to be put down.
Therefore, I recently
obtained Government approval to the drafting of legislation to prohibit
the hunting of deer by a pack of hounds.
Best wishes,
John Gormley
--
Follow me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/John-Gormley/36544850925
----------
Dear Millie,
Thank you for your
email. I support your views and have spoken on the bill
and am attaching a copy for your interest.
Best wishes
David Norris
Dear Margaret,
Thank you for your email. Rest assured the proposed ban on stag hunting
has my full support.
Regards,
Mary White
Mary White T.D.
Green Party Deputy Leader
Leinster House
Kildare Street
Dublin 2
Ph: 01 - 6183865 Fax: 01 - 618 4126
www.marywhitetd.com
----------
Dear Margaret,
Thank you for your
email as regards stag hunting.
Fine Gael will oppose
any change to existing licensing arrangements for stag hunting and will
reverse any changes made by the present Government in that regard.
Thank you for contacting
me in this matter.
Yours sincerely,
Padraic McCormack, T.D.
----------
I will not be supporting
any ban on stag hunting.
John Paul Phelan
----------
Dear Millie,
Thank you for your
e mail. The Socialist Party is opposed to stag hunting and will vote
accordingly whenever the opportunity arises.
Yours sincerely,
Michael O'Brien
On behalf of Joe Higgins MEP
Office of Joe Higgins
MEP
Socialist Party
150 Pearse Street
Dublin 2
00 353 1 6795030
----------
Dear Margaret
I fully support the call for a ban on stag hunting.
Best wishes
Ivana
Senator Ivana Bacik
Dublin University Panel
Seanad Eireann
Leinster House
Dublin 2
Tel: (+353 1) 618 3136
www.ivanabacik.com
--------------------
February
28th 2010
Lower
Coyne Street,
Callan,
Co. Kilkenny.
Phone: (056) 7725543
Re Stag Hunt Ban
Dear Sir/Madam,
As you know, the
government has promised to bring forward legislation in the near future
to ban the cruel practice of carted stag hunting. The ban was agreed
between the Green Party and Fianna Fail in the re-negotiated Programme
for Government last October.
However, some TDs
in the larger government party may seek to delay or frustrate the passing
of this humane legislation owing to their personal sympathy for blood
sports. This potential threat to the Bill came to light yet again today
(Sunday); when some politicians indicated on an RTE radio programme
their intention to use any tactic they can devise to prevent the ban
from seeing the light of day.
We therefore appeal
to you to contact your local TD, and if possible all TDs, and ask them
to give their full backing to the proposed stag hunting ban.
If you wish to lobby
TDs, I recommend an Irish website called Contact.ie which enables you
to send messages to all members of the Oireachtas...TDs, Senators, MEPs
etc.
The site can be
found at www.contact.ie
You will need to
register, which is free, and the site is then easy to use any time you
wish, at no cost whatsoever, to contact your public representatives.
Many voluntary groups and individuals already avail of the site.
The success of the
Bill to ban stag hunting will depend on the measure of support it receives
from the public, especially from animal protection groups.
We ask all groups
dedicated to the welfare and protection of animals to remind the politicians
that stag hunting involves deliberate cruelty to animals and that the
government must honour its pledge to outlaw this practise before June
of this year.
Thanking you for
your kind attention,
Sincerely,
John Fitzgerald
Campaign for the
Abolition Of Cruel Sports
For further information
on stag hunting, including a brief film, see www.banbloodsports.com
UK
Animal Act Circuses Could be Banned - With Five Minutes of Your Time
Dear
GSPCA supporters,
In 2006, the UK
government promised to ban wild animal-act circuses travelling the UK.
Today that legislation to outlaw animals in circuses has of yet, not
being enacted. Right now, the government are holding a three month public
consultation concerning the use of animals in travelling circuses which
is due to end on March 15 and could very well spell the end of animal
act circuses in the UK, we hope.
Please bring hope for a future with no animals in circuses in the UK
with just five minutes of your time. This consultation is likely to
become the most important consultation of the decade, affecting the
future of how animals in the circus industry are treated for years to
come. A ban on the use of wild animals is essential to ensure that they
no longer suffer in travelling circuses. We must therefore send the
strongest message possible that the public want a ban before the deadline
of March 15. If we secure strong public support in favour
of a ban in England we believe this can be replicated in Ireland, and
the rest of the world.
TAKE ACTION RIGHT NOW!
Please click
here to fill in the online form, again just five minutes is all
it takes. Once done, please be sure to let ARAN know if youve
completed the questionnaire so that we can track the volume of respondents
to this vital campaign and also to see who is taking part in our online
advocacy campaigns which is vital if we are to succeed in ending animal
abuse through such measures.
Thank you for all that you are doing to help animals, ARAN truly does
appreciate it.
Horrific
experiments in which live pigs were blown up with explosives have been
uncovered by the BUAV and reported in the Sunday Times newspaper (January
24, 2010). The experiments were reportedly to simulate the effect of
a terrorist attack and took place at the governments secret military
research laboratory at Porton Down.
Prior to the explosion,
the pigs were surgically mutilated by having several tubes inserted
through incisions into various blood vessels and their bladders and
they had their spleens removed. They also had a wire placed into a major
blood vessel in their abdomen in order to later cause laceration of
that vessel. The pigs were then exposed to a bomb exploding a short
distance from their bodies after which they were caused to bleed until
almost a third of their blood was gone.
The BUAV believes that not only are such experiments scientifically
questionable - the reactions of an anesthetised pig to an explosion
would be expected to differ substantially to those of a conscious human
being - subjecting pigs to such massive mutilation and injury also raises
profound ethical questions.
January 24, 2010
Live pigs blasted in terror attack experiments
Marie Woolf, Whitehall Editor
LIVE pigs are being blown up with explosives at Porton Down, the governments
secret military research laboratory, to simulate the effect of terrorist
attacks on civilian targets.
In a series of tests
at the biological and chemical research centre in Wiltshire, 18 large
pigs were wrapped in protective blankets before bombs were detonated
a few feet away. The scientists allowed the pigs to bleed until almost
a third of their blood was gone to see how long they could be kept alive.
MPs and animal welfare
groups have questioned the use of live animals in the explosions, even
though the pigs were anaesthetised throughout. None survived the experiments.
Norman Baker, the
Liberal Democrat MP for Lewes, said: These are revolting and unnecessary
experiments. Sadly, we are too familiar with the effects of terrorism.
It is perfectly possible to find out things we dont know without
blowing up pigs to find out.
Research papers,
obtained by The Sunday Times, show that the experiments at the Defence
Science and Technology Laboratory were carried out because blast
injuries are an increasing problem, owing to the widespread terrorist
threat.
The blasts were
meant to recreate the effect of an explosion in an enclosed space, such
as the July 2005 attacks on the Underground and a double-decker bus
in London, and had been designed to help medics control haemorrhaging
from victims.
The pigs were wrapped
in Kevlar blankets to protect them from minor bomb debris and placed
less than three yards from the explosive. Before being blown up, they
had tubes inserted into their blood vessels and bladders, and their
spleens removed. A major blood vessel in the abdomen had a wire put
into it so the vessel was lacerated during the blast.
Porton Down said
the research programme would help British soldiers exposed to bombs
in Afghanistan as well as potential civilian terror casualties. Up to
94% of critically injured victims of the 2004 Madrid train bombings
were identified as suffering from blast lung, an injury
that leaks over time.
A spokeswoman said
that anecdotally there was already evidence that the research was helping
to save lives.
This work
is part of our broad combat casualty care programme. Anecdotally, we
are seeing evidence of people surviving because of this work,
she said.
Porton Down, originally
set up to research chemical warfare during the first world war, uses
a special breed of white pig that has skin resembling human flesh.
Scientists at the
British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection questioned the validity
of the tests, saying that the effect on an anaesthetised pig of a bomb
blast would differ substantially from those of a conscious human
being.
A spokesman said:
We understand the need to deal with the human tragedy, of which
sadly there are too many cases. However, we do not believe that mutilating
pigs in these horrific experiments is the answer.
Your
donations have made it possible for us to act swiftly, responding to
the Haitian government's request for our help within hours of receiving
their invitation.
WSPA, along with
the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), set up the Animal
Relief Coalition for Haiti (ARCH) so that animal welfare organizations
wanting to help the animals of Haiti could work together and take joint
action for maximum impact. ARCH now has 19
member organizations acting together in Haiti, and you can follow
reports from our joint efforts by visiting WSPA's Animals
in Disasters blog. You can also watch
a slideshow of ARCH in action.
Haiti slideshow
A team from ARCH has just completed an assessment of the animal welfare
situation in Haiti, meeting with officials from various agencies including
the Haitian Ministry of Agriculture, in order to develop an effective
course of action for the coming weeks and months.
Thankfully, the
team found limited need for emergency animal relief work; in the three
days that this team spent in Haiti assessing the need for veterinary
care, they found few stray dogs (and only one cat) and limited numbers
of backyard animals. The team arrived at the conclusion that most backyard
animals (pigs, goats and cattle) had either been consumed or had been
taken along as communities migrated from the remains of Port au Prince
to more rural areas. In the medium term, the main animal welfare challenge
ahead of Haitians is vaccination drives to prevent the threat of diseases
spreading within this vulnerable community.
ARCH is equipped
to meet these needs as a response team from Sociedad Dominicana Para
la Protección de Animales (SODOPRECA) has already arrived in
Haiti with a mobile clinic. In the coming weeks this clinic, staffed
by international vets from various ARCH member organizations, will travel
to parts of Haiti outside the capital. The team will liaise with local
community leaders, asking them to announce the arrival of the mobile
clinic so that local people proactively bring their animals for assessment
and treatment. It is anticipated that the clinic will be able to administer
veterinary treatment, vaccination and feed for both companion animals
and livestock. The ARCH vets will operate on a weekly rotation in order
to offer continued technical support to this team.
WSPA thanks everyone
who donated towards our Haiti effort; your support made it possible
for us to complete this first-hand assessment and fund the setting up
and transfer of this mobile clinic into Haiti. At present, we are not
soliciting further donations to the Haiti Earthquake appeal, since the
generosity of your support has allowed us to fund our immediate response
as well as make plans to address the vital animal welfare needs that
will need to be met in coming years.
In the longer term,
the main challenge is the reconstruction of veterinary infrastructure.
ARCH is planning several options, including:
* Vaccinations
for cattle, horses, donkeys, and other hoofed animals.
* Public awareness campaigns to encourage people to bring their animals
to the facilities that ARCH is helping to put in place.
* Refresh and train vets and public health workers.
* Setting up solar powered clinics and/or mobile clinics as well as
purchasing equipment such as thermoses, ice coolers, refrigerators,
etc. (to store and transport medications) to support vaccination and
treatment operations.
* Purchasing medicines, vaccines, etc. for local distribution.
At present we are
in the process of working out a Memorandum of Understanding with the
Government of Haiti, and more details will be made available in the
coming weeks.
Although we are
looking at a proposal that could cost in excess of $1.2M, working together
with our partners in ARCH means this financial challenge will be shared
among us.
The money you have
contributed to WSPA's Animals in Disasters fund will be used to finance
both the immediate and the long term recovery work for Haiti.
Once again, thank
you for supporting WSPA's Animals in Disasters fund, and empowering
us to respond to crises with the urgency required.
Irish
Council Against Blood Sports (ICABS)
PO Box 88, Mullingar, Co Westmeath, Ireland
Website: www.banbloodsports.com
ICABS on Youtube: www.youtube.com/icabs
ICABS on Twitter: www.twitter.com/banbloodsports
ICABS on MySpace: www.myspace.com/banbloodsports
ICABS on Bebo: www.bebo.com/banbloodsports
ICABS on your mobile phone: www.banbloodsports.com/wap
RSS Feed: http://blog.myspace.com/blog/rss.cfm?friendID=201867779
In this edition of Animal Voice:
>> Peaceful protest against coursing: February 3rd <<
01. Hunt ban legislation will be published "as soon as possible"
02. Cancel the coursing licence extension: Renewed appeal to Minister
Gormley
03. Urgent appeal to Minister: Don't exempt hunts from fees
04. Revoke licence "on public safety grounds": Deputy O'Sullivan
05. Success: Hospital will no longer associate with Ward Union
06. Praise for Irish Kidney Association for refusing hunt fundraiser
07. Success: Travel company thanked for matador removal
08. Green TD's astounding suggestion to deerhunt: hunt foxes or hares
instead
09. I support ban on Ward Union: Fianna Fail Cllr Noel Leonard
10. Noel Leonard and the case against stag hunting
11. Species Protection Unit questioned over coursing licence
12. Revoke hunt's licence before someone gets killed
13. ICABS responds to Carberry's hunt ban comments
14. NPWS mink cull considering terrierwork and digging out baby mink
15. Please fax, post or email this poster to Minister Gormley
16. Thanks for attending animal rally
17. Trevor Sargent defends cruel badger snaring
18. Latest figures show Dept snared and killed 7,000 badgers
19. Get active at a local level
20. Gun clubs compete in squirrel cull
21. Legislation to outlaw grotesque hunt will be introduced
22. Cruelty to horses in Waterford: Renewed appeal for information
23. Urge Danish Government to stop barbaric whale slaughter
24. New anti-hunt Facebook group - Please Join
25. Campaign Quotes
26. Letters to Editors
27. Twenty Tweets
28. Ask Irish Times to drop pro-hunting slideshow
______________________________________
>> Peaceful protest against coursing: February 3rd <<
______________________________________
Please join the peaceful protest against hare coursing outside Powerstown
Park, Clonmel, Co Tipperary, on Wednesday February 3rd 2010, between
12 noon and 2pm. Thank you. We look forward to seeing you there.
For driving directions, visit http://www.aaireland.ie/routes_beta/
______________________________________
01. Hunt ban legislation will be published "as soon as possible"
______________________________________
Environment Minister, John Gormley, will publish legislation to ban
the Ward Union "as soon as possible". The Minister made the
statement in response to a Dail question from pro-hunting Fine Gael
TD, Shane McEntee.
"I continue to believe that this particular hunting practice should
cease for animal welfare and public safety reasons," the Green
Party leader told the Meath TD. You can read the full text of the Dail
question and answer below.
ACTION ALERT
Please email "I support the banning of the Ward Union" to
minister@environ.ie or phone your message in to the Minister on Tel:
01 888 2403
If you live in Shane McEntee's constituency, please remind him that
you are one of the majority of Meath residents who want the Ward Union
banned. Contact him at shane.mcentee@finegael.ie or Tel: 01 6184447
To read the full text of the Dail question and answer, visit www.banbloodsports.com,
click on Latest News and scroll down to "Hunt ban legislation will
be published "as soon as possible" (14 January 2010 entry)
______________________________________
02. Cancel the coursing licence extension: Renewed appeal to Minister
Gormley
______________________________________
ICABS has renewed its appeal to Green Party leader and Environment Minister,
John Gormley, to cancel a licence extension he promised to hare coursers.
The extension, which was due to be granted early in the new year, would
allow coursers to continue terrorising hares into the month of March.
Please help save hares from the cruelty of coursing. Respond now to
our updated action alert.
URGENT ACTION ALERT
Please email "Minister Gormley - Revoke the coursing licence and
cancel the extension" to minister@environ.ie
Minister John Gormley
Department of the Environment
Custom House, Dublin 1.
Tel: 01 888 2403. Fax: 01 878 8640.
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 John Gormley
I am one of the majority opposed to the cruel blood sport of hare coursing.
I am writing to demand that you immediately revoke the licence you granted
to coursers and cancel the licence extension you promised to these wildlife
abusers.
As the leader of a party with anti-blood sports policies, how can you
possibly justify licensing this cruel activity? You are more than aware
that hares suffer from the moment they are snatched from the wild in
nets, during their time in captivity and while they are being chased
by the greyhounds. When hit, they sustain agonising life-threatening
injuries, including broken bones. The cruelty of coursing is clear to
see at www.youtube.com/watch?v=D58qbzC-GI4
I strongly urge you to revoke the current licence, cancel the extension
and urgently put in place permanent protection for this most timid and
treasured of species.
Thank you. I eagerly await your positive action.
Yours sincerely,
[Your name and location]
______________________________________
03. Urgent appeal to Minister: Don't exempt hunts from fees
______________________________________
ICABS is urging Minister John Gormley to drop proposals to exempt blood
sports groups from fees under the new Dog Breeding Establishments Bill
2009. Please support our urgent action alert now.
According to a statement issued by the Green Party leader last month,
"It is proposed that hunt clubs...would be exempt from paying fees
but must register and be subject to possible inspection."
In a letter to Minister Gormley, ICABS has appealed for the proposal
to be scrapped.
"We remind you, Minister, that these hunting hounds are used for
the most horrendous cruelty to Irish animals," we stated in our
correspondence. "These dogs chase wildlife across the countryside,
catch them and rip their bodies asunder."
We added: "This bill is a tremendous opportunity for you to introduce
a financial disincentive for the breeding of these killer dogs and move
a step closer to your party's promise to ban blood sports. We hope you
will take this opportunity and firmly reject the proposal to exempt
hunting groups."
You can read the full text of Minister Gormley's statement on the Green
Party website
http://www.greenparty.ie/news/latest_news/dog_breeding_establishments_bill_2009_published
ACTION ALERT
Minister Gormley has said his intention is to have the Bill introduced
to the Houses of the Oireachtas early this year and enacted at the earliest
possible date. Please act now to urge him to drop the proposal to exempt
hunts. Email "No exemption for hunt groups under Dog Breeding Bill"
to minister@environ.ie
Minister John Gormley
Department of the Environment
Custom House, Dublin 1.
Tel: 01 888 2403. Fax: 01 878 8640.
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 Gormley
I am very concerned to learn that there is a proposal to exempt blood
sports groups from fees under the new Dog Breeding Establishments Bill
2009.
According to a statement you released last month 'It is proposed that
hunt clubs...would be exempt from paying fees.'
Minister, I implore you not to exempt hunts from these fees and to work
vigorously towards your party's promise to end blood sports when in
government.
Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
[Your name and location]
______________________________________
04. Revoke licence "on public safety grounds": Deputy O'Sullivan
______________________________________
Maureen O'Sullivan, TD has asked Environment Minister, John Gormley,
if he will revoke the Ward Union's licence "on public safety grounds".
Minister Gormley stated in response that legislation outlawing the hunt
will be published soon.
Question 851 - Answered on 19th January, 2010 Maureen O'Sullivan, TD:
To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government
if, in view of a recent incident involving the collision of a vehicle
and a deer during a ward union hunt, he will revoke the hunt's licence
on public safety grounds.
Written Answer. Ref No 48365/09
Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Mr John
Gormley): I am aware of the recent incident where a deer collided with
a vehicle during a hunt meeting. I have had concerns for some time relating
to this particular hunting practice for both animal welfare and public
safety reasons. Accordingly, the Government recently approved the drafting
of legislation to prohibit the hunting of deer by a pack of hounds in
accordance with a commitment in this regard in the renewed Programme
for Government. I expect that the legislation will be published as soon
as possible.
ACTION ALERT
Please email "Revoke the Ward Union's licence immediately"
to minister@environ.ie
Minister John Gormley
Department of the Environment
Custom House, Dublin 1.
Tel: 01 888 2403. Fax: 01 878 8640.
______________________________________
05. Success: Hospital will no longer associate with Ward Union
______________________________________
ICABS has thanked Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital for announcing
that it will "no longer associate with, or accept donations from
the Ward Union hunt". The hospital's much welcomed move came following
an ICABS appeal last month.
Our appeal was prompted by a photograph on the Ward Union's website
which shows hunters posing handing a cheque to a hospital representative.
In correspondence to the hospital, we highlighted the suffering caused
to deer by the hunt as well as the public safety risk it poses.
Cappagh Hospital's positive response comes just a few weeks after a
similar statement from the Irish Kidney Association. Speaking on RTE's
Liveline programme, a spokesperson for the charity declined an offer
of a fundraiser from the hunt.
ICABS greatly welcomes these latest examples of charities refusing to
associate with hunts. We view hunt fundraisers as thinly disguised public
relations exercises designed to try and gain brownie points for hunts
within the areas their blood "sport" takes place.
For more information on Cappagh Hospital or to make a donation, please
visit www.cappagh.ie
______________________________________
06. Praise for Irish Kidney Association for refusing hunt fundraiser
______________________________________
ICABS has praised the Irish Kidney Association for refusing the offer
of a fundraiser from the Ward Union. A Kidney Association spokesperson
stated on RTE's Liveline: "We're in the business of preserving
life so we'd prefer if they didn't do something on our behalf."
The hunt, which has been condemned internationally for terrorising deer,
is due to be
banned this year.
The charity's statement was made on the 15th December 2009 edition of
the show, which featured a discussion about a hunted Ward Union deer
that jumped onto a road and collided with a car. The deer suffered injuries
and was put down while the occupants of the car were said to have been
badly shaken.
Responding to the Ward Union's fundraising offer, Mark Murphy of the
Irish Kidney Association said that the association was "not prepared
to lend our name to any hunting event".
"We're in the business of preserving life so we'd prefer if they
didn't do something on our behalf, certainly not to use our name,"
he added.
"So you're saying clearly to the Ward Union hunt 'thanks but no
thanks, don't organise anything for us'," clarified programme presenter
Joe Duffy. To which Mr Murphy replied: "Yes, I am saying that."
We applaud the Irish Kidney Association for becoming one of the latest
in a line of charities that have recognised the inappropriateness of
associating with those who cause animal suffering.
The charity is appealing to members of the public to make donations.
If you would like to help or are interested in ordering a kidney donor
card, please visit www.ika.ie
______________________________________
07. Success: Travel company thanked for matador removal
______________________________________
ICABS has thanked the Travel Department for removing an image of a matador
from its advertisements. The company has also been praised for its assurance
that trips to bullfights are not included in any of its
itineraries.
The matador image in question appeared as part of an advert in the Irish
Independent. However Brendan Breen of the Travel Department told ICABS
that it was "not consciously used" but instead was part of
a library stock of images for Spain that is used in rotation in print
and online media. "I will instruct our Marketing team to withdraw
it," he stated.
ICABS also welcomes the company's assurance that "bullfighting
is not included in any of our itineraries." We are grateful for
this positive and swift response.
About the Travel Department: The Travel Department is Ireland's leading
tour operator and has been in business for over twelve years. Its escorted
holidays "offer a professionally planned itinerary, the expert
knowledge of a local guide and the convenience of booking an all-in
package". The company operates in 30 countries with their largest
destinations being Italy, France, China and Spain. Their website is
at http://www.thetraveldepartment.ie
______________________________________
08. Green TD's astounding suggestion to deerhunt: hunt foxes or hares
instead
______________________________________
ICABS has expressed disbelief at Green Party deputy leader, Mary White's
suggestion that when carted deer hunting is banned, the Ward Union hunt
could instead switch to hunting foxes or hares. In an interview published
in the Irish Field, the Carlow TD also assured hunters that "we
have no intention of banning fox hunting or hare coursing either now
or anytime in the future."
In a letter to the Green Party, ICABS express shock and disbelief at
the statements made by Deputy White.
In the December 19th edition of the hunting publication she:
* Suggested that when the Ward Union are stopped in 2010, they could
instead "switch to drag hunting, FOX OR HARE HUNTING".
* Said the Green Party has a "hands-off" policy towards shooting,
fox hunting and hare coursing and that there will be no efforts to ban
them.
* Admitted that she used to shoot animals herself and claimed that "the
Greens are in favour of shooting birds, like pheasants, for food"
* Stressed that the Green Party are not against "field sports"
such as shooting.
* Highlighted the Green Party's determination to ban carted deer hunting
but added that they have "no such intentions towards fox hunting,
traditional field sports and hare coursing either now or anytime in
the future."
* Reassured hunters that "there is nothing in the Programme for
Government on that, nor will there be." "None of the other
rural sports will be touched," she added. "That's the message
I clearly want to get out to hunting people."
In our correspondence with the Green Party, ICABS remarked that it was
astounding that a Green TD would suggest that anyone partake in fox
or hare hunting, two of Ireland's most cruel and appalling activities.
We reminded them that hunting sees foxes and hares desperately running
for their lives and when they are too exhausted to continue running,
they are knocked off their feet, bitten, ripped apart and disembowelled
by packs of dogs.
We pointed out that Deputy White's statement that the Green Party has
a "hands-off" policy towards hunting and coursing is "the
complete opposite to the message the Green Party conveyed in its pre-election
manifesto that it would end blood sports when in Government."
"This attempt to comfort and reassure those involved in torturing
and killing our wildlife also gratingly conflicts with the fundamental
anti-cruelty ethos of the Green Party and its stated commitment to improve
animal welfare in Ireland," we added.
ACTION ALERT
Please join us in urging the Green Party to urgently clarify its position
and instead of conveying messages to hunters, to get a message out to
the majority of the electorate who abhor cruelty. Ask them to confirm
that they remain opposed to all blood sports, including fox hunting
and hare coursing, and that they will act vigorously to get them banned
while in government. Email "Green Party - please work to ban all
blood sports" to info@greenparty.ie with a copy to marywhitetd@gmail.com
The Green Party
The Green Party/Comhaontas Glas
16/17 Suffolk Street, Dublin 2, Ireland
Telephone: +353 (0)1 6790012
Fax: +353 (0)1 6797168
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 Green Party
I am deeply concerned at recent statements from your deputy leader that
the Green Party has a 'hands-off' policy towards blood sports such as
fox hunting and hare coursing and that there will be no efforts to ban
them.
This is in complete contrast to your election manifesto in which you
promised to bring blood sports to an end when in government. Foxhunting
and coursing cause horrendous suffering to Irish wildlife and I hope
your party will determinedly push to ban them this year.
Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
[Your name and location]
______________________________________
09. I support ban on Ward Union: Fianna Fail Cllr Noel Leonard
______________________________________
ICABS has welcomed Fianna Fail Councillor, Noel Leonard's condemnation
of the Ward Union and his announcement that he backs moves to ban the
hunt. "I saw the hounds attack the hind quarters of the legs of
the poor unfortunate stag," Cllr Leonard outlines in a statement
published in the Meath Chronicle. "It's horrific to see the end
of the hunt."
Please see below for the full text of Cllr Leonard's statement.
ACTION ALERT
If you reside in the Dunboyne electoral area, or in County Meath, please
send a message of thanks to Cllr Leonard. You can contact him via his
website http://www.noelleonard.net/#/contact-noel/4533677960
______________________________________
10. Noel Leonard and the case against stag hunting
______________________________________
The following appeared in the Meath Chronicle. 9th January 2010. http://www.meathchronicle.ie
Noel Leonard is hoping that sooner rather than later, the coalition
government will get around to banning stag hunting.
Elected to Meath County Council as a Fianna Fail councillor for a second
time in 2009, Leonard says he will have no problem giving his backing
to the Green Party initiative.
Since he was very young, he has been staunchly against blood sports.
Still is. He has not been slow in voicing opposition and he claims there
is considerable support within Fianna Fail to ban stag hunting.
Leonard, who represents the Dunboyne area, is not convinced by the assertion
by the Ward Hunt that they provide a huge benefit to the local economy
and claims there is an alternative available - drag hunting.
"I've heard the arguments that stag hunting is brilliant for the
racing industry, the national hunt, local economy and so on. I don't
agree with that. I don't think there were any jobs lost in England when
stag hunting was banned over there. They can hunt without a stag."
The Dunboyne councillor claims that the experience of watching a stag
hunt as a youngster left an indelible impression on his psyche. "It
left a terrible mark on me, the cruelty that is associated with both
stag hunting and, indeed, fox hunting or any form of activity whereby
hounds chase a dumb animal until it is exhausted.
"I don't care what they say, they can say they have a lot of things
in place to ensure the stag doesn't suffer. That's ridiculous; of course
the stag suffers.
"I saw the hounds attack the hind quarters of the legs of the poor,
unfortunate animal. It's horrific to see the end of the hunt,"
he adds.
As a youngster, Noel Leonard remembers the hunt passing through land
owned by his family, disrupting the quiet, rural countryside. "I
saw my own mother trying to stop them and we were out as kids trying
to stop them, the horses coming in where we had cows and calves, going
through our fields and our neighbours' fields, without making any apology
for
anything."
Leonard points to the incident in Kildalkey a few years ago, when a
stag ran through a schoolyard, as an example of how it can all go wrong.
How a hunt can quickly turn into a health hazard.
He says that members of the public are invariably not around when the
hunt ends, when the exhausted and frightened stag is surrounded by salivating
hounds eagerly looking for something to eat.
"I know that, at least 24 hours before the stag is released, the
hounds are starved, they are not fed so they go out there looking for
a meal. They are keyed up because they are so hungry and chase the stag
until he is overcome with exhaustion.
"Two years ago, I think it was, I came across a stag that was killed
on the Summerhill Road, just outside Dunboyne. The children going home
from school saw this, an animal dead on the side of the road. I rang
the Ward Union Hunt, but they denied it had anything to do with them.
"When I looked into it further, I discovered the hunt was definitely
in the area that day, they didn't catch their stag. What I believe happened
was that they called off the hounds somewhere around Baytown Cross and
the animal was so traumatised it kept galloping on through the fields.
It eventually jumped out of the fields and onto the Summerhill road."
Leonard asserts that the deers are reared domestically and, as a result,
are docile creatures who are suddenly turned into the wild and left
to escape a pack of chasing hounds.
He adds that he knows "quite a few" members of Fianna Fail
who had similar experiences as he had when it comes to stag hunting.
Leonard says he wants it banned and will lend his support in the push
to do just that.
______________________________________
Please make a donation to ICABS
______________________________________
The Irish Council Against Blood Sports relies entirely on your generosity
to continue our campaigning for an end to blood sport cruelty. Please
become a supporter of our work today - click on "Shop" at
www.banbloodsports.com for more details or send a cheque to ICABS, PO
Box 88, Mullingar, Co Westmeath, Ireland. Thank you very much.
______________________________________
11. Species Protection Unit questioned over coursing licence
______________________________________
ICABS is calling on the National Parks and Wildlife Service's Species
Protection Unit to explain why it recommended that a coursing licence
be granted for another season of hare coursing. "Given that coursing
results in stress, injury and death to hares, we wish to know how your
unit's recommendation fits in with its 'species protection' role,"
ICABS
stated.
The details of the Species Protection Unit's recommendation are contained
in a document recently obtained by ICABS following a Freedom of Information
request.
A letter signed the unit's Assistant Director, Gerry Leckey, states
that: "It is recommended that licences issue to the Irish Coursing
Club under the Wildlife Acts to mark hares, capture hares and undertake
coursing outside the Open Season Order on 1 March 2010. The licence
will cover all clubs affiliated to the Irish Coursing Club."
Referring to a request by the Irish Coursing Club for an extension to
the licence, the document states that "We have facilitated the
Irish Coursing Club in the past and it is recommended that the ICC be
granted this extension."
The extension, which we have learned has been approved by Green Party
leader and Environment Minister, John Gormley, is to be granted in the
new year and will allow the coursers to extend their blood sport into
March 1st.
In a letter to Dr Ciaran O'Keeffe, the director of the NPWS Species
Protection Unit, ICABS has enquired about the unit's justification for
recommending the issuance of a licence for the 2009-2010 coursing season
and a licence to extend the coursing season.
We are continuing to urge Minister John Gormley to revoke the current
licence, to cancel the season extension and to put in place permanent
protection for the Irish Hare.
ACTION ALERT
Please join us in asking the NPWS Species Protection Unit to explain
why it has recommended the licensing of a blood sport that causes massive
interference to the Irish Hare species and which results in stress,
injury and death to hares.
Dr Ciaran O'Keeffe
Director, NPWS Species Protection Unit
National Parks & Wildlife Service
7 Ely Place
Dublin 2
12. Revoke hunt's licence before someone gets killed
______________________________________
The Irish Council Against Blood Sports is calling on Minister John Gormley
to permanently revoke the licence he issued to the Ward Union deer hunt.
The call is being made on the grounds that it poses a real and present
danger to motorists and it comes in the wake of an incident in December
when a hunted deer jumped onto a public road and collided with a car.
The deer sustained a leg injury and had to be destroyed. Thankfully,
on this occasion no person was injured.
In correspondence with Minister John Gormley, ICABS has stated: "A
collision with a deer could potentially result in serious injury and
death to a motorist and we urge you to give serious consideration to
the risks involved in allowing this hunt to continue."
As part of a submission, ICABS has provided Minister Gormley with photographic
evidence showing cars and lorries being brought to a standstill as a
pack of hunt hounds spilled out on to a public road. Another image shows
a National Parks and Wildlife Service van on a clogged-up road being
forced to reverse to allow oncoming traffic to pass. The NPWS official
was present to monitor the hunt on behalf of Minister Gormley.
This is not the first time a deer has been chased onto public roads
by the Ward Union and their pack of hounds.
Just last year, a National Parks and Wildlife Service ranger reported
that he was forced to "brake hard" to avoid a fatal collision
with a Ward Union deer. The ranger who was monitoring the hunt on 25
November 2008 said he "narrowly avoided killing" the animal.
While monitoring the same hunt in the past, members of the Irish Council
Against Blood Sports had to take evasive action to avoid crashing into
a deer which was being chased around a corner into oncoming traffic.
Only by braking hard and swerving were we able to avoid a collision
with the terrified animal.
Over the years, we have continually flagged the dangers posed by the
hunt.
As far back as 1997, a Department of Agriculture report ("Monitoring
of the Stag Hunts conducted by the Ward Union Hunt by K.W. S. Kane,
Veterinary Inspector"), acknowledged that "Stags are frightened
by motor vehicles when they cross public roads, which they frequently
do during hunts." He added that "during the six hunts attended
the Dublin-Slane road was crossed three times by a stag and five times
by the Hunt; the Dublin-Navan road was crossed once by stag and hunt."
A Department of Agriculture official monitoring the Ward Union during
the 1997-98 season referred to the hazards associated with hunts on
roads. In his report, he stated that the "deer were at risk of
injury when crossing roads."
In a 2003 submission to then Minister for Transport, we highlighted
a report from a NPWS ranger who monitored the Ward Union hunt on March
5th, 2002. The ranger outlined that "the stag took off in the direction
of Dunshaughlin where it crossed the main N3".
In 2004, following an ICABS appeal, the National Safety Council asked
the Ward Union Deerhunt to stay off the public roads in the interests
of road safety. Responding to concerns that the hunt poses a potential
danger to road users in Meath and North County Dublin, a NSC spokesperson
stated at the time that: "We would have obvious concerns if
such [hunt] practices posed a danger to road users. We will be writing
to the Ward Union Hunt to communicate these concerns and that in the
interests of road safety we would request that all appropriate precautions
be taken to prevent incursions (by deer/stag, dogs and the hunt party)
onto the public highway during hunting outings."
The government has promised that legislation to ban the Ward Union is
due soon but, in the interests of preventing further incidents and danger
to motorists, ICABS is demanding that the licence be immediately revoked.
ACTION ALERT
Please email "Revoke the Ward Union's licence immediately"
to minister@environ.ie
Minister John Gormley
Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government
Custom House, Dublin 1.
Tel: 01 888 2403. Fax: 01 878 8640.
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 Gormley
I am deeply concerned to learn that a deer being hunted by the Ward
Union collided with a vehicle during a hunt in December.
The unfortunate animal suffered a broken leg and according to an eyewitness
interviewed on RTE's Liveline, the stag 'tried to get up for a few minutes'
and, in severe pain, eventually staggered over to a ditch. The two people
in the car were left 'very shaken up' according to a relative speaking
on the programme and damage was caused to their vehicle, including a
shattered windscreen. One caller said 'I can't understand how those
people were not killed' while another asked 'Do the hunt have to kill
someone before it's finally banned?'
Minister, you were quoted in the Irish Times of November 21, 2009 as
saying that alarm bells started ringing for you when you received a
report which referred to 'deer going across the road just in front of
a car'. After this collision, these alarm bells should now be sounding
at a thunderous volume.
Instead of waiting until legislation is in place to stop this hunt,
you must intervene and immediately revoke the Ward Union's licence.
Yours sincerely,
[Name and location]
______________________________________
13. ICABS responds to Carberry's hunt ban comments
______________________________________
In a letter to the editor published in the Irish Times, ICABS has responded
to comments from pro-hunt jockey Paul Carberry. Spokesperson Aideen
Yourell points out that when the Ward Union is banned this year, a transition
to drag hunting would not only address Carberry's concerns about employment
and local business but also serious concerns about public safety, animal
welfare and respect for landowners.
The letter appears directly below...
Irish Times - January 13, 2010
A chara, - Jockey Paul Carberry asserts that stag hunting is a "vital
part" of his preparation for the Cheltenham Races (Home News, January
2nd), and in his recent open letter to Taoiseach Brian Cowen, he asks
what will happen to the deer, the hounds and hunt employees when the
hunt is banned.
If the Ward Union were to switch to drag hunting, all Paul Carberry's
concerns about employment and local business would be addressed. Additional
concerns about public safety, animal welfare and respect for landowners
would also be addressed.
Only recently, a terrified hunted deer jumped onto a public road and
collided with a vehicle, resulting in its death. Fortunately, nobody
was injured.
The route for a drag hunt is pre-ordained, so incidents of trespass,
or incursion onto public roads or spaces are eliminated, while the hunt
followers can still enjoy the thrill of the chase across country in
a safe and responsible manner.
In fact, the Ward Union hunt uses a drag when training its young hounds,
so switching to this humane method should pose no problems. And hunt
master Michael Bailey showed he was open to drag hunting in 2004 when
he told the late deputy Tony Gregory, who was out observing the deer
hunt, "I'm not saying that's [drag hunting] not a possibility".
As for the future of the deer, perhaps the Ward Union would consider
donating its pure-bred red deer herd to the nation. I'm sure the National
Parks and Wildlife Service would find a place of sanctuary for them
where they can live out their lives in peace, safe from human persecution.
- Is mise,
Aideen Yourell, Spokeswoman, Irish Council Against Blood Sports, Mullingar,
Co Westmeath.
ACTION ALERT
Send "I support a ban on the Ward Union hunt" to minister@environ.ie
[Please forward a copy to all your local TDs]
______________________________________
14. NPWS mink cull considering terrierwork and digging out baby mink
______________________________________
ICABS has expressed concerns to Minister John Gormley (minister@environ.ie)
about a National Parks and Wildlife Service report which points to the
use of packs of hounds and terriers as possible ways of controlling
mink.
The 2009 "A review of mink predation and control for Ireland"
report can be viewed at:
http://www.npws.ie/en/media/NPWS/Publications/IrishWildlifeManuals/Media,6784,en.pdf
"A large number of techniques are available for the capture and
subsequent dispatch of mink," the report outlines. "Each is
discussed in turn, illustrating advantages and disadvantages relevant
to the control of mink in Ireland."
Considering hunting as a method of destroying mink, the report says
that although "hunting with hounds, searching, chasing and killing
mink is still legal in Ireland, and some hunts do use otter hounds to
hunt mink, the numbers caught over a large area are likely to be too
low to have an impact on the population." It adds that "consideration
of the legal and humane aspects of hunting with hounds is outside the
scope of this review."
Elsewhere in the review, the focus is on terriers which it says are
used in Iceland to seek out and kill mink. "When dens are found,
mink are sometimes flushed by the use of chemicals or blowers where
they encounter dogs and are killed," it says. "Over small
areas this has been found to be effective although its efficacy has
yet to be quantified."
The report goes on to state that "dogs can be an effective supplement
to a live trapping operation". Reference is made to the capture
and killing of nursing female minks and their kits [baby minks]: "During
the denning season, Roy (2006) found that catch/trapnight was reduced
virtually to zero. During this period, dogs trained on mink scent glands
were
used to find den sites where females were then subsequently trapped.
By using multiple traps side by side, kits close to weaning were also
caught on the same or over subsequent nights. If not close to weaning,
kits were unearthed from the den."
Recommending the use of traps to catch mink, the report reveals that
animals caught are shot through their brains, saying that "well
placed shots through the front of the skull above the nose destroyed
their brains, instantly rendering animals senseless".
"Traps should be spaced approximately 300-500m apart along the
edge of watercourses...Where possible they should be interred into the
ground to provide any captured animals with shelter and protection.
It also minimises the risk of traps being found and tampered with by
members of the public... "
In the report's conclusion, reference is again made to the use of dogs,
saying "dogs can be an important additional tool."
The estimated cost of the proposed 5 year mink destruction project is
put at Euro1,062,425. This massive figure takes in the cost of dogs,
traps, air rifles, boats, quad bikes and cars as well as wages for six
trappers (Euro18,200 each per annum or a total of over half a million
for the duration).
ICABS is horrified that a Department of the Environment publication
would present for consideration such shameful cruelty as digging out
and terrierwork. We are currently awaiting a reply to our correspondence
to Minister Gormley. Please join us in expressing concern over the report.
Contact the Minister at:
Minister John Gormley
Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government
Custom House, Dublin 1.
Tel: 01 888 2403. Fax: 01 878 8640.
Email: minister@environ.ie
______________________________________
15. Please fax, post or email this poster to Minister Gormley
______________________________________
Help the Hares. Please send a copy of our new campaign poster to Minister
John Gormley. Ask him to revoke the current hare coursing licence, cancel
the licence extension he has promised and put in place permanent protection
for the hare species.
Download the poster now:
http://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/files/2010/01/24908948-minister-gormley-stop-the-suffering.pdf
Post poster to:
Minister John Gormley
Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government
Custom House, Dublin 1.
Email poster to:
minister@environ.ie [CC: info@greenparty.ie]
Fax poster to:
00353 (0)1 878 8640 [Minister's Office]
00353 (0)1 6797168 [Green Party Headquarters]
______________________________________
16. Thanks for attending animal rally
______________________________________
ICABS thanks all its supporters who attended the ARAN animal rally in
December. We enjoyed meeting you on the day.
Many groups were represented at this successful event, including those
campaigning against hunting and coursing, fur farming, badger snaring,
puppy farming, vivisection, seal slaughter, circuses, etc.
On the day, ICABS met representatives from:
ARAN www.aran.ie
CIWF www.ciwf.ie
Supreme Master TV http://suprememastertv.com/
Wildtime Radio
http://wildtimeonline.blogspot.com/2009/12/rally-against-animal-cruelty-footage.html
Galway Vegetarian and Vegans
http://www.vegetarian.ie/links/galway-vegetarian-vegan-group
ICABS has expressed disappointment to Green Party TD, Trevor Sargent,
after he defended the continuation of cruel badger snaring. Deputy Sargent,
a Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, claims that his
Department's "enhanced badger removal strategy" [i.e. cruel
snaring and killing of badgers] has helped reduce TB in cattle.
In response to an Adjournment Debate question from Mary White, the former
Green Party leader said: "My Department continually monitors the
animal welfare aspects of badger culling and is satisfied that the existing
culling arrangements and procedures result in minimal injury to badgers
while in the restraints." [ICABS Note: restraints = snares]"
"Targeted badger removals will continue in the medium term,"
he added.
ICABS has supplied Deputy Sargent with photos of dead badgers in snares.
In one photo, scratch marks are visible at the base of a tree where
the doomed animal desperately tried to claw its way to freedom.
"This is just a small sample of the suffering being endured by
badgers caught in your Department's snares," we told Deputy Sargent.
"Surely, it is Green Party policy to condemn this type of cruelty
to our wildlife."
According to Badger Watch Ireland, "conservationists do not accept
the theory that badgers are guilty of spreading bovine TB - the route
of infection from badger to cow under normal farm conditions has never
been fully explained; the evidence remains circumstantial."
You can read the full text of the 19th November 2009 Adjournment Debate
by clicking on Politicians at www.banbloodsports.com and choosing Parliamentary
Questions
______________________________________
18. Latest figures show Dept snared and killed 7,000 badgers
______________________________________
Badger Watch Ireland has renewed calls on Minister John Gormley to immediately
call a halt to the snaring and killing of thousands of badgers. The
horrific slaughter of the supposedly protected species is carried out
by the Department of Agriculture, thanks to a licence from the NPWS
division of Minister Gormley's department.
Badger Watch have revealed that latest figures released by the Department
of Agriculture show that almost 7,000 badgers were slaughtered by Department
trappers in 2008. In the last decade more than 50,000 badgers have been
killed by the Department in what has been described as "Slaughter
masquerading as Science".
"This appalling slaughter of almost 7,000 badgers is simply unacceptable.
It is a nothing less then a state approved brutal pogrom against badgers,"
said Bernie Barrett, National Co-ordinator of Badgerwatch.
Please send the message "Stop the badger snaring slaughter"
to:
Minister John Gormley
Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government
Custom House, Dublin 1.
Email: minister@environ.ie
Tel: 01 888 2403. Fax: 01 878 8640.
Dr. Ciaran O'Keeffe
Director, Licensing Unit
National Parks and Wildlife Service
7 Ely Place, Dublin 2
Email: Ciaran.O'Keeffe@environ.ie
Tel: 01-888 3214
Minister Brendan Smith
Department of Agriculture
Agriculture House,
Kildare Street, Dublin 2.
Email: minister@agriculture.gov.ie
Tel: 01-607 2000 or LoCall 1890-200510.
Fax: 01-661 1013.
______________________________________
19. Get active at a local level
______________________________________
If you are in County Carlow or Kilkenny and would be interested in teaming
up with like-minded individuals in the area to raise awareness about
blood sports, please get in touch with us now. Simply email your name
and contact details (phone number, email address) to info@banbloodsports.com
and we will pass them on to others who respond. Proposed peaceful activities
include collecting petition signatures, distributing leaflets and political
lobbying.
We also invite individuals from all areas of Ireland to get in touch
with us if you are interested in becoming an active campaigner at a
local level. Thank you.
______________________________________
20. Gun clubs compete in squirrel cull
______________________________________
The Irish Council Against Blood Sports has asked Agriculture Minister,
Brendan Smith, to stop his Department's sponsorship of a squirrel killing
competition.
According to a report in the Irish Times, the forestry service of the
Department sponsored a Euro6,500 fund in 2009 which saw shooting clubs
being awarded cash prizes for blasting "alien" grey squirrels
to death. Clubs in Meath killed 214 squirrels and were awarded Euro1,600
while shooters in Monaghan won Euro1,100 for their tally of 196. The
other
participating counties also received cash for their killing.
In a letter to Brendan Smith, ICABS expressed opposition to the sponsorship.
"We implore you to stop using taxpayers' money to incentivise the
destruction of Irish wildlife," we said. "We strongly urge
you not to give any further funding to shooting groups."
To read the full Irish Times report, visit
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0106/1224261730231.html
ACTION ALERT
Send "Stop using taxpayers' money to fund squirrel killing competitions"
Minister Brendan Smith
Department of Agriculture
Agriculture House,
Kildare Street, Dublin 2.
21. Legislation to outlaw grotesque hunt will be introduced
______________________________________
Speaking on RTE TV's Nine News in December, ICABS spokesperson Aideen
Yourell expressed confidence that Minister John Gormley will stand firm
and introduce overdue legislation to ban the Ward Union carted deer
hunt. The RTE report featured ICABS footage showing a deer surrounded
by hounds being dragged to the ground during a Ward Union hunt.
"The minister will stand firm and legislation to outlaw this grotesque
hunt will be introduced." stated Aideen. "It's long overdue.
What we're talking about is an activity where a vulnerable animal -
a deer with its antlers sawn off - is taken out and hounded around the
countryside by a pack of dogs for sheer entertainment."
Watch the RTE News report
http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/1214/9news_av.html?2668035,null,230
(Click on "Play Clip" beneath "Protests over stag hunting
laws")
______________________________________
22. Cruelty to horses in Waterford: Renewed appeal for information
______________________________________
In December 2008, ICABS highlighted a shocking attack on three horses
in the Ballybeg and Williamstown areas of Waterford. We are renewing
our call on anyone with information on these brutal attacks to please
contact the Gardai in Waterford now on 051-305316.
Waterford News & Star reported at the time that "a despicable
act of cruelty, which saw three horses being mutilated as part of the
long-running feud between Travellers in the city, has shocked people
beyond belief. All three animals had to be put down as a result of their
injuries."
If you have any information on those responsible for this horrific attack,
please call the Gardai now in confidence.
______________________________________
23. Urge Danish Government to stop barbaric whale slaughter
______________________________________
Please register your opposition to the deplorable slaughter of pilot
whales in the Faroe Islands with the Ambassador of Denmark:
Henrik Ree Iversen
Ambassador of Denmark
Royal Danish Embassy, 7th Floor, Block E,
Iveagh Court, Harcourt Road, Dublin 2, Ireland
I urge you to exert pressure on the Danish Government and those in authority
in the Faroe Islands to stop the brutal slaughter of pilot whales.
This cruel and shameful attack on sea creatures is one of the world's
worst examples of barbarism and its continuation is a very poor reflection
on Denmark.
I hope that you will take urgent action to protect pilot whales from
the cruel, heartless, barbaric individuals on the Faroe Islands who
attack and kill them.
Thank you.
Yours sincerely
[Name/Location]
______________________________________
24. New anti-hunt Facebook group - Please Join
______________________________________
Please join the "Ban the Union Ward Deer Hunt" group on Facebook
http://bit.ly/7Wlj0B
Become a friend of ICABS on Facebook -
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1801767421&ref=mf
"The pack could be heard screaming on the line as they gained on
their fox who was a few minutes ahead of them giving a grandstand view
to the car followers." (Meath Foxhounds hunt report - Bective village
meet - 2009/2010 season - Irish Field, 5th December 2009)
"Let's hope the stag hunt ban comes in quickly and that hare coursing
and foxhunting follow soon afterwards...to keep the staghunters company
in the Hall of Shame!" (Facebook comment from "Bad Hare Days"
author John Fitzgerald, November 19, 2009)
"It must also be noted that several mink farms operate across the
Republic of Ireland. Escapes from these will continue to threaten the
wildlife of Ireland, by adding to the feral [mink] population, even
if the feral population is managed. Escapes from fur farms would also
invalidate any attempts to eradicate feral populations." from the
2009 NPWS report entitled "A review of mink predation and control
for Ireland".
"The weather on Friday 1st January was somewhat better but far
from ideal. Due to heavy overnight frost, moving-off time was put back
one hour to 12 noon. First draw at Rathvin provided a fox from the Fort
that ran back over the Ballybough Road to Daly Fuels where he crossed
the road at the Railway Bridge and the river to Monroe where they lost
him.
From the back of the gallops at Rathvin they hunted down to the Old
Railway line. At Kelly's stables the fox did a U-turn, ran back to a
small pit near the avenue and to ground." from a report on the
Tipperary Foxhounds on the Hunting Association of Ireland website, January
10th, 2010.
"In his latest book, The Thin Green Line - wildlife crime investigation
in Britain and Ireland - [retired police inspector] Alan Stewart] instances
cases of cruelty to a variety of animals in Ireland, providing a valuable
eye-opener. He appears surprised to learn most wildlife crime in Ireland
is not investigated by the Gardai, but by conservation rangers employed
by the National Parks and Wildlife Service. However, garda powers are
broadly similar to those held by police in Britain and a garda, or another
authorised person, may enter land where there's a suspicion an offence
is being committed under the Wildlife Act." (Irish Examiner, November
30, 2009)
"Because of the callous and ruthless nature of some of the people
involved, greyhound racing results in unbelievable cruelty to many dogs
and, of course, a great deal of work for the Gardai and the ISPCA,'
he says. 'In many cases, the dogs are bred for one purpose only and
once that purpose is fulfilled they are disposable.'" (The Thin
Green Line author, Alan Stewart, Irish Examiner, November 30, 2009)
"Of course the stag suffers. I saw the hounds attack the hind quarters
of the legs of the poor, unfortunate animal. It's horrific to see the
end of the hunt." (Fianna Fail Meath Councillor, Noel Leonard,
on his opposition to the Ward Union hunt, Meath Chronicle, 9th January
2010)
"I have seen [Ward Union stags], bellies heaving, heads raised
and nostrils flaring, looking for their escape..." (from a pro-hunting
article in the Irish Times, December 18, 2009)
"When the great rural public in Britain opposed the ban [on hunting
with hounds], planeloads of Irish hunters went over to swell the numbers,
knowing that political correctness knows no national boundaries."
(from a pro-hunting article in the Irish Times, December 18, 2009)
"It is the view of some in the Ward Union hunt that [Minister Noel
Dempsey] has not been supportive of hunting at the cabinet table."
(Countryside Alliance website, 08 December 2009) ICABS has thanked Minister
Dempsey for declining an invitation to the Ward Union's 'monster rally'
in Trim.
"How could I [John Gormley] live with myself if there was a very
serious accident when there are clearly safety issues involved?"
he said. "I have been pretty clear from the outset that our primary
concern in relation to the stag hunt is our safety concern. We have
had a number of incidents where we have had the stag going out into
urbanised area with
high levels of traffic. I have heard from a reliable source that the
deer jumped out in front of a woman who was pushing a pram." Irish
Times, December 19, 2009
"In all my years in animal welfare, I have never been part of such
a resounding success story," said Alan Knight of International
Animal Rescue, which has been campaigning since 2002 for an end to the
centuries-old tradition of dancing bears. "To transform the lives
of hundreds of captive bears is amazing in itself. But to put an end
to this cruelty once and for all is nothing short of momentous,"
he said. (Irish Times, December 22, 2009)
"The Cashel Hunt were originally Beagles but with the scarcity
of hares they became Foot Harriers and are now recognised by the Foot
Harriers Association." from a hunt report in Countryman's Weekly,
20th January 2010.
"In what is a sobering metaphor for the way our world has changed,
four horses were left starve to death on a disused golf course on the
outskirts of Cork city. At least 10 other emaciated horses or ponies
were on the site outside Blarney village yesterday. Many people made
commitments to keep animals that are no longer possible. Some bought
pets at Christmas that they can no longer care for. No matter what their
circumstances no one should abandon or leave an animal to starve to
death. There are options that do not involve terrible cruelty and they
should be availed of." Irish Examiner, January 22, 2010
______________________________________
26. Letters to Editors
______________________________________
CONTROVERSY OVER STAG HUNT BAN
Irish Times - January 11, 2010
Madam, - I found the contrasting letters on the subject of blood sports
very interesting (December 31st). As a lifetime yellowbelly I found
myself, unusually, on the same side as the Kilkenny man John Fitzgerald.
As for Philip Donnelly, he trotted out the same arguments as those of
his ilk did when the debate was on in England. I was resident there
and
a member of the Labour party at the time and there was massive support
for the ban across all classes.
The claim by Mr Donnelly that it cost the party 47 seats at the following
election is rubbish. What cost us the seats was the invasion of Iraq.
It beggars belief that alleged adults in the 21st century can't find
a more decent way to amuse themselves. - Yours, etc, James Moran, Knockanure,
Bunclody, Co Wexford.
TAXPAYERS FUNDING SQUIRREL CULL PRIZES
Irish Times - January 8th, 2010
Madam, - It was with disbelief and dismay that I read Michael Parsons's
article (Home News, January 6th) stating that the Department of Agriculture
awarded monetary prizes to the gun clubs that killed the most grey squirrels.
In addition to the barbaric activities of hare coursing, stag hunting
and fur and factory farming, those who enjoy the torture and killing
of animals are now to have the added excitement of legally shooting
grey squirrels.
Not only were gun club members able to experience the pleasures of the
kill, but our Government awarded them prizes from taxpayers' money for
this barbaric activity.
Soon our country will be entirely denuded of wildlife. One can only
hope that before that happens, the present pack of incompetent, arrogant
and uncaring Government politicians, along with their advisers, will
also have been sent packing into a wilderness from which they will not
emerge for many years. - Yours, etc, Carmel Courtney, Dublin 16.
WAR DECLARED
The Kingdom - January 14, 2010
Irish hunt followers have declared war in a futile attempt to prevent
the outlawing of stag hunting with hounds.
A hunting army has being assembled from the ranks of the various strands
of Ireland's hunting community.
Battle plans have been drawn up by hunting generals who have ordered
in extra supplies of lies, misinformation, innuendo, personal attacks
and economic blackmail.
Given that hunting supporters have yet to accept that the war is over,
it could be a long campaign.
It will fall to those kind of heart to break it to those cruel of heart
that the war is actually over.
A ban on stag hunting starts this long overdue process.
John Tierney, Campaigns Director, Association of Hunt Saboteurs, PO
Box 4734, Dublin 1
Dear sir - Delusional, is this the only word to describe the people
who met in Trim to defend the Ward Union Stag Hunt. Are we to believe
the lynch pin of the Irish horse industry is the Ward Hunt. Is it possible
that names like Meade, Kinane or Sea the Stars would not have emerged
without hunting, all nonsense.
The truth is I believe that the vast majority of people involved with
hunting do so for their love of horses and would continue with their
passion regardless.
They are also trying to promote the idea that urban dwellers don't understand
country people and are casting their net far and wide to include many
strands of country life to bolster their cause. In truth hunting with
hounds was the 'sport' of the upper class and their 'lackeys' and had
very little relevance to ordinary rural life, except when they trampled
crops and broke down fences or as happened in recent years, careered
through a school playground.
One speaker talked spoke of Cuchullain and his involvement in hunting
with hounds but I would suggest that this was the way at the time to
provide food for his clan rather than some form of sport.
Next time this group meet, instead of their usual pre-rally meal, they
could partake of some freshly cooked salmon and maybe, just maybe .....
Yours, Joe Price, Ladyrath, Wilkinstown, Co Meath.
MONGREL FOXES
The Kingdom - January 14, 2010
I am disappointed by Fine Gael's decision to oppose the government sponsored
Bill to ban stag hunting.
I had thought the party might have moved on a bit and become a little
more humane and compassionate in its policy direction since that rousing
Ard Fheis of 1972 when its then leader Liam Cosgrave famously took a
swipe at his critics, declaring: "Some of these commentators and
critics are like mongrel foxes - they are gone to ground but I'll dig
them out
and the pack will chop them when they get them".
Is the party seriously committed to supporting deliberate cruelty to
animals - just for the sake of annoying the government?
I have contacted all Fine Gael TDs over the past month asking them to
justify the party's pro-stag hunting policy. To date, not one deputy
has done so.
Perhaps they have gone to ground like Mr Cosgrave's mongrel foxes, and
we campaigners will just have to dig them out!
John Fitzgerald, Co Kilkenny
SURPRISED BY A FOX
Irish Times - January 7, 2010
Madam, - What a lovely surprise on Tuesday morning to have a fox run
by my car. It was greatly uplifting. She looked so beautiful and elegant
as she ran across the road from the snowy grounds of the Oblate Fathers,
Inchicore, to a grassy forest area nearby. The fact it was an industrial
estate did not seem to matter to the fox. Not so long ago Inchicore
was
the country! A happy New Year to all in The Irish Times, a wonderful
paper delivered to my door daily, even in this treacherous cold and
frosty weather. It's like a piece of warm toast, when it's popped into
my letter box. -
Yours, etc, Terry Healy, Kill, Co Kildare.
Dear sir - Meath's staghunting with hounds community have declared war.
With the banning of their cruel activity on the political agenda they
have blown the horn to rally the troops to fight this action. If it
was not so serious it would be laughable. Where can Ireland's hunting
community locate a solid defence for an activity that has been shown
to be cruel, inhumane and totally unnecessary for the protection and
survival of our deer population.
Mass rallies are being planned and political lobbying campaigns are
being kick-started by these rural deer chasers. The intention is to
create a charade that hunting with hounds is a vital element of our
society and it should not be consigned to history's skip. Given that
the majority of Irish people find hunting with hounds cruel it will
be interesting to see this campaign unfolds.
For those more used to dishing out animal abuse in the depths of the
Irish countryside away from prying eyes trying to justify their actions
in the glare of public and media forums will be like a visual and audio
bloodsport as they squirm on truth's harpoon. Hunting spokespersons
will be pouring out spurious claims about hunting while feeding to the
general public a defence of animal abuse in a bolus of pap. No doubt
personal attacks will be unleashed against those who are trying to defend
our wildlife from these rural thugs.
Of course we can be spared this pantomime if the Irish hunting community
accept that hunting with hounds is an activity that does not have any
long-term prospects. It would save a lot of time and media space if
hunters accepted their fate and started the process of converting live
hunting packs to drag hunting packs across all the various disciplines
of hunting with hounds.
The ban on staghunting with hounds will come to pass and in its wake
will be a ban on all forms of live hunting with hounds. That is the
reality of the situation. Those who follow horn and hound have a choice;
they can remain at the default setting of the terminally stupid, violent
and committed to defending animal cruelty or they can accept what is
coming down the political track and make the voluntary switch to draghunting.
But based on what goes on in the Irish hunting field we can only assume
that it is not in the nature of animal abusers to elevate themselves
above the subculture they currently embrace.
Yours, John Tierney, Campaigns Director, Association of Hunt Saboteurs,
PO Box 4734, Dublin 1.
Follow ICABS on Twitter - www.twitter.com/banbloodsports
Here are twenty of our tweets from the past month. Please re-tweet them
and help increase support for our action alerts. Thank you.
Is Fine Gael "committed to supporting deliberate cruelty to animals"?
http://bit.ly/8hd6aO
Cool fox photos: http://short.to/149n1
Japan whalers 'ram' Sea Shepherd Conservation Society boat http://is.gd/5R9s4
Ask the NPWS species "protection" unit why they recommended
the licensing of cruel hare coursing. Email ciaran.o'keeffe@environ.ie
STOP the badger slaughter: Please display poster + email "Stop
licensing badger snaring" to minister@environ.ie http://is.gd/6BnrE
Learn all about Ireland's Otters http://short.to/141rr
Help Keep Cruelty History in the UK. Please contact your MP and urge
them to sign Early Day Motion 79 http://is.gd/6JRDt
"Because of the callous nature of some of the people involved,
greyhound racing results in unbelievable cruelty to many dogs'"
Alan Stewart
TD TUESDAY: Please post, fax or email this poster to all your local
TDs http://bit.ly/VqWzL
Irish Times letter to editor: Hunters should find a more decent way
to amuse themselves http://bit.ly/5fFugt
Please help stop digging-out & terrierwork - Leaflet and action
alert. http://bit.ly/26FIa0
"Of course the [Ward Union] stag suffers. I saw the hounds attack
the hind quarters of the legs of the poor animal." Cllr Noel Leonard
Email "Stop Defending the Ward Union Deerhunt" to Meath TD,
Shane McEntee shane.mcentee@finegael.ie
Become our friend on MySpace - www.myspace.com/banbloodsports Thanks
for your support :-)
ICABS spokesperson Aideen Yourell has a Letter to Editor published in
today's Irish Times http://short.to/13fic
Remembering ICABS vice-president + champion for the animals, Tony Gregory,
TD who passed away in January 2009 http://bit.ly/5RKDFw
Support our animal protection campaign in 2010. Make a small donation
today. Click on Paypal at www.banbloodsports.com Thank you
Irish horse breeder pleads guilty to animal cruelty http://short.to/12i0h
Call for free vote on hunting bill rejected. Green Party determined
it will go through. http://is.gd/5OalX
How to keep hunters off your property. Please print and give to landowners/farmer
friends http://short.to/141s3
"Ban Blood Sports" car bumper sticker. Please purchase and
help highlight our campaign. Thank you. http://bit.ly/2ulTtQ
"Shame on anyone who finds an animal being tortured entertaining."
Ricky Gervais, The Times http://bit.ly/6KXrNp
______________________________________
28. Ask Irish Times to drop pro-hunting slideshow
______________________________________
Join us in asking the Irish Times to drop a pro-hunting slideshow from
its website. Email "Please drop Waterford Hunt slideshow from your
website" to lettersed@irishtimes.com or Tel 01 675 8000. You can
view the slideshow at
http://www.irishtimes.com/indepth/slideshows/waterford-hunt-two/
In an email to the newspaper's editor, ICABS stated: "The slideshow
presents foxhunting as a harmless rural get-together, involving jumping
ditches and cross-country riding. No mention is made of the foxes which
suffer horrendous fates during hunts. This whitewash of hunting is an
affront to the Irish Times' reputation as a publication that strives
to uncover and present the truth. We appeal to you to remove this slideshow
from your site and only present the true picture of foxhunting - one
of Ireland's worst examples of animal cruelty."
______________________________________
Top ways you can help the campaign
______________________________________
Join our email list (and encourage friends to join) and respond
to our Action Alerts. Email "Subscribe" to info@banbloodsports.com
Become a campaign supporter and make a donation to help fund
our efforts. Click on "Join ICABS" at www.banbloodsports.com
for more information.
Contact your local politicians and ask them to support a ban
on blood sports. Click on "Politicians" at www.banbloodsports.com
for contact details and a sample letter.
Be our friend on MySpace, Bebo, Twitter and Youtube -
http://www.myspace.com/banbloodsports,
http://www.bebo.com/banbloodsports,
http://www.twitter.com/banbloodsports, http://www.youtube.com/icabs
Sign up for our free text alert service and receive occasional
campaign updates to your phone. To subscribe to this free service, simply
text the word GO to our textline on 00 353 86 038 6617.
Link to our website and display one of our banners. Click on
"Links" at www.banbloodsports.com for linking options.
Monitor blood sports meetings in your area and provide us with
photos, video and reports.
Write a letter to your local newspaper about the cruelty of blood
sports
Sign and collect signatures for our petitions. Click on "Petitions"
at www.banbloodsports.com for online and printable petitions.
Organise a fund-raiser to help raise funds for the campaign
Set up an online anti-blood sports group (Myspace, Bebo, Facebook,
etc) to cover your area.
Download, print and display our posters and leaflets - click
on "Leaflets" at www.banbloodsports.com now.
Set up an information stand at your school/library/youth group/adult
group, etc
Introduce your friends to our website and encourage them to get
involved.
Simply keeping your ear to the ground. Email ICABS about any
blood-sport related incidents in your area.
______________________________________
Please make a donation to ICABS
______________________________________
The Irish Council Against Blood Sports relies entirely on your generosity
to continue our campaigning for an end to blood sport cruelty. Please
become a supporter of our work today - click on "Shop" at
www.banbloodsports.com for more details or send a cheque to ICABS, PO
Box 88, Mullingar, Co Westmeath, Ireland. Thank you very much.
______________________________________
Keep hunters off your land
______________________________________
Make it known publicly that your land is off-limits to hunters. Place
a preservation notice in your local newspaper now. Here is a sample
notice that you may wish to use: "Take notice that all my lands
at [Insert address(es) of land] are private and preserved day and night.
All forms of hunting and shooting are strictly prohibited. Trespassers
will be prosecuted. Signed [Insert name(s) of landowner]"
For more information, click on Farmers at www.banbloodsports.com. You
may also wish to contact the Farmers Against Foxhunting and Trespass
organisation which is happy to offer advice to landowners. Chairman,
Philip Lynch, can be reached at 056-7725309. Visit the FAFT website
at: www.myspace.com/farmersagainstfoxhunting
Download the FAFT leaflet from: http://www.scribd.com/doc/17651383
______________________________________
Tune in to the ICABS Channel
______________________________________
Footage of blood sport cruelty and the humane alternatives can be viewed
on the ICABS Channel on Youtube - www.youtube.com/icabs or by clicking
on "Videos" at www.banbloodsports.com Please ask your local
TD/Senator
to view our videos and back a blood sports ban.
The
animals need a voice in Haiti, and weve been on the ground there
for days, doing all we can during a desperate time in the island nation.
Our team of veterinary and disaster relief responders continue to feed
stray dogs, check on the welfare of farm animals and zoo animals, and
work to reunite evacuees with their lost pets.
Were already
planning to support a longer-term program to vaccinate dogs and cats
against rabies -- a major concern of developing countries after disasters,
to address both animal health and human health. Were preparing
to send in a second wave of responders on Friday.