animal voice action alerts 2010

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Demand an end to adsfor blood sport dogs

Irish Council Against Blood Sports Action Alerts 2010

Animal Voice

LAST YEAR, the IrishCouncil Against Blood

Sports thanked Wexford-based classified ads websiteDonedeal for updating itsdogs policy and promisingto prevent ads for bloodsports dogs from appearingon its website. Sadly, ads fordogs used in hunting, bait-ing, digging-out and terrier-work have continued to be

displayed on the website.Their policy clearly states that

"we do not accept ads thatimply that the dog could/shouldbe used for...killing prey" and"we do not accept ads thatmention or imply digging" and"we do not allow ads that men-tion lamping".

However, adverts for suchdogs continue to be displayedon the website on an ongoingbasis. Among the dogs listedas "Sold" on the website are:

A Patterdale dog that "willmake a very good hunter", aworking terrier that is "great inhard cover & ditches - goesthrough like train", a patterdale

that is "just starting to work"and a working Patterdale terri-er which "will do a black andwhite and will do red lads"(badgers and foxes).

Also listed for sale on the

Donedeal website was alurcher that "will kill a fox withno help", a baiting dog whose"mother got killed in six hourdig" and a "very gamey dogthat has been out hunting inthe day time after hares". Thelatter showed a photo of a dogstanding over a dead hare.

Please join us in urging

Donedeal to act to deny thoseinvolved in blood sports theopportunity to use its websiteas a platform for selling dogsused in attacking wildlife.

One of the ads included a photo of a dog standing over a dead hare

Thugs involved in horrendous cruelty to wildlifeare using the DoneDeal website to buy and sell dogs

ACTION ALERTAsk Donedeal to intro-duce a screening processfor dog adverts to preventads from being displayedif they contravene thecompany's policy or referto illegal activities.

Mr Fred KarlssonDonedeal, Unit B

Tuskar House,Johns Gate St, Wexford.Email: [email protected]: www.donedeal.ie

or more action alerts and campaign updates, visit our website at www.banbloodsports.com



Ask Minister Gormley

to halt hare coursingJUST WEEKS after an his-toric ban outlawing harecoursing in Northern Ireland,Minister John Gormley hasissued a hare netting licenceto coursers here in theRepublic. The licence givesthe go-ahead to another sea-son of coursing cruelty.

The continuation of coursingputs even more pressure onour beleaguered hare popula-tion, which continues to beidentified as a species underthreat.

In its submission to theConvention on BiologicalDiversity last May, the NationalParks & Wildlife Service stated

that the Irish Hare is "experi-encing pressure from loss ofsuitable habitat and huntingand consequently its status isconsidered poor".

Last season, as in every otherseason of coursing, hares wereterrorised, stressed, injuredand killed, as revealed in mon-itoring reports obtained from

the National Parks underFreedom of Information.For example, in Gorey, Co.

Wexford last October, 12 hareswere hit, 7 badly, with threedeaths. Two days after cours-ing, the ranger discoveredthree more hares dead frominjuries; in Ardpatrick &Kilfinane last December, 16

hares were hit, 5 injured, 3killed and another dead harewas found afterwards; 1 haresuffering from a dislocated hipwas put down.

At Tralee last December, 7hares were hit, 1 put down, anda further 4 found dead after-wards; a ranger described amauled hare with "marks on itsback and bare areas", while avet noted the cause of a haredeath as "knocks sustainedduring coursing the previousday".

Another ranger noted that themuzzle came off a greyhoundwhich caught a hare in itsmouth and ran up the coursingfield with the "hare hanginglimp", while a hare with a dam-aged leg was noted at Fermoy.

In addition, licence conditionswere routinely flouted or notproperly adhered to with some

clubs netting hares without thepermission of the landowner,taking sick hares from the wildand hares not being releasedon time after meetings and not

ACTION ALERTUrge Minister JohnGormley to stop licensingcoursing. Send a copy ofyour correspondence to

all of your TDs andencourage them to back aban on the blood sport.

Minister John GormleyDepartment of the

Environment, CustomHouse, Dublin 1.Email: minister@

environ.ieCC taoiseach@

taoiseach.gov.ie - AnTaoiseach, Brian Cowen

Tel: 01 888 2403.Fax: 01 878 8640.

Minister Gormley: Urged tostop licensing coursing.

returned to their original habi-tat, as stipulated in the condi-tions.

One club even kept hares fora further 6 weeks after a cours-ing meeting in Donegal inNovember '09 for use at theirnext meeting last January.

Minister John Gormley has

made history with the outlaw-ing of the Ward Union carteddeer hunt and he is to be right-ly commended for this bravestand.

We appeal to him to now fol-low the example of NorthernIreland and the UK mainlandand urgently bring this bar-barism to an end.

Watch our Ban Hare Coursingin Ireland campaign video atwww.youtube.com/icabs



CLERGY & COURSINAsk Catholic Church authorities to act nowTHE IRISH Council Against

Blood Sports has made a for-mal complaint to theCatholic Church after learn-ing that a priest is chairmanof a coursing developmentcommittee that "has beenbusy organising the IrishCoursing Club Stand [at thePloughing Championshipsfestival]".

According to the SportingPress, the Irish CoursingClub's newspaper, "theCoursing Development GroupCommittee, under theChairmanship of Fr Dan Dunne[of Ballyadams Parish, Co.Laois], has been busy organis-ing the ICC Stand and theylook forward to welcomingthousands into their marqueeover the three days."

"It is utterly shameful that aCatholic priest should be pro-moting and developing a bar-

baric activity which has no

place in a civilised society andshould be long since banned,"said Aideen Yourell,Spokesperson for the IrishCouncil Against Blood Sports."Not only that, he is in directcontravention of the Catechismof the Catholic Church whichclearly states that 'it is contraryto human dignity to cause ani-mals to suffer and die need-lessly.'"

Hares do indeed suffer anddie as documents obtained byICABS under the Freedom ofInformation Act show. Reportsfor the last season 2009/10reveal that in Gorey, 12 hareswere hit, 7 badly, with threedeaths. Two days after cours-ing, the ranger discoveredthree more hares dead frominjuries.

In Ardpatrick & Kilfinane lastDecember, 16 hares were hit, 5

injured, 3 killed and another

dead hare was found after-wards; 1 hare suffering from adislocated hip was put down.

At Tralee last December, 7hares were hit, 1 put down, anda further 4 found dead after-wards; a ranger described amauled hare with "marks on itsback and bare areas", while avet noted the cause of a hare

death as "knocks sustainedduring coursing the previousday".

Another ranger noted that themuzzle came off a greyhoundwhich caught a hare in itsmouth and ran up the coursingfield with the "hare hanginglimp" while a hare with a dam-aged leg was noted at Fermoy.

ACTION ALERTSend a letter of complaintto the Church authorities.

Mgr. Brendan ByrneDiocesan AdministratorBishop's House, CarlowEmail: brendan.byrne@

kandle.ie

Tel +353 (0)59 9176725Send a copy of your corre-

spondence to the IrishCatholic Bishops' Conference

Columba CentreMaynooth, Co Kildare

Tel: +353 (0)1 505 3000Email: columbacentre@

iecon.ie

Make a complaint directly to

Rev. Dan Dunne PPTullamoy, Stradbally, Laois.Email: danielgdunne@

mymeteor.ieTel: +353 (0)59-8627123A hare being chased at a coursing event. Fr Dan Dunne is

chairman of a committee promoting this cruel activity.



ACTION ALERTPlease join us in urgingEnda Kenny to ModerniseFine Gael’s Animal Wel-fare Policies.

Enda Kenny, TDDail Eireann, LeinsterHouse, Kildare Street,

Dublin 2Email: enda.kenny@

finegael.ieCC: [email protected]: 00353 (0)1 618 3105Please contact your local

TDs and urge them to backa ban on all blood sports.

Write to them at DailEireann, Dublin 2.

THE IRISH Council AgainstBlood Sports is urging theFine Gael party to moderniseits animal welfare policies.

The call comes after aspokesperson stated that theparty "supports country sports"and will "oppose any move byGovernment to deny groups

the right to continue to pursuethese activities".

The party has been criticisedfor also continuing to insist thatif it gets into government afterthe next election, it will try toreverse the ban on the WardUnion hunt.

In a letter of complaint to FineGael leader, Enda Kenny,ICABS slammed the party'sstance on animal cruelty activi-ties.

We stated: "We wish to con-vey to you our disbelief that amodern party like Fine Gael iscontinuing to side with the mer-

ciless minority who take pleas-ure in abusing animals andsubjecting them to the mosthorrendous cruelty.

"This stance reflects verypoorly on Fine Gael," weadded. "We hope that yourparty can modernise its animalwelfare policies and bring themin line with the overwhelmingview in Ireland that animal cru-elty is wrong and should belegislated against."

ICABS HAS asked theMinister for Agriculture,Brendan Smith, to stop hisDepartment's sponsorship ofa squirrel killing contest.

According to a report in theIrish Times, the forestry serviceof the Department sponsored aEuro6,500 fund in 2009 whichsaw shooting clubs beingawarded cash prizes for blast-ing "alien" grey squirrels todeath.

Clubs in Meath killed 214squirrels and were awardedEuro1,600 while shooters inMonaghan won Euro1,100 fortheir tally of 196.

"We implore you to stop using

taxpayers' money to incentivisewildlife destruction," ICABSsaid in an appeal to theMinister. "Please do not to giveany further funds to shooters."

Department urged to scrapsquirrel shoot sponsorship

Ask Fine Gael to moderniseits animal welfare policies

Fine Gael’s Enda Kenny:Urged to change his party’soutdated animal policies

ACTION ALERTAsk the Minister to "Stopusing taxpayers' moneyto fund squirrel killingcompetitions"

Minister Brendan SmithDepartment of Agriculture

Agriculture House,Kildare Street, Dublin 2.

[email protected]: 01-607 2000 or

LoCall 1890-200510.



ACTION ALERTPlease join us in callingon Minister John Gormleyto urgently introduce aban on Larsen traps.

Minister John GormleyDepartment of the

EnvironmentCustom House, Dublin 1.Email [email protected][with a copy to taoiseach@

taoiseach.gov.ie ]Tel: 01 888 2403.Fax: 01 878 8640.

HELP US GET CRUEL

BIRD TRAPS BANNE

"Phil Wilson, chief superintendent of the RSPCA's prosecutiondepartment, said: 'It is the RSPCA's view that these [Larsen] trapsare inherently cruel.' He added: 'There is no evidence that mag-pies have a significant effect on the songbird population.'"(From Larsen trapper convicted of cruelty to magpie)

"I consider the Larsen trap to be rather inhumane. I know inDenmark where the trap was developed it is banned for this rea-son but it is legal in the UK. I have been watching a magpie in atrap (food and water provided) for 4 days now and it appears dis-tressed with a lot of repetitive actions."(Comment posted on a UK bird club forum)

"The wild 'decoy bird', its most vital instincts frustrated andabused by confinement, suffers a most terrible fate."(From the website of Against Corvid Traps)

"I have found many larsen traps with dead decoy birds whichappeared to have died from starvation."(From an Irish eye-witness)

"Magpies are incredibly intelligent and beautiful birds. Have youever seen a live magpie used in a Larsen Trap. It was one of themost horrible things I have ever seen. This intelligent bird wastotally demented (I let it out)."(From online discussion about Larsen traps)

The cruelty of Larsen traps

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ICABS HAS launched a cam-paign aimed at securing aban on Larsen traps. Thesecruel traps are used to catchmagpies and other birds.

Designed in Denmark in the1950s, they are now bannedthere due to the suffering

caused. They use a perma-nently trapped bird to lure inother birds. The unsuspectingvictims fly down on to the trap,fall through a collapsing floorand find themselves trappedtoo.

Before being brutally killed,they will be overcome with thefear and stress of confinement.

Some will suffer thirst, hungerand starvation while others willsustain broken beaks and cutheads from futile attempts tosmash their way to freedom.

When magpie parents arecaught, their orphaned chickswill starve to death in nests.



Thank Green Party forstaghunt ban success

Thank all TDs who voted for ban

ICABS APPLAUDS MinisterJohn Gormley and his col-leagues in the Green Partyfor the success of the WildlifeAmendment Bill 2010.

This historic piece of legisla-tion bans the cruel Ward Unionhunt. It was introduced byMinister Gormley and he and

his fellow Green Party TDsworked hard to ensure that itsecured majority support in DailEireann for the crucial vote inJune 2010.

We applaud the courage ofthe Greens in pushing thisimportant legislation throughthe Oireachtas in the face ofhostility from all sides of the

house.

ACTION ALERTPlease send a message ofthanks and congratula-tions to Minister JohnGormley and all the GreenParty TDs and Senators.The email addresses are:[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];mark@lout

hgreenparty.org;[email protected]

Alternatively write to theGreen Party TDs/Senatorsat Dail Eireann or SeanadEireann, Kildare St, Dublin2. Thank you.

Send a copy of your letterto the Green Party's HeadOffice.

The Green Party: 16/17Suffolk Street, Dublin 2Tel: +353 (0)1 6790012,

Email: [email protected]

PLEASE ALSO send a messageof thanks to your TDs whovoted in favour of the ban. IfTDs in your constituency votedagainst the ban, please lodge acomplaint with them now.Contact them at Dail Eireann,Kildare Street, Dublin 2.

TDs who voted in favour of thestaghunt ban: Bertie Ahern,Dermot Ahern, Michael Ahern,Noel Ahern, Barry Andrews, ChrisAndrews, Bobby Aylward, NiallBlaney, Aine Brady, CyprianBrady, Johnny Brady, JohnBrowne, Thomas Byrne, DaraCalleary, Pat Carey, Niall Collins,Margaret Conlon, Mary Coughlan,Brian Cowen, John Cregan,Ciarán Cuffe, John Curran, NoelDempsey, Jimmy Devins, TimmyDooley, Frank Fahey, MichaelFinneran, Michael Fitzpatrick,Sean Fleming, Beverley Flynn,

Paul Gogarty, John Gormley, NoelGrealish, Mary Harney, SeanHaughey, Maire Hoctor, BillyKelleher, Peter Kelly, BrendanKenneally, Michael Kennedy, TonyKilleen, Michael Kitt, Tom Kitt,Conor Lenihan, Martin Mansergh,

Jim McDaid, Tom McEllistrim,Finian McGrath, MichaelMcGrath, John McGuinness, JohnMoloney, Michael Moynihan,Michael Mulcahy, M J Nolan,Eamon O Cuív, Sean O Fearghail,Darragh O'Brien, CharlieO'Connor, Willie O'Dea, NoelO'Flynn, Batt O'Keeffe, NedO'Keeffe, Mary O'Rourke, ChristyO'Sullivan, Maureen O'Sullivan,

Peter Power, Seán Power, DickRoche, Eamon Ryan, TrevorSargent, Eamon Scanlon,Brendan Smith, Mary Wallace,Mary White, Michael Woods.

Thanks to John Gormley'sWildlife Amendment Bill, thecruel Ward Union hunt isnow banned. Please contactthe Green Party leader nowto express congratulations.



Complain to Labour for voting against hunt banDESPITE MANY LabourParty TDs previouslyexpressing their oppositionto blood sports, most of theparty's TDs voted AGAINST aban on the Ward Union hunt.

The Irish Council AgainstBlood Sports deplores theparty's decision to oppose thelegislation. On the eve of theDail Eireann vote, we remindedLabour Party TDs of their pre-viously stated anti-blood sportsviews

However, with the exceptionof Deputy Tommy Broughan(who abstained from voting)and former ICABS vice-chair-person, Michael D Higgins, TD

(who was absent from the Dailon medical grounds), all theother Labour TDs votedAGAINST the stag hunt ban.

They are: Joan Burton, SeanSherlock, Eamon Gilmore, PatRabbitte, Joe Costello,Brendan Howlin, Ciaran Lynch,

Kathleen Lynch, Liz McManus,Brian O'Shea, Jan O'Sullivan,Willie Penrose, Ruairi Quinn,Roisin Shortall, Emmet Stagg,Joanna Tuffy, Mary Upton andJack Wall.

ACTION ALERTPlease express your dis-appointment to theLabour Party TDs whovoted against the ban.Write to them at DailEireann, Kildare Street,Dublin 2. Send a copy ofyour correspondence tothe party's head office.Labour Party Head Office

17 Ely Place, Dublin 2.Tel: +353 1 6784700

To send an email to theTDs, click on Latest Newsat banbloodsports.comand scroll down to "LabourParty criticised for votingagainst staghunt ban" forthe link.

B A N N E D N o t h a n k s t o L a b o u r

A hunter holds down an exhausted deer at the end of aWard Union hunt. This cruel hunt has now been banned

SEVERAL OF the Labour PartyTDs who voted against the banon the cruel Ward Union deerhunt, previously expressedopposition to blood sports.They include party leader,Eamon Gilmore, TD who is onrecord as saying "I am opposedto...stag hunting."

The others who went againstpreviously stated views are:

Joe Costello , TD: "I amopposed to all blood sports."(Speaking as a Senator in 2000).

Liz McManus, TD: "I support aban on...carted deer hunting."

Jan O'Sullivan, TD: "I will allowyou to add my name on to the listof T.D.'s who do not supportbloodsports"

Emmet Stagg: "The LabourParty commits itself to working...tobring about an end to hare cours-ing and other so-called fieldsports." (1993)

Pat Rabbitte, TD: "I do not sup-port bloodsports"

Ruairi Quinn, TD: "Personally, Iam against the hunting of live ani-mals with dogs i.e. fox hunting,live hare coursing and carted deerhunting."

The Labour Party's U-turn TDs



Disappointment at latest NPWScoursing recommendation

ICABS HAS expressed dis-appointment to the NationalParks and Wildlife Serviceover their latest recommen-dation to issue a licence tohare coursers to net thou-sands of hares.

In a letter to the NPWSSpecies Protection Unit, wereminded them of a reportfrom earlier this year in whichthey reiterated that the con-servation status of the IrishHare is poor.

Stressing that the NPWS isentrusted to conserve thehare species, we pointed tothe body's submission to theConvention on Biological

Diversity in May in which theyonce again confirmed that thestatus of the hare is poor andthat one of the contributingfactors is hunting activities.

Also flagged was a state-ment in a NPWS documentwhich casts uncertainty overthe "reproductive viability ofhares post-coursing and theimpact on local populationdemographics of hareremoval and return".

This acknowledgmentshould itself prompt theNPWS to block the exploita-tion of the species instead ofcontinually recommending itscontinuance.

"Given the current poor con-servation status of the hareand the negative impact thatcoursing is known to have onthe species, it is highly sur-

ACTION ALERTPlease join us in askingthe NPWS Species Pro-tection Unit to explainwhy it has recommendedthe licensing of a bloodsport that causes mas-sive interference to theIrish Hare species andwhich results in stress,injury and death to hares.

Dr Ciaran O'KeeffeDirector, NPWS SpeciesProtection Unit, NPWS,7 Ely Place, Dublin 2.

Tel: +353-1-8882000

Email: ciaran.o'[email protected]

CC: [email protected],

[email protected]

Species protection unit challenged on pro-coursing stanceBy recommending the licens-

ing of this blood sport, theNPWS is clearly not fulfillingits role of conserving thespecies.

Instead of backing the con-tinuation of coursing, theNPWS should be proactivelyworking to eliminate allthreats to the hare to max-imise the future health of thespecies.

In our correspondence tothe NPWS, ICABS enquired ifthey took into account thebreaches of the 2009/10coursing licence before rec-ommending another licencefor 2010/11. We are currently

awaiting a reply.

Another victim of coursing. Whydoes the NPWS recommendlicences for this cruelty?

prising that the NPWS contin-ues to facilitate thisdeplorable activity which isnow illegal in all our neigh-bouring jurisdictions," we stat-ed.

The National Parks andWildlife Service is chargedwith the conservation of thehare species. Crucially, theWildlife Act defines conserva-tion as including "measures tomaintain or enhance orrestore the quality, value ordiversity of species..."

There is no doubt that rec-ommending a licence forremoving thousands of haresfrom their habitats, transport-

ing them in crates, keepingthem in confinement forweeks and months, forcingthem to run for their lives infront of muzzled greyhounds,corralling them in coursingenclosures and the handingof them by humans is theantithesis of conservation.



Complaint against Coast'share coursing content

THE IRISH Council AgainstBlood Sports has com-plained to the BBC about arecent edition of its Coastprogramme (Series 5,episode 5) in which coursingwas portrayed in a positivelight.

In our letter of complaint, wechallenged the bizarre notion

presented on the programmethat coursing is somehow ben-eficial to hares.

Referring to the capture ofhares from Oyster Island inSligo for use in coursing, pre-senter Miranda Krestovnikoffstated that "I'm not comfortablewith the idea that hares shouldbe managed for sport" but then

added that "here, there may bea positive side to it.""To suggest that hares on an

isolated, non-inhabited islandcould somehow benefit frombeing violently netted, thrownin crates, removed from theirnatural habitat, brought to themainland, kept in captivity forweeks/months, trained to run

up a coursing field and eventu-ally forced to run for their livesin front of greyhounds is utterlylaughable," ICABS stated inour correspondence to theBBC.

We also challenged a state-ment made on the programmeby Dr Neil Reid who comment-ed that coursing is "quite popu-

lar" in Ireland.ICABS emphasised thatcoursing is certainly not popu-lar in Ireland and that it is verymuch a minority activity. We

highlighted that successiveopinion polls have shown thata majority of Irish people wantthe blood sport outlawed.

The injury and death causedto hares was glossed over inCoast in favour of presenting

the activity in a positive light.The impression given was

that hares happily continuewith their lives after release.However, the reality is that thecoursing ordeal compromisesthe hare's chances of survival.

The creatures are at risk ofdying weeks and months after-wards and indeed dead hareshave been found post-release.

The subsequent survival ofhares is an issue the NationalParks and Wildlife Service hasacknowledged. In one of theirreports, they question the"reproductive viability of harespost-coursing and the impacton local population demo-graphics of hare removal andreturn".

ICABS is very disappointed atthe Coast programme forchoosing to portray a cruel

blood sport in a positive light.We have told them that this isoffensive to the majority of Irishpeople who support our cam-paign to get this disgustingactivity outlawed. We havecalled on them to address ourpoints as part of any re-broad-cast of this edition of the pro-gramme.

ACTION ALERTJoin us in our appeal tothe BBC to exclude thepositive portrayal of harecoursing from future air-ings of Coast. Urge them

to avoid featuring animalcruelty activities onupcoming programmes.

BBC Complaints, PO Box1922, Darlington,

DL3 0UR, UK

Email your letter from:BBC Website

https://www.bbc.co.uk/ complaints/forms/

See more informationabout the programme at

www.bbc.co.uk/pro-grammes/b00tfv4z

BBC's Coast claims that there "may be apositive side" to violently netting hareslike this and using them as live lures infront of coursing greyhounds.



Clonmel Chamber asked toStop Promoting Coursing

THE IRISH Council AgainstBlood Sports has called onClonmel Chamber ofCommerce to stop promot-ing the blood sport of harecoursing. On its website andin a Discover Clonmelbrochure, the chamberdescribes the local crueltyfestival as "a colourful and

unique sporting occasion".In an email to Clonmel

Chamber of Commerce CEO,Brian Cleary, and President,Tina Mulhearne, ICABS stated:"We wish to express our dis-

belief and disappointment thatClonmel Chamber of Comm-erce deems it appropriate topresent the cruel blood sport ofhare coursing as a visitorattraction. On your website,coursing is described as a'sport'. Photographs showgreyhounds running but thereis no sign of the frightenedhares running for their lives."

The Discover Clonmelbrochure features two pagesabout hare coursing and a list-ing for a planned coursingmeeting in 2011.

Earlier this year, MsMulhearne welcomed coursersto the town. In a statement, itwas noted that she "sent thebest wishes of the organisationto the National CoursingFestival that celebrates its 85thyear in Clonmel next week".

"From a business perspectivethe festival is a much wel-comed boost to the town," shesaid, adding that "the influx of

visitors to the town adds to theoverall atmosphere."

ICABS criticised theChamber's attitude to thisblood sport, saying "coursing isan activity Clonmel Chambershould be shunning, notembracing." We pointed to themajority opposition to coursingin Ireland and highlighted thatcoursing is illegal in neighbour-ing jurisdictions.

"It is very saddening indeedthat Clonmel Chamber ofCommerce puts cash beforecompassion and is happy tosee money being generated forthe town from animal cruelty,"we said.

Some of the victims of cours-ing brought to the attention ofClonmel Chamber are: a hare

suffering with "a badly brokenhind leg", a hare with "a dam-aged hind toe", a coursed harewith a "badly broken hind leg[which] seemed to be in great

distress" and a hare in agony ina coursing enclosure with itsleg "almost completely brokenoff".

We have invited ClonmelChamber to view our campaignvideo at youtube.com/icabsand also our image gallery atflickr.com/photos/icabs

A pro-coursing press release issued by Clonmel Chamber

ACTION ALERTUrge Clonmel Chamber ofCommerce to stop publi-cising cruel coursing onits website and in its mar-keting material.

Brian Cleary, CEOTina Mulhearne, President

Clonmel Chamber ofCommerce

8 Sarsfield Street,Clonmel, Tipperary

Tel: 052 61 26500.Email: [email protected]

[email protected]



IFA asked to clarify itsstance on bloodsports

MILK GROUP'S PRO-HUNTPOSITION IS CRITICISED

ACTION ALERTAsk the IFA to clarify itsposition on blood sports.Point out that you are oneof the majority of Irish cit-izens opposed to animalcruelty. List the goodsyou purchase which areproduced on Irish farms.

Mr John BryanPresident, The Irish

Farmers Association,Irish Farm Centre,

Bluebell, Dublin 12.Email: president@

ifa.ie;[email protected]

THE PRESIDENT of the IrishFarmers Association hasbeen urged to clarify itsstance on blood sports. Thecall comes following a claimthat the IFA's Vice Presidenthas "given his organisa-tion's support" to a pro-blood sports campaign.

In a 9th April 2010 statementheaded "Pro-hunting campaignwelcomes farming support",the Rise group claimed that"Vice President of the IrishFarmers' Association, EddieDowney, has given his organi-sation's support to the cam-paign. Mr Downey said thecampaign to defend hunting

and other traditional ruralsports was an integral part ofthe wider battle to defend ruralIreland on issues like cutbacksin farmers' REPS paymentsand restrictions on turf cutting."

In a letter to the IFAPresident, ICABS highlightedthe appalling cruelty involved inblood sports and the fact that amajority of Irish people areopposed to these activities.

"It is highly inappropriate forthe national farming organisa-tion (which depends on thisvery majority to purchase itsmembers' produce) to come

out in support of animal cruel-ty," we stated. "Surely the

defence of any form of huntingis not official IFA policy. As youare no doubt aware, the major-ity of farmers want nothing todo with hunts due to fearsabout disease spread, the dis-turbance of farm animals anddamage to pastures and fieldboundaries."

Quoted in the Irish Times ofMay 4, 2010, a spokesman forthe IFA denied that they havelinks with the Rise group."They are a separate organisa-tion," he said. "The IFA is avery separate organisation."

In the same article, Socialist

MEP Joe Higgins called on theIFA and the ICMSA to "careful-ly consider" whether they sup-ported the hunt because farm-ing organisations depended on"millions of us buying their pro-duce".

ICABS HAS expressed disgustto the Irish Creamery and MilkSuppliers Association after its

president referred to carteddeerhunting as a "humanecountry activity".

Jackie Cahill also claimed thatthe ban on the Ward Union is"unwanted, uncalled for, unfairand unprecedented in terms ofthe bias it represents against tra-ditional country pursuits".

An IFA statement in April out-

lined that "the president of thecountry's second largest farmers'organisation has given his asso-ciation's full support to the RISE[pro-blood sports] campaign

against the Wildlife (Amendment)Bill 2010", adding that "it is simplynot acceptable to have perfectly

legitimate pastimes banned."In a letter to the ICMSA presi-

dent and General Secretary,ICABS highlighted the sufferingcaused to animals by bloodsports groups.

Action Alert: Contact ICMSA

Jackie Cahill, PresidentCiaran Dolan, General Secretary

ICMSA Head Office

John Feely HouseDublin Road, Limerick

Tel: +353 (0)61 314532Fax: +353 (0)61 315737

Email: [email protected]

Vice President expressed support for pro-hunt campaign



DURING A DAIL debate onthe Wildlife Amendment Bill,Westmeath TD MaryO'Rourke asked "What couldpossibly be wrong with hunt-ing?"

ICABS has written to DeputyO'Rourke to remind her howhunting is cruel from beginningto end - from the moment foxesare chased out of their habitatsto the point when they areknocked off their feet and dis-embowelled.

In our letter to the Fianna FailTD, we highlighted that amajority in Ireland are compas-sionate, decent people whoabhor cruelty to animals. Wepointed out exactly what'swrong with hunting:

"Subjecting a frightened fox tothe ordeal of being chased forhours by a pack of hounds is

wrong. Digging foxes out of theground and sending viciousterriers after them when theytry to find shelter is wrong. Alsowrong is pursuing foxes toexhaustion and relishing thesight of the terrorised animalsbeing knocked off their feet and

bitten and disembowelled."Deputy O'Rourke voted in

favour of the passed WildlifeAmendment Bill to banstaghunting but she declared inthe Dail that she would "notentertain...any further inroadsinto rural pursuits".

ICABS has asked her torecognise the cruelty of allhunting and to push for banson foxhunting, hare hunting,hare coursing and mink hunt-ing.

"We will not entertain it andwe will not have it," she said. "I

want to know exactly whatcould possibly be wrong withfishing, hunting or with the gun

clubs whose members haveapproached me...the Ministerwill have to give a guaranteeon the floor of the House thatthis Bill and the Bill to be takennext week...will be the end ofhis ramblings in rural Ireland."

ICABS has renewed its appealto the Clonmel ParkConference, Leisure & SpaHotel in County Tipperary tostop publicising hare cours-ing. On its website, the hotelpresents the local coursingcruelty festival as a "sportingevent".

The hotel has previously been

urged to disassociate fromcoursing. In an advert placed inthe events booklet for the 2008coursing finals, the hotel extend-ed a "welcome to all visitors to

the national coursing meeting".The advert also highlighted thatthe hotel is "just 5 minutes drivefrom the coursing grounds" andthat a coursing video was to beshown nightly at the hotel.

ACTION ALERT : Appeal to thehotel to stop publicising coursingon its website. Clonmel ParkConference, Leisure & SpaHotel, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary.

Tel: +353 52 6188700. Email:[email protected]

STOP PUBLICISING COURSING:Renewed appeal to Clonmel Park Hotel

ACTION ALERTPlease join us in urgingDeputy O'Rourke to sup-port efforts to ban thecruel blood sports of fox-hunting, hare coursing,hare hunting and minkhunting.

Mary O'Rourke, TDDail Eireann, LeinsterHouse, Kildare Street,

Dublin 2Email: mary.orourke@

oireachtas.ieTel: 01-618 3860 or

090 -64-72313

"WHAT COULD POSSIBLY BWRONG WITH HUNTING?ICABS replies to Mary O'Rourke, TD



Ask Wildlife Service toremove hunting links

THE NATIONAL Parks andWildlife Service has beenasked by ICABS to removelinks to hunting licenceforms from the homepage ofits website www.npws.ie

The links are to applicationforms for "Hunting Fauna inState-Owned Foreshore" and

"Capture/Kill Protected WildAnimals for Educational orScientific Purposes".

In our correspondence to thebody, we commented that thelinks act as an advert for hunt-ing and killing and possibly asan encouragement to apply.

"Given that the NPWS's pri-

mary role is to conserve wildlifeand to engender in the public arespect for fauna, we believe itis inappropriate for links relat-ing to the hunting, capturingand killing of animals to be onpermanent, prominent displayon the front page of your site,"we stated.

ACTION ALERTAsk the NPWS to stopprominently presentinglinks to hunting forms onits homepage.

National Parks & WildlifeService, 7 Ely Place,

Dublin 2Email: natureconservation

@environ.ie(Copy your message toMinister John Gormley -

[email protected])Tel: 01-8882000.

Hunters can apply to the NPWS for 5-year licences to kill foxesand other creatures over state foreshores and inland waters

ACCORDING to a Daily Mailnewspaper report, theEuropean Union spends £37million a year subsidising thebullfighting industry.

Since the subsidy scheme wasintroduced in 2005, it has report-edly spent £185 million support-ing blood fiestas and bullfighting.By the end of 2010, the total isexpected to jump to nearly a

quarter of a billion.Who's paying for all this?

European taxpayers, includingthe majority who are opposed tobullfighting barbarity.

The EU ploughs tens of mil-lions of pounds into the townsthat host animal cruelty specta-cles and has even funded therenovation of bullrings, the Mailreport reveals.

Some MEPs are now cam-paigning to have bullfightingofficially recognised as part ofEurope’s cultural heritage.

Please join international effortsto ask the European Parliamentto reject attempts to classify cru-elty as culture. Get in touch withall Irish MEPs now and ask themto work to bring to an end thesubsidisation of bullfighting andblood fiestas.The email addresses for all ofIreland's MEPs are as follows:[email protected]

opa.eu,[email protected],[email protected],[email protected],[email protected],[email protected],[email protected],[email protected],[email protected],[email protected],[email protected],[email protected]. Visit tinyurl.com/ 26cvlnv for more info on MEPs.

Read the Daily Mail article at http://tinyurl.com/3556hdd

Urge MEPs to stopbull abuse subsidies



I am opposed to blood sports and agree with the aims of the Irish CouncilAgainst Blood Sports. I wish to become a supporter or renew my support*

I enclose cheque or postal order for my annual subscriptionfor the sum of ......... and a donation of ......... (optional).

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Help make a difference! Become a supporter today!

The Irish Council Against Blood Sports is campaigning for an end tofoxhunting, hare coursing, hare hunting, mink hunting andall forms of hunting animals with packs of hounds.

We need your support now more than ever.

Become a supporter of our campaign or renew your support andtogether we can continue working for an end to blood sports.

Please return the completed form to us today. Thank you.

Kindly return to ICABS, PO Box 88, Mullingar, Co Westmeath, Ireland.For copies of this form, click on “Join ICABS” at www.banbloodsports.com

Subscription Rates: Family (20 Euro), Individual (15 Euro) Unwaged (8 Euro)

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animal voice action alerts 2010

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