Latest bid to ban hare coursing in Ireland
A new bill was moved in the Dáil recently that aims to ban hare coursing in Ireland.
The Protection of Hares Bill moved in the Dáil by Social Democrat TD Jennifer Whitmore would, if successful, remove the ability of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to issue licenses for the capture of hares.
The Campaign for the Abolition of Cruel Sports (CACS) welcomes the introduction of this bill.
As matters stand, coursing clubs are allowed to net hares every year that are then set upon by dogs for sport and gambling. Though the Irish Hare is officially a protected species, a special exemption exists in the legislation that allegedly protects it, which facilitates the use of hares for coursing.
Apart from those hares that are mauled or killed outright in the game, thousands suffer high levels of stress and may succumb to ailments arising from their unnatural ordeal following release back into the wild.
A study recently published by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), though involving a relatively small number of hares, serves as a stark reminder of the suffering to which this creature is subjected.
The study involved 40 hares that were released and monitored over a six-month period. Half of these hares had been coursed, and half had not.
The study shows that only one of the 20 coursed hares was found alive at the end of the six-month test period, while eight of the non-coursed hares survived.
In moving the Bill, Deputy Whitmore recalled how she had seen a protest against hare coursing as a seven-year old child and was shocked to learn that this form of animal cruelty was commonplace in Ireland.
As her contribution to Biodiversity Week, she wished to highlight the scandal and horror of a practice that continues despite being banned almost worldwide.
The Campaign for the Abolition of Cruel Sports hope that other TDs and parties will support the Bill, and that a free vote will be permitted when it comes up for debate.
The most recent Red C poll showed that 78% of the population wants coursing banned, and a fifth of the submissions received by the Citizens Assembly on Biodiversity Loss called for its abolition. The link to the list of submissions can be found here.