Decision time on hare coursing
It's decision time for hare coursing. This is the month when, traditionally, the Environment Minister decides whether or not to allow another season of this legalised cruelty.
His decision will relate specifically to the granting of a licence to the country's coursing clubs allowing them to capture hares for use as live bait in coursing.
If, as in previous years, the Department of the Environment opts to authorise the hare-netting, coursing events will again be staged nationwide from the end of September.
At these, the hares will be forced to run from greyhounds in large wired enclosures, to escape through a narrow hatch . . . or be mauled, injured, killed, or tossed about like broken dolls.
All for the purpose of fun and gambling.
Many of the targeted hares will never see coursing day. They will die of injuries while being netted or in the course of the unnatural captivity to which these wild creatures are subjected.
If, however, the minister withholds the hare-netting licence, there can be no coursing. Without hares to course, the baiting events would have to be cancelled.
There are two factors that offer a glimmer of hope to the long-suffering hare. The first is the fact that Environment Minister John Gormley, is leader of a party pledged to banning hare coursing.
The second factor is the proven endangered status of the Irish hare.
The Green Party has spoken out forcefully about the plight of endangered polar bears on the melting polar ice floes. Fianna Fail didn't object to that, presumably because there are no polar bear baiting clubs here.
Can the Greens now find the courage to strike a blow for the endangered and terrorised hares of Ireland?
John Fitzgerald
(Campaign for the Abolition of Cruel Sports),
CALLAN, CO KILKENNY
