Hunters kill the spirit of christmas

dublin | animal rights | press release Wednesday December 17, 2008 00:12 by Bernie Wright - Association of Hunt Saboteurs berniew at esatclear dot ie po BOX 4734. D 1 087 2651720

Anti-Blood sports Demo with life-size Stag visual…and Open air Book Launch outside the Office of the Taoiseach!

Anti-Blood sports Demo with life-size Stag visual…and Open air Book Launch outside the Office of the Taoiseach!

The AOHS is protesting outside the office of the Taoiseach Mr. Brian Cowen on Friday…. The purpose of the demo is to remind the Fianna Fail-Green government that the horrific so-called “sports” of hare coursing, carted stag hunting, and fox hunting will continue over the Christmas Season, making an absolute mockery of the “season of peace and goodwill”

FRIDAY 19thDecember, 1pm until 2pm at Upper Merrion Street. Dublin.2( the back of the Dail.)
The protest venue was chosen because the Taoiseach is a known fervent supporter of live hare coursing and other blood sports. We believe this sends out a very disturbing message, namely that cruelty to animals is OK!

The AOHS also strongly condemn the continuance of the Ward Union Staghunt Club. This hunt operates twice a week from OCT/MAR using DOMESTIC FARMED deer as their quarry. The hunt is Licensed under an exemption in the WILDLIFE ACT 1976.
This ‘WILDLIFE ACT’ contains a loophole which appears to allow DOMESTIC DEER to be hunted. ‘DEER’ is the term used in the ACT that legally allows this to occur -(as opposed to Wild Deer or farmed Deer specifically) Legal opinion has advised us that the Ward Union hunt is both “illegal” under the 1911 Protection of Animals Act which protects farmed or domestic animals,(and because of the use of ‘FARMED DEER’) it should NOT be licensed under the Wildlife Act.

“A wild animal’ is defined in the 2000 Wildlife Amendment Act – as “an individual of a population which primarily lives independent human husbandry”. On the Ward Union’s own admission, the deer hunted by them are captive animals entirely dependent on human husbandry. It is not good enough for the GREEN Minister for the Environment Mr. John Gormley to hide behind the incomprehensible advice of the Attorney General and grant these people a licence to hunt what in effect are domestic animals. Would he grant a similar licence to other nut cases who might decide they want to hunt similarly domesticated animals such as cows, pigs or sheep??.”Bernie Wright

DEATHS
Deaths occur during carted stag hunting. A deer has died of fractured ribs, two deer have died from ruptured aortic aneurisms. One deer drowned in a quarry and another deer dropped dead after desperately trying to escape over an 8ft wall. One Deer was choked on recapture and many have been caught in barbed wire in the course of trying to escape the hunters. Dragged along to the deer trailer and then returned to the farm to be picked out to be chased and terrified for another day’s fun for the Ward Union Hunt Club.

Book launch
Simultaneously, lifelong anti-blood sports campaigner John Fitzgerald is arranging the official launch of his book Bad Hare Days, which documents the ups and downs of his struggle against the barbaric organised cruelty that masquerades as fun and games on the baiting venues of Ireland. Published in London by Olympia Publishers, the 400-page book exposes both the cruel nature of hare coursing and the bullying tactics employed by its supporters over the decades…as well as recounting how powerful politicians have cozied up to the coursing clubs to ensure the continuance of their animal baiting activities. Bad Hare Days has already made its way into the top five of Olympia’s most popular books, is doing well on Amazon UK, and its author hopes it will also be widely read in Ireland.

Press officer
Bernie Wright
087 2651720
www.huntsabsireland.org