An Irish Council Against Blood Sports Newsletter. December 2009
For more campaign news, updates and action alerts, please visit our websites:www.banbloodsports.com,www.youtube.com/icabs,www.myspace.com/banbloodsports,
www.bebo.com/banbloodsports,www.twitter.com/banbloodsports
Please join the rally for animals this Sunday December 6
th
Animal Rights Action Network is organising a peaceful rally for Dublin on Sunday, December 6th 2009 (1.30 pm sharp). Many of Ireland's animal welfare groups will be represented at theevent, including ICABS. Please make a special effort to attend the rally and voice your opposition to animal cruelty.Date:
Sunday, December 6th 2009
Time:
1.30pm Sharp
Place:
Garden of Remembrance, O'Connell Street, Dublin (Top of O'Connell Street on left hand side)
Contact:
John Carmody or Christina Lynch 087-2391646
More info:
Watch the rally's promotional video at
01. John Gormley to extend coursing season into March 2010
ICABS is dismayed to learn that Green Party leader and Environment Minister, John Gormley,has agreed to a coursing licence extension which will allow coursers to continue terrorisinghares into the month of March 2010. This is the third year in a row that Minister Gormley hasagreed to the coursers' request for an extension.
The details are revealed in a document obtained following a Freedom of Information request byICABS. A letter signed by Gerry Leckey - the Assistant Director of the NPWS Species "Protection"Unit - states that "it is recommended that licences issue to the Irish Coursing Club under the WildlifeActs to mark hares, capture hares and undertake coursing outside the Open Season Order on 1March 2010. The licence will cover all clubs affiliated to the Irish Coursing Club."Subsequently, in a letter from the Assistant Director to the CEO of the Irish Coursing Club, it isstated: "In relation to your application for a licence under Section 26(3) of the Wildlife Act, 1976 toundertake coursing outside the Open Season Order, the Minister has agreed to this extension for 1March 2010 to facilitate the holding of the Irish Cup meeting at Limerick. The appropriate licence willissue to you in 2010."In a letter of appeal to Minister Gormley, ICABS has called for the current licence to be revoked, theextension to be withheld and for permanent protection to be put in place for the Irish Hare.
ACTION ALERT :Please email "SAVE THE HARES - Revoke the coursing licence and refuse an extension" toMinister Gormley.
Minister John GormleyDepartment of the Environment, Heritage and Local GovernmentCustom House, Dublin 1.Tel: 01 888 2403. Fax: 01 878 8640.Email: johngormleyoffice@gmail.comCopy to: info@greenparty.ie; eamon.ryan@oireachtas.ie; tsargent@greenparty.ie;ciaran@ciarancuffe.com; marywhitetd@gmail.com; pgogarty@oireachtas.ie; dboyle@oireachtas.ie;deirdre.deburca@oireachtas.ieSAMPLE LETTER(Please compose your own personal letter or send the following sample letter. Be assertive, butpolite, in all correspondence. Thank you.)Dear Minister GormleyI am one of the majority opposed to the cruel blood sport of hare coursing.I am very disappointed that as leader of the Green Party, you have not only issued another licencefor this animal cruelty but have agreed to allow the blood sport to continue into March 2010.As you are aware, 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 suffer agonisinglife-threatening injuries, including broken bones. The cruelty of coursing is clear to see atwww.youtube.com/watch?v=D58qbzC-GI4How can you possibly justify keeping this blood sport alive by licensing it? I strongly urge you toREVOKE the licence you issued to the coursers for the 2009-10 season, withhold the extension youhave promised and urgently put in place permanent protection for this most timid and treasured of species. I wish to remind you that it is contrary to Green Party principles to facilitate animal cruelty.Yours sincerely,[Your name and location]
02. Val Falvey producers asked to stop trivialising dogfighting
The producers of new comedy series, Val Falvey, have been asked by ICABS to stoptrivialising dogfighting. The call comes following the appearance of a dogfighter character inthe show's first episode. "Featuring scenes which portray a cruel and illegal activity in acomedy programme is inappropriate and in poor taste," we said in a letter to Grand Pictures.
The scenes in question show the dogfighter character emerging from a farm outbuilding where thebarking of dogs can be heard and actors portraying dogfight spectators can be seen cheering. Thedogfighter says of his dog - "I think she's a bit hyper, she's after doing two inside there" - to which theother character laughs and replies "Did she?"Conveying the appalling reality of dogfighting, ICABS told Grand Pictures about a court case someyears ago which resulted in the conviction of dogfighters. The Irish Independent reported at the timethat "the two pit bull terriers had lacerations to the face, ear, head, neck and forelimbs...Such was the
ferocity of the fight between the dogs that a ladder was needed to separate them..." The evidencewas so gruesome and upsetting that the judge excused the jury from service for 10 years."Trivialising this disgusting activity and presenting a dogfighting character as a jokey rogue-type isnot very humorous to those who are campaigning for dogfighting to be eradicated from Ireland," weadded. "Over the years, our organisation and other animal welfare groups have been trying toeducate the public about the cruelty of dogfighting and encouraging them to report information toGardai. Portraying dogfighters as anything but the sadistic, sick individuals that they are is not helpfulto our efforts to protect dogs from this blood sport."You can watch episode 1 of Val Falvey online athttp://www.rte.ie/player/#v=1060707[To see the "dogfight" scene, skip to the 15:15 mark]
A
CTION ALERT :Please join us in urging Grand Pictures to exclude animal cruelty themes from futureepisodes.
SAMPLE LETTER(Please compose your own personal letter or send the following sample letter. Be assertive, butpolite, in all correspondence. Thank you.)Paul DonovanProducer, Val FalveyGrand Pictures Ltd44 Fontenoy StreetDublin 7Email:info@grandpictures.ieTel: +353 1 860 2290Fax: +353 1 860 2096Dear Mr Donovan,I am writing to express my disappointment that the illegal blood "sport" of dogfighting was trivialisedin the first episode of Val Falvey. There is nothing funny about dogfighting - in reality, dogs suffer horrific injuries and the men involved are despicable thugs.It is regrettable that this cruel activity was portrayed in a light-hearted way and that one of your maincharacters is shown laughing as the dogfighter character tells of how his dog is "after doing twoinside there".I urge you to exclude animal cruelty themes from future episodes.Yours sincerely,[Name / Location]
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Animal Voice - December 2009
The December 2009 edition of Animal Voice, the Irish Council Against Blood Sports' campaign newsletter. Please respond to this month's action alerts and forward a copy to all your friends. Thank you.
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