Stag Hunters caught Redhanded

international | animal rights | press release Friday February 22, 2013 03:22 by Ban Bloodsports in Ireland

Horrific stag hunting incident...

Terrified stag chased into River Boyne in broad daylight as recovery team and volunteers search for drowning victim. Incident witnessed by dozens of people.

Time to end bloodsports

On Tuesday, 19th February eye-witnesses clearly saw a deer, pursued by hounds of the Ward Union hunt, jumping into the River Boyne on a stretch where a search and recovery operation (for the body of a man who tragically drowned) was in progress.

One of the eye-witnesses told Joe Duffy on RTE's Liveline that the stag floated down the river which was very swollen at the time and fast flowing, and that the dogs jumped into the river after the deer, which was desperately trying to escape the hunt. He added that members of the deceased man's family were deeply upset at the intrusion by the hunt, and he opined that the Ward Union hunt would have known the search was taking place there. "They have no respect for anybody," he said.

Carted stag hunting was banned in 2010 by the Fianna Fail/Green government. Yet rumours have abounded for months that the activity continues on a small scale in parts of Meath and North County Dublin.

Animal protection groups have already called on both the Gardai and National Parks & Wildlife Service to investigate Tuesday’s disturbing incident under the Wildlife Amendment Act 2010. The Act clearly states that "a person who hunts deer with two or more dogs shall be guilty of an offence."

Aside from this, TDs and Senators should support 1) a serious clampdown by the NPSW on any illegal stag hunting and 2) the removal of the so-called “exemptions” that the government seems determined to have included in the Animal Health and Welfare Bill for the equally cruel practices of hare coursing and fox hunting.

To exempt these practices, banned in so many other jurisdictions under legislation that the government pledged would “update animal protection” would place Ireland behind even many developing countries that have outlawed such cruelties.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=...hwcQ#!

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