The Wildlife Amendment Bill 2010 banned the Ward Union Deer Hunt this Tuesday, 29 June.
The Irish Council Against Bloodsports have worked tenaciously for years to achieve this important advance, supported by many campaigners, including Quaker Concern for Animals.
Please visit: www.banbloodsports.com
They write:
We very much welcome the passing of legislation in the Dail yesterday evening to outlaw the hounding of deer with a pack of dogs. The successful Wildlife Amendment Bill 2010 bans the Ward Union deerhunt which for 150 years has been terrorising tame red deer.
We applaud the courage of John Gormley and the Green Party in pushing this legislation through the Oireachtas in the face of hostility from all sides of the house.
While we are greatly relieved that this cruel deer hunt has been banned and that our long running campaign has been successful, our work continues to ensure that the ban remains permanent.
Shamefully, Fine Gael has pledged to repeal the ban and bring back this deplorable animal abuse should they get into government after the next election. They may have the support of the Labour Party; despite the fact that many of their TDs – including party leader, Eamon Gilmore – have down the years declared their opposition to blood sports, most voted against the deerhunt ban. Political expediency, it seems, has superseded their compassion for persecuted animals.
It is our fervent hope that compassion will prevail and that we will never see this hunt in action again.
ICABS thanks supporters for your tireless work in helping to ensure that the Ward Union ban became a reality. We also thank all the TDs who voted in favour of the ban.
With the Ward Union now banned, we turn more of our attention to the cruel blood sports of hare coursing, hare hunting and fox hunting. With your continued support, our campaign will continue until these too are finally ended.