The article below is an example of why Greyhound Action vehemently opposes the use of greyhounds and lurchers for hunting and why we support the Hunting Act and are calling for it to be strengthened and more rigorously enforced, with a maximum of life imprisonment for the worst offenders.
Greyhound Action is opposed to coursing, not only because of the cruelty to and killing of hares caused by the activity, but also because of the injuries to greyhounds and lurchers that occur and the fact that these dogs are not infrequently abandoned or killed when considered no longer good enough for coursing. There is also the fact that ex-racers and puppies that aren't considered good enough to race often end up in the hands of hare coursers, so effectively illegal hare coursing helps to support the greyhound racing industry.
A person who derives pleasure from watching wild creatures hunted and killed is unlikely to be caring towards any animal and this case is yet more evidence of that.
We are pleased that MacIntyre and Robinson-O'Connor were arrested andprosecuted for their cruel activities, but disappointed that they were not locked up and the key thrown away.
Please feel free to forward/crosspost/circulate this message.
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The Visitor
11 May 2009
Animal cruelty brings big fines
A MORECAMBE man who illegally hunted a hare with dogs for pleasure has been ordered to pay nearly £3,000.
Robert MacIntyre, of St Patrick's Walk in Heysham, pleaded guilty at Preston Magistrates' Court after he was spotted by a member of the public releasing two lurcher-type dogs to chase a hare on farmland on Bradshaw Lane, Eagland Hill, Preston on November 23 2008.
MacIntyre, 22, was fined £350 and ordered to pay £2,500 costs plus a £15 victim surcharge. He was also ordered to forfeit all hunting-related materials in his possession.
At the same hearing, a Lancaster man pleaded guilty to failing to meet the needs of a lurcher-type puppy.
Zachary Robinson-O'Connor, 23, of Barley Cop Lane, Lancaster, was fined £350 and ordered to pay £5,000 costs plus a £15 victim surcharge.
He was banned from keeping dogs for two years, deprived of keeping the three lurcher-type dogs formerly in his care and ordered to forfeit all hunting-related materials in his possession.
Information gathered by the RSPCA and police led to a raid on both men's properties on December 8 2008, where a lurcher-type puppy was found to be living in its own filth in an unventilated garage next to Robinson-O'Connor's home.
Hunting paraphernalia, including rabbit carcasses, terrier locator collars, maps, lamps, spotlights and books and DVDs on hunting and lamping were seized from both men's homes, together with mobile phones, a laptop, and cameras.
Magistrates were told both men were sorry for what had happened and realised they had done wrong.
RSPCA inspector Simon Small said: "The sentence handed down in this case reflects the serious nature of the offences and serves to show that illegally hunting down animals for pleasure cannot and will not be tolerated.
"Similarly, keeping a young animal in a filthy, unventilated environment without thought or regard for its welfare is both unthinkable and unacceptable."
http://www.thevisitor.co.uk/morecambe-news/Animal-cruelty-brings-big-fines.5254927.jp
For more info on hare coursing ... click here
URGENT REQUEST FOR HELP >> Hare
coursing has been "banned" but it's still going on under the
uncaring nose of the police click
here to visit the Hunt Watch website and see what you can do to
help end this continuing tragedy.
GA UK