Coursing should no longer be classified as a Sport
I have seen many coursing meetings and I have come to the conclusion that it’s past time to ban this disgusting activity once and for all. The muzzles that were supposed to “take the cruelty out of it” have failed and if anything have made it worse as now the hares are not killed at all, just terrorized, injured, and subjected to prolonged ill-treatment in captivity that gives them a condition called Stress Myopathy.
This is caused by making the animal suffer unnatural treatment and subjecting to more stress than it can handle. I have seen hares pinned to the ground by the dogs, squealing in terror like babies. Yeah, I know about all that stuff about the fans not wanting them hurt, but they do get hurt and often die of their injuries or from the stress/terror of the whole thing.
Coursing is now banned in Britain and Northern Ireland and I think it’s time we said good bye and good riddance to it. I see a book about it has gone online as a freebee and I think anyone who sees coursing as a harmless sport ought to have a read of it:
country lad my arse.. stinking green hippy! Coursing is great craic, the country side is over-run with hares anyway.. there's not enough coursing meets if u ask me!
Well, I AM a country lad, and most peopel I know feel the same way about hare coursing. It's cowardly, cruel, and disgusting. I do know some people though who were bullied due to their views, like the man who wrote that book. In some rural districts the local coursing club doesn't tolerate any dissent. Anyone who doesn't go along with their version of what "sport" gets leaned on big time. Severe bullying.
Great craic? If you had to run from pit bulls it wouldn't be that nice. It's craic to a certain kind of person who can't identify with what the hare has to put with up with.
There's drag coursing that doesn't have live hares. I have no problem with that, but live hare coursing belongs in the same class as dogfighting and bear baiting. Here's a sample of some think of as "great craic":
'Pat Fox has it on his hurl and is motoring well now, but here comes Joe Rabbitte hot on his tail. I've seen it all now, a Rabbitte chasing a Fox around Croke Park!'