Hunters are not careless with dogs

I write in my role as chairman of the Hunting Association of Ireland (HAI), regarding Elaine Keogh’s report, “Animal groups forced to care for lost hunting dogs”.

The HAI is the group that represents, on a national level, the interests of approximately 270 clubs across the nation that hunt with hounds. Many thousands of people of all ages and from all walks of life enjoy legitimate country pursuits every weekend in Ireland and we value the reputation of clubs as responsible and law-abiding components of rural society.

Ms Keogh reports that: “Concerned animal welfare groups are being left to take care of ‘lost’ beagles and lurchers which had been part of either a legal hunt or, in some cases, poaching teams.”