Danes treat animals far better than the Irish

There has been a huge outcry against the killing of a giraffe at Copenhagen zoo, and the feeding of its carcass to lions, while people watched.

I share the revulsion. If inbreeding was an issue, the animal could have been sterilised. But forgive my cynicism when a caller to an Irish radio programme said this wouldn’t happen here.

The Danes treat animals far better than we do. They don’t allow live hare-coursing, which sets up animals as live bait for salivating dogs. Hares are snatched from the Irish countryside, held in captivity, and then forced to run from greyhounds in a wire-enclosed field.

They can be mauled, pinned-down, or tossed about like rag dolls. The public was free to witness or film the feeding of Marius to the lions.

If you try to film an Irish coursing event, you’ll be circled by the guardians of this ‘sport’ and promptly ejected from the venue.

There is no justification for hare-coursing, apart from people’s need to inflict pain and terror on a dumb animal. Ireland should be brought into line with all the countries that have banned this blood sport.

John Fitzgerald

(Campaign for the Abolition Of Cruel Sports)

Lower Coyne Street

Callan

Co Kilkenny