Belfast High Court upholds 'ban' on hare coursing
The hare is safe in the North for another few months after the High Court in Belfast today upheld a effective British government ban on coursing.
The League Against Cruel Sports welcomed the decision of the court to throw out a challenge to a special temporary preservation order placed on the hare by Northern Ireland Environment Minister Angela Smith in 2003.
While coursing is not illegal – and will not be banned under the new hunting laws in England and Wales – it has been halted by the minister’s action which outlawed the netting, killing or sale of Irish hares.
Local coursing clubs in the North went to the High Court in a bid to overturn the preservation order after it was renewed last December.
League Against Cruel Sports chief executive, Douglas Batchelor, said they were delighted the court had recognised that the welfare of the Irish hare was best served by continuing the current suspension on hare coursing.
“While we welcome the renewal of the temporary ban on this activity, when we look across the water in the same week and see hare coursing being banned in England and Wales, we have to ask : ‘Doesn’t the Irish hare deserve the same level of permanent protection?”’ he said.
Ms Smith also welcomed the court ruling. “This fully justifies my earlier decision to ensure that the Irish hare, a unique and valuable creature in terms of biodiversity in Northern Ireland, is given adequate protection to allow their numbers to increase and is in line with my department’s policy objectives for the Irish hare.”
The minister said while the results of a 2004 survey of hare numbers was encouraging, she was concerned the results must be treated cautiously as a single survey did not necessarily indicate recovery in the population.
Another survey will be undertaken in the spring.
Ms Smith – who campaigned against blood sports before entering the British government - has been accused of allowing her personal views to cloud her judgement on the issue.
She said she strongly refuted any suggestion she had acted in any way improperly or that “my decisions were based on anything other than my ministerial responsibilities”.
Violence erupted in Lancashire today at Britain’s last major hare coursing event before the sport is banned.
Animal rights protesters clashed with spectators at the Waterloo Cup, which had been moved forward a week to avoid the ban on hunting which becomes law on Friday.
