Hare Coursing

Northern Ireland is the last region in the UK to ban the barbaric blood sport of hare coursing.

After many years of campaigning by the League Against Cruel Sports the Northern Ireland Assembly made the historic decision to ban hare coursing in June 2010 as part of the Wildlife and Natural Environment Bill.

The League also fought off recent attempts to overturn the ban in February 2011, when a late amendment to the Wildlife and Natural Environment Bill was tabled to reintroduce licensed hare coursing. This was voted down 53-33, and instead further amendments were passed to strengthen the hare coursing ban.

In March 2011 the Northern Ireland Assembly passed the Wildlife and Natural Environment Bill for Royal Assent. The hare coursing ban will be enabled into law when the Bill becomes an Act in April 2011.

The League wishes to thank all of our supporters who contacted their MLAs on this issue and also to our local group in Coleraine who have campaigned for a hare coursing ban for a number of years. It is thanks to your efforts that this cruel sport will be firmly consigned to the history books right across the UK.