Spirited protest at Laois Hunt ball

ACTIVISTS appeared outside the Castle Arms hotel in Durrow on Saturday 7 February in protest at the Laois Hunt annual ball.

Protestors appeared as foxes in black-tie dress and ball gowns. They danced the foxtrot while engaging with ball attendees in a playful manner.

The aim was to highlight alternatives to foxhunting. The action was organised by Rebecca Deegan, a Laois-based artist, wildlife rescue volunteer and student veterinary nurse.

Attendees included representatives from the Laois branch of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), Kildare Wildlife Rescue, members of the public and former supporters of the hunt, including Veronica, who used to think the hunt was “great fun” and “powerful poetry in motion.” “That was 18 years ago,” she said. “I don’t know if I was a bit stupid, naïve. It never crossed my mind that they actually killed the fox. We must make and hold the space for change.” Rebecca says the group is advocating for cruelty-free alternatives to hunting foxes with hounds.

“Keep the skill, the horses, the hounds, the community – just remove the cruelty,” she says.

“Cruelty-free alternatives include drag hunting, where riders follow a pre-laid artificial scent. This activity keeps the galloping, jumping, teamwork and social element and is already practiced widely in Ireland and the UK.

“Other alternatives include scent work such as man-trailing and clean-boot hunting, which are highly enriching for hounds ‒ mentally and physically. The dogs follow human or artificial scents.

“Hounds love scent work, it’s what their brains evolved for, and it is so impressive to watch them in action and, undoubtedly, rewarding for their trainers, no destruction of wild animals needed.” A recent RED C survey, published in early February, found that 73 per cent of people believe the bloodsports should be banned.

The subject recently made headlines when former presidential candidate Heather Humphreys voiced her support of the practice, calling it a ‘‘rural pursuit.’’ However, the same RED C survey states that opposition to bloodsports is also strong in rural Ireland, where 68 per cent of people favour a ban.

Attendees at the anti-hunt ball note that there were positive interactions by many Laois Hunt ball-goers, several of whom engaged with activists in a healthy dialogue.