Mr. D.J. Histon:

It is a condition of the licence that injured or nursing hares are not taken up. Hares are examined before they are returned to the hare park. Hare parks are arranged to mirror what happens in the wild and they are not small areas where hares are confined. Hares are given access to a coursing field. The hare welfare code of practice outlines the various stages involved in managing the hare and we must comply with 26 conditions attached to the licence. We also have meetings with the NPWS.

On cruelty, the hare is one of the most prolific prey species in the world. It can be found in any terrain or territory, from the tundra to the desert. Coursing does not present it with anything it is not familiar with. Due to its genetic make-up, it can turn at right angles in one stride. It has stereophonic hearing and 360° vision and can swim a mile voluntarily. It has tremendous stamina, speed and agility. Its ability to adapt is one of the reasons it remains prevalent today, despite changes in farming methods and land structures over time and so on.