Online fundraising platform, GoFundMe, is being urged to remove a fundraiser set up by Irish hare coursers. The fundraiser is in clear breach of the company’s Terms of Service, which state that the service cannot be used to “raise funds or establish or contribute to any campaign with the implicit or explicit purpose of, or involving…gambling, gaming and/or any other activity with an entry fee and a prize, including but not limited to raffles, casino games, sports betting, fantasy sports, horse or greyhounds racing…”
Hare coursing is a gambling activity – individuals at coursing meets bet on which greyhound will force the chased hare to change direction first. It is supported and sponsored by gambling companies.
The “Save Our Sport” fundraiser on GoFundMe coincides with an Irish Coursing Club High Court challenge to the government’s widely-welcomed decision to stop all coursing during the country’s current Level 5 restrictions.
It has been set up to raise funds for legal fees for “the battle ahead” to save their so-called “sport”. Coursing is in no way a sport but rather a form of animal cruelty which involves the snatching of thousands of Irish Hares from the wild in nets for callous use as live lures for greyhounds to chase. See footage of a hare being pinned down and mauled by a pair of greyhounds at a coursing meeting https://youtu.be/k5r0ASVb9IE
The Irish Council Against Blood Sports has reported the breach to GoFundMe, but most disappointingly, no action has been taken to shut down this fundraiser, which has raised over €220,000 – donated by coursing supporters, gambling outlets, greyhound trainers, greyhound owners, coursing clubs and a handful of pro-bloodsports politicians.
Hare coursing has been outlawed in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, leaving the Republic of Ireland as the last bastion of this backwoods barbarism. 77% of citizens in the Republic of Ireland agree that the Irish Government should ban hare coursing, according to a September 2019 poll conducted by independent polling company, RED C. The poll found that just 9% want coursing to continue.
ACTION ALERT
Urge GoFundMe to shut down the fundraiser, not only because it is raising money for a form of animal cruelty, but also due to the fact that it breaches the company’s Terms of Service.
Send a message to GoFundMe via https://www.gofundme.com/contact/suggest
Leave a comment on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gofundme
Send a tweet: https://twitter.com/gofundme
If possible, please support our campaign with a donation
https://www.paypal.me/banbloodsports
Witness the cruelty of hare coursing in Ireland
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