PAMELA ANDERSON has urged Taoiseach Micheál Martin to ban hare coursing in Ireland.
The Baywatch star penned a letter to the Irish leader, saying that hare coursing was "cruel and reckless", a "twisted idea of amusement" and was at odds with the "warmth and goodwill" that the country was known for.
Hare coursing, which involves hares being chased by greyhound, is banned in the UK, including in Northern Ireland, but remains a legal practice south of the border.
Coursing events were however suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Anderson, 53, argued that the suspension should be made permanent.
"As a long time animal rights advocate, I've celebrated alongside my friends at Peta after writing to your predecessors and hearing that Ireland had banned wild-animal circuses and would be moving toward ending fur farming," Anderson wrote.
"But there's still more to be done. Will you please be the Taoiseach who finally lays cruel hare coursing to rest?
"The novel coronavirus has taught us the devastating consequences of messing with wildlife. And your government can heed that lesson by banning this so-called 'sport', in which gentle, sensitive hares - wild animals - are torn from their natural homes so that they can be chased by hounds for someone's twisted idea of amusement.
"Hare coursing is reckless - and it's cruel. Many hares die when they are captured, transported, and held captive before meets. Some endure stress-induced heart attacks or other organ damage, or they collapse and die of sheer exhaustion while desperately fleeing from the dogs.
"This blood sport is at odds with the warmth and goodwill that people around the world know and love Ireland for. The practice is currently banned because of lockdown restrictions, and you can help ensure that it's not allowed to resume. It's time - past time - that Ireland consigned hare coursing to the history books, where it belongs."
It isn't the first time Anderson has reached out to an Irish leader over an animal rights issue.
In the past, Anderson urged Enda Kenny to ban wild animal circuses and called on Leo Varadkar to prohibit fur farming.
