The producers of new comedy series, Val Falvey, have been asked by ICABS to stop trivialising dogfighting. The call comes following the appearance of a dogfighter character in the show's first episode. "Featuring scenes which portray a cruel and illegal activity in a comedy programme is inappropriate and in poor taste," we said in a letter to Grand Pictures.

The scenes in question show the dogfighter character emerging from a farm outbuilding where the barking of dogs can be heard and actors portraying dogfight spectators can be seen cheering. The dogfighter says of his dog - "I think she's a bit hyper, she's after doing two inside there" - to which the other character laughs and replies "Did she?"

Conveying the appalling reality of dogfighting, ICABS told Grand Pictures about a court case some years ago which resulted in the conviction of dogfighters. The Irish Independent reported at the time that "the two pit bull terriers had lacerations to the face, ear, head, neck and forelimbs...Such was the ferocity of the fight between the dogs that a ladder was needed to separate them..." The evidence was so gruesome and upsetting that the judge excused the jury from service for 10 years.

"Trivialising this disgusting activity and presenting a dogfighting character as a jokey rogue-type is not very humorous to those who are campaigning for dogfighting to be eradicated from Ireland," we added. "Over the years, our organisation and other animal welfare groups have been trying to educate the public about the cruelty of dogfighting and encouraging them to report information to Gardai. Portraying dogfighters as anything but the sadistic, sick individuals that they are is not helpful to our efforts to protect dogs from this blood sport."

You can watch episode 1 of Val Falvey online at
http://www.rte.ie/player/#v=1060707
[To see the "dogfight" scene, skip to the 15:15 mark]

URGENT ACTION ALERT

Please join us in urging Grand Pictures to exclude animal cruelty themes from future episodes.

SAMPLE LETTER
(If you have time, please compose your own personal letter. Otherwise, feel free to send the short sample letter below. Be assertive, but polite, in all correspondence. Thank you.)

Paul Donovan
Producer
Val Falvey
Grand Pictures Ltd
44 Fontenoy Street
Dublin 7
Email: info@grandpictures.ie
Tel: +353 1 860 2290
Fax: +353 1 860 2096

Dear Mr Donovan,

I am writing to express my disappointment that the illegal blood "sport" of dogfighting was trivialised in the first episode of Val Falvey. There is nothing funny about dogfighting - in reality, dogs suffer horrific injuries and the men involved are despicable thugs.

It is regrettable that this cruel activity was portrayed in a light-hearted way and that one of your main characters is shown laughing as the dogfighter character tells of how his dog is "after doing two inside there".

I urge you to exclude animal cruelty themes from future episodes.

Yours sincerely,

[Name / Location]

Irish Council Against Blood Sports
Main website www.banbloodsports.com
Youtube channel www.youtube.com/icabs
Follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/banbloodsports
Bebo page www.bebo.com/banbloodsports
Myspace profile www.myspace.com/banbloodsports
Mobile phone site www.banbloodsports.com/wap

Join our mailing list: Send "Subscribe" to info@banbloodsports.com along with your name and location.
Receive campaign updates to your mobile phone: Text GO to 00353 86 038 6617
(This is a free service but ask your network provider about any charges to receive SMS text messages from Ireland)
Sign our "Ban Blood Sports" petition at www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/7...
Keep hunters off your land: Click on Farmers at www.banbloodsports.com
Download posters and newsletters: Visit www.scribd.com/banbloodsports

The Irish Council Against Blood Sports is calling on the Minister for Agriculture, Brendan Smith, to outlaw the horrendous practices of digging out and terrierwork. We are urging all TDs and Senators to back a ban on these activities.

Please view our new leaflet for more information and an urgent action alert
http://www.scribd.com/doc/22109704

Google has been urged by ICABS to stop advertising foxhunting in Ireland. The call comes in response to Google ads which encourage readers to "experience the thrill of the chase" and consider a "foxhunting break" in Ireland. A video showing the cruelty of foxhunting has been brought to the attention of the company's Dublin-based European HQ.

Please join our appeal to Google - respond to our action alert now.

ACTION ALERT

Ask Google to stop displaying ads for foxhunting. Use the sample letter below or compose your own original letter. Thank you.

Mr John Herlihy
Vice President, Global Ad Operations
Google Dublin,
Google Ireland Ltd.
Gordon House
Barrow Street, Dublin 4
Email from: http://adwords.google.com/support/aw...
[Paste your message into the box at bottom of page]
Tel: +353 (1) 436 1000
Fax: +353 (1) 436 1001 / +353 (1) 543-1001

Dear Mr Herlihy,

I am horrified to learn that "Ads by Google" include adverts for the cruel and barbaric activity of foxhunting. ["Fox hunting Ireland - Experience the thrill of the chase", "Fox hunting in Ireland Special offer hunting break", etc]

I call on your company to immediately remove such ads on the grounds that they promote one of Ireland's worst acts of animal cruelty.

In foxhunting across Ireland, foxes are disturbed from their habitats, chased to exhaustion and torn apart by packs of trained hounds. Foxes that manage to escape underground are dug out with spades while terriers are sent down to viciously attack them.

I invite you to view this short Irish Council Against Blood Sports campaign video which shows just some of the suffering involved: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x54...

I trust that after viewing this, Google will agree that foxhunting is disgusting animal cruelty. I hope, therefore, that you will act now to remove this ad and stop publicising foxhunting.

Thank you

Yours faithfully
[Name/Country]