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Wax Museum withdraws foxhunt discount "with immediate effect"
03 May 2013
The National Wax Museum has announced that a foxhunting-related discount offer has been "withdrawn with immediate effect". Following complaints from ICABS and members of the public, the museum apologised and said that it is not a supporter of bloodsports.
The offer appears in a wax museum advert in the Westmeath Foxhounds 2013 calendar. The ad states: "Mention the Westmeath Foxhounds and get 10 per cent off the ticket price". As part of our appeal to the museum, we highlighted the horrendous suffering and death caused to foxes during hunts and the fact that a majority of people are opposed to the cruel activity.
A museum statement issued on 2nd May states:
"The National Wax Museum Plus would like to extend their sincerest apologies in relation to the discount offered to Westmeath fox hunting. We did not intend to offend or upset anyone. We had offered this discount several years ago and in doing so we did not mean it to convey our support for fox hunting.The National Wax Museum Plus is a visitor attraction and not an avid supporter of blood sports. This was an oversight on our part and we offer our sincerest apologies for any distress caused. This discount was offered without the knowledge of management and our ticket sales staff were not aware of it either.
"The discount has now been withdrawn with immediate effect."
The Irish Council Against Blood Sports thanks the National Wax Museum for this positive response. Thank you also to everyone who supported our action alert. For more action alerts, subscribe to our Animal Voice newsletter - email "Subscribe" to info@banbloodsports.com
Urge National Wax Museum to scrap foxhunt discount
01 May 2013
ICABS is calling on the National Wax Museum in Dublin to scrap an outrageous offer involving a 10% discount to anyone who mentions the Westmeath Foxhounds. The offer appears in a wax museum advert in the hunt's 2013 calendar.
The advert states: "Mention the Westmeath Foxhounds and get 10% off the ticket price".
ICABS has expressed disgust to the National Wax Museum over the discount.
"Given the horrendous cruelty to animals involved in foxhunting, and the fact that a majority are opposed to it, it is surprising that your museum would chose to associate with such an activity," we stated in an email to management. "We ask the National Wax Museum to show compassion for Irish wildlife and end this promotion."
The wax museum is owned by Paddy Dunning who earlier this year was photographed with singer Paolo Nutini at the Westmeath Foxhunt ball at the Bloomfield House Hotel, Mullingar. Following complaints from fans, Nutini later issued a statement to say that he "in no way supports fox hunting or any other type of animal blood sports" and that he "doesn't endorse the hunting of any animal". At the time, he was in Westmeath recording an album at Grouse Lodge Studios (also owned by Dunning). According to a Westmeath Examiner report, Dunning "declined to comment about the controversy".
Brought to museum management's attention this week were the following selection of incidents relating to Westmeath Foxhunt cruelty:
A 2011 Farmers' Journal hunting report told of how sixteen mounted followers of the Westmeath hunt, along with 29 hounds, found a fox that was caught and "chopped." Later on, another fox was "overhauled before he managed to put any distance between himself and them." Both "chopped" and "overhauled," in hunting terminology, mean that the fox was caught by the hounds and brutally killed.
In 2007, there was a probe into allegations that a rope was tied to the leg of a fox and that it was pulled out of a burrow and fed alive to the dogs - See Irish Independent report http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/top-hunt-probed-in-cruelty-claim-26333741.html
A 2008 Irish Field report revealed that the Westmeath Hunt's hounds chased a fox into the freezing water of the Royal canal and along its banks - the fox and the pack swam across the canal and continued along the banks to the Mullingar/Ballynacargy Road...the fox, with four and a half couple (9 hounds) in pursuit, then swam the canal again before retracing their steps back to Newman's Bog." Following complaints, Waterways Ireland moved to contact the hunt and tell them to keep away from the Royal Canal.
The Irish Field of December 1991 documented the obscene ritual of cutting off the tails and tongues of foxes - "Terriers were some time in coming as car followers were the wrong side of the wind for hearing. A quick dig followed and two foxes were dispatched. Eamon had a brush for Clarissa and a fox's tongue which he intends pickling in vinegar to cure warts and draw thorns." (Westmeath Foxhounds, Hunt Report)
Action alert now ended. Thank you to everyone who responded. Visit www.banbloodsports.com for more action alerts and subscribe to our monthly Animal Voice newsletter - email "Subscribe" to info@banbloodsports.com
| The National Wax Museum advert which appears in the 2013 Westmeath Foxhounds calendar. The calendar includes photos of foxes running. |
I will boycott wax museum over foxhunting discount offer: Joan Collins TD
02 May 2013
Dublin South-Central TD, Joan Collins has said she will boycott the National Wax Museum over a foxhunting-related discount. In a complaint to museum management, the People Before Profit Alliance politician said that with most people opposed to bloodsports, offering a 10 per cent discount when the Westmeath Foxhunt is mentioned "may backfire on the museum".
"It's a promotion of a cruel bloodsport which many people, including myself, find offensive," she said. "I will boycott the wax museum forever and I am sure many other people will as well. So this promotion may backfire on the museum."
ICABS has thanked Deputy Collins for supporting our appeal to the Dublin-based museum to scrap the outrageous discount.
Video: Foxhunting Cruelty
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