“Bring help, protection, rehabilitation and power to nonhuman animals fighting for their lives, families and communities.” - HSI mission statement

Hunt Saboteurs Ireland, established in September 2019, has been out in the Irish countryside directly sabotaging hunts with a wide variety of proven tactics. HSI is at the front lines of the fight against bloodsports in the Republic of Ireland.

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Hunt Saboteurs Ireland (HSI) was established in September 2019 at the start of the cub hunting season and works within the Republic of Ireland. HSI is a grassroots, legal, direct action, volunteer-run, non-hierarchical, animal rights organisation focused on hunt sabotage (click to learn about what hunt sabotage entails). HSI is volunteer-run, meaning every cent goes towards hunt sabotage (and its associated expenses), meaning no one is paid a wage or ever will be.

HSI works directly in the Irish countryside to stop hunters from chasing, trapping, shooting and killing nonhuman animals. HSI use proven non-violent tactics and strategies to help nonhuman animals escape, protect themselves and live their lives in peace. The Hunt Saboteurs Association (HSA) in the UK have used these tactics successfully since the 1960s. Please note that while we have great relations with the HSA we are not affiliated to them, we are our own grassroots organisation, but of course we borrow from their work and build on Ireland’s anti-hunting history.

Why?

We believe hunting is immoral, barbaric and belongs in Ireland’s past. We will not stop until all nonhuman animal exploitation, cruelty and murder is banned, whether that be for hunting, vivisection, food, clothing, entertainment, etc. We are an animal rights organisation and we will not stop until all nonhuman animals are legally and socially recognised as individuals bearing innate moral rights just like us. We are an anti-speciesist organisation, meaning we recognise the fact that nonhuman animals are equal to human animals and deserve to have to their right to bodily autonomy, freedom of movement and freedom from exploitation respected. We are vehemently against all forms of discrimination and oppression, and sabs regularly support various human rights work, and often come from marginalised backgrounds themselves.

How?

Our main tactic is direct action; to directly save and protect foxes and other nonhuman animals from murder. We do this working within Irish law. It’s important to note that while we do a lot of work, the hunted nonhuman animal is the one putting in most of the work, they are the main individual fighting for their life, and we are there to help them do that. We also film and photograph blood-sports so that the Irish public can view the depraved violence that is allowed to illegally/legally happen in Ireland, and act against it. We supplement these two in-field tactics with social and political pressure: protests, rallies, email campaigns, petitions, leafletting, stickering, postering and other direct and indirect action.

Our vision

Our vision is a world which respects and recognises the moral rights of all nonhuman animals. A world that does not tolerate any form of discrimination or oppression, including speciesism. Our vision is of a complete banning of and an end to all blood-sports, and also all forms of exploitation, murder, use and disrespect of nonhuman animals whether for profit, food, vivisection, clothing, entertainment, forced labour or any other reason. We envision a widespread social and legal change to the way we view and treat nonhuman animals, and a dismantling of the speciesist ideology which demands these sentient individuals are “quarry”, pieces of entertainment, test subjects, commodities or inanimate tools. Our vision is a world that respects nonhuman animals’ right to bodily autonomy.

Our goals:

1. Our number goal is to aid, save and protect nonhuman animal lives directly in the field

2. To ban hare coursing and fox hunting

3. To ban all forms of blood-sport

4. Have nonhuman animal sentience recognised in Irish law

5. Have speciesism legally recognised as a violent and discriminatory belief which has no place in modern human society

Equalities statement:

We do not tolerate any form of discrimination or oppression within our organisation. We take complaints very seriously and are dealt with quickly and accordingly. Sexism, speciesism, transphobia, homophobia, racism, ableism, ageism, classism, sizeism (fat-phobia), anti-semitism, islamophobia, xenophobia, zionism, fascism, sexual or physical harassment and all forms of discrimination and oppression are not welcome within HSI, local sab groups, social media or website comments, or anywhere. We are here to dismantle oppressive structures, not perpetuate them.

& our values:

1. Anti-speciesism and anti-oppression

2. Consent and bodily autonomy

3. Accountability

4. Non-hierarchy

5. Voluntary

Mission statement:

Bring help, protection, rehabilitation and power to nonhuman animals fighting for their lives, families and communities.

Legalities statement:

HSI is a legal, grassroots level organisation that operates within Irish law. Information on this website and all associated HSI mediums are for legal protest and information only. It should not be used to commit any criminal acts or harassment. HSI is not directly affiliated to any other animal rights group. HSI has no links or involvement with the Animal Liberation Front (ALF) or the Animal Rights Militia (ARM). Any articles published on this website relating to illegal activities are posted for the sole reason of publishing news related to animal rights and are not intended to incite or encourage similar acts.

Accessibility statement:

We pledge to be as accessible as we can in our media. Although we are nowhere near perfect, we will try to be as accessible as is possible and practicable in our content. If we can improve in any area for you, please contact us.