Story: Animal welfare and rights

A group of men and boys are pictured with a hare at a coursing meet at Ōamaru in 1901. In the ancient sport of coursing a hare would be released and then two greyhounds would pursue it. The winning dog would then rip the hare to pieces. Many people were appalled by this bloody spectacle, which had a keen following in New Zealand from the 19th century. There were various attempts by animal welfarists to have it banned, but it did not become illegal until 1954, largely as the result of a campaign run by the Council of Combined Animal Welfare Organisations (CAWO).