FOX hunting enthusiasts are joining societies affiliated to the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in an attempt to soften its opposition blood sports, according to sources in the ISPCA.
Five societies affiliated to the ISPCA are now thought to support fox hunting and are opposed to the organisation's new policy document on animal welfare.
Ms Linda Hehir, a former committee member of the North Tipperary SPCA, said the fox hunting lobby was encouraging its supporters to join the ISPCA to oppose the society's policy on blood sports at council and committee levels.
The ISPCA policy document on animal welfare states that the ISPCA is "in principle opposed to the taking or the killing of wild animals, or the infliction of any suffering on them."
Ms Hehir also claimed she had been voted off an SPCA committee because of her views on blood sports. "I believe that the Irish Masters of Foxhounds Association is working to get control of county societies in order to influence ISPCA policy on blood sports," she told The Irish Times.
"I have been informed that my position in the ISPCA was discussed at an Irish Masters of Foxhounds Association meeting, where I was described as someone who should be removed from the ISPCA".
The North Tipperary Society refused to ratify the ISPCA policy document at a recent meeting, although it is obliged to do so under its ISPCA membership.
When contacted by The Irish Times, Mr James Norton spokesman for the Masters of Foxhounds Association, said the ISPCA had nothing to do with his association.
However, Mr Norton claimed the ISPCA policy document was not binding on member societies. "The information I received states that the policy is not binding on individual societies and would not stand up in a court of law."
Mr Norton said the anti hunting policy was the expressed policy of the national organisation. But "various branches of the ISPCA have not ratified the policy and therefore, unless they want to break up the ISPCA, cannot force their views upon their members." If the anti hunting policy was pushed it would break the society.
The chief executive of the ISPCA, Mr Ciaran O'Donovan, said the ISPCA was a democratic organisation which could decide on whatever policies it wanted to adopt.
Ms Angela McCartney, vice chairwoman of the ISPCA, acknowledged there was a concerted effort aimed at influencing the policy on blood sports. She said the executive board of the ISPCA was looking into the matter.
Sources on the ISPCA executive committee have confirmed that the committee will meet early next month to discuss the matter and decide on what action it will take to counter the hunting lobby.
It is understood that the committee is considering adopting a membership clause aimed at preventing blood sports enthusiasts from joining the ISPCA.