When the final act was played out in Macau on Friday 27th July, it marked the end of a long fight to close the Canidrome and save the greyhounds. In actual fact the very last part needed to close the circle - which is equally important, challenging and difficult - is still missing: to find homes for all the dogs. But the work goes on, and now we can at least face this final and delicate phase with, on the whole, more than a few less worries to deal with. This victory is historic not only because no dog will ever race again at the Canidrome - no mean feat in itself - and not only because the dogs are now safe. This victory is historic because those who exploited them will now pay for their expenses. For this is not some kind of compromise, because Anima did not have to concede anything at all - on the contrary, they took absolutely everything there was to be taken to give the dogs the best possible opportunities for the future: an international centre for greyhounds managed by Anima, all running costs and veterinary expenses paid for, and an extension to the time needed to rehome all the dogs. Everything that Anima asked for was granted and stipulated in writing, in public, and all for the benefit of the dogs. Anima will not be gaining any kind of economic advantage out of this, and as a charity made up of volunteers it would be illegal for them to do so anyway. So how could all of this happen? Why did the organisation that ran the Canidrome, the Macau (Yat Yuen) Canidrome Company Ltd, give in on all counts and bite the bullet? The massive amount of work carried out by Anima, GREY2K USA Worldwide and their international supporters and partners over the last 7 years, from the summer of 2011, in exposing the cruelty to which the greyhounds were subjected in the Canidrome - as well as the evidence shown by Anima of the state in which the dogs had been kept at the track - had a huge effect on both local and international public opinion, as well as on the government of Macau and the Chinese government. The Macau (Yat Yuen) Canidrome Co., which at any rate did everything it possibly could not to hand over the dogs, faced with either having to pay massive fines running into millions for having abandoned the dogs or risk losing its Casino license in due course - which is what most of its income derives from - found itself with its back against the wall. The government of Macau, which had already banned the Canidrome's euthanasia practice from 1st September 2016, thus proving itself to be years ahead of the UK and Irish governments in that respect, had a huge influence on proceedings over the last few weeks. To first close the Canidrome, then save the dogs, and finally make those who had exploited them pay their costs: this is ultimately the positive example set by the Canidrome events. In Macau the future of the greyhounds is now assured and they have won on all counts. Many thanks to all those who have kept faith with Anima and with the Save the Macau Greyhounds team throughout this long and difficult ordeal: your support has been invaluable! We have now officially entered the third phase of our campaign, which is to find good homes for each of the 531 dogs that are now safe. There may be a few more in addition to that number, i.e. the small number currently at Anima and any others that were previously given away by the Canidrome at their so called ‘adoption days’ and who may be abandoned or given up by their new owners and rescued at a later stage by Anima, as is proving to be the case. So it will be very important to be able to count on your support once more. Many thanks to all The Save the Macau Greyhounds team