Thumbs down to Limerick GAA for ignoring the awful cruelty of the greyhound industry and holding a fundraiser at Limerick stadium - one of the WORST tracks in Ireland for dog injuries and deaths.
In the past three and a half years alone at the Limerick track, 159 greyhounds suffered injuries and 49 were killed by a vet. Nationwide in the same period, 1,369 greyhounds have been injured, with 438 killed.
In this week's Limerick Leader, a report headed "Limerick hurlers and Liam MacCarthy Cup going to the dogs" reveals that the Limerick GAA Community Night fundraiser will be "an extra night of racing" at the track. https://www.limerickleader.ie/news/sport/334877/limerick-hurlers-and-liam-maccarthy-cup-going-to-the-dogs.html
The track manager is quoted as saying: "It’s a great opportunity for hurling supporters to get behind both sets of teams – all in Limerick GAA and the team here at the track."
ICABS has renewed its appeal to the GAA Headquarters to intervene to stop club fundraisers at gambling venues where animals suffer injuries and die.
In an email to the GAA, ICABS stated: "The GAA has a duty to protect its players and this must include prohibiting club fundraisers at greyhound tracks. Allowing GAA clubs to expose children to a gambling environment is at odds with the GAA's stated concerns about the growing problem of gambling in Ireland and it undermines efforts to educate players about gambling addiction."
Last year, the GAA promised to address the issue of children attending fundraisers at tracks, saying "we have guidelines in place for clubs in relation to juvenile club members attending events in public houses/licensed premises."
Fundraisers at greyhound tracks are helping to keep the cruel greyhound industry afloat - the track takes a 30-40 per cent commission from ticket sales and also profits from gambling and food/drink sales on the night.
Greyhound racing is also sustaining the cruel bloodsport of hare coursing - all greyhounds used in track racing are registered with the Irish Coursing Club and the registration fees help fund coursing activities. In coursing, thousands of hares are snatched from the wild every year for use as live bait for greyhounds at coursing meetings. Hares are terrorised while desperately running for their lives and there are injuries and deaths due to maulings.
ACTION ALERT
Urge Limerick GAA to show compassion for the dogs and stop fundraising at a greyhound track.
Limerick GAA
Email: secretary.limerick@gaa.ie, pro.limerick@gaa.ie
Tweet to @LimerickCLG
Join us in urging the GAA to tell member clubs to reject greyhound racing as a form of fundraising.
Email: queries@gaa.ie
Leave a comment on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/officialgaa
Tweet to @officialgaa
Don't attend greyhound races or fundraisers/hen parties/office parties held at greyhound tracks.
The greyhound industry has received nearly a quarter of a billion euros of taxpayers' money since 2001 (including €16 million for 2018). Urge Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe to stop the funding and instead direct the money to charities, sports clubs, animal rescue centres, health groups and other deserving causes. Email "Stop funding the cruel greyhound industry" to taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie, leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie, paschal.donohoe@oireachtas.ie, minister@per.gov.ie
An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar
Department of the Taoiseach,
Government Buildings,
Upper Merrion St, Dublin 2
Telephone: +353 (0)1-6194020
Email: taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie, leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie, finegael@finegael.ie
Tweet to: @campaignforLeo
Leave a comment on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/campaignforleo/
Paschal Donohoe TD
Minister for Finance
Email: paschal.donohoe@oireachtas.ie, minister@per.gov.ie
Phone: +353 (0)1 6045810
Leave a comment on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaschalDonohoe/
Tweet to @Paschald
Please sign and share our petitions
Irish Government: Stop Giving Millions of Euro to Cruel Greyhound Industry
https://www.change.org/p/irish-government-stop-giving-millions-of-euro-to-cruel-greyhound-industry
Stop supporting the cruel greyhound industry
https://www.change.org/p/stop-supporting-the-cruel-greyhound-industry