A sports club in Galway is being urged not to hold a fundraiser at a greyhound track where dogs suffer and die.

Corofin GAA, which has advertised a “Night at the Dogs” at Galway greyhound stadium at the end of March, has been asked to show compassion and follow other sports clubs in rejecting cruel greyhound racing. https://www.facebook.com/Corofingaa/photos/a.155336174607293/1592807644193465

The suffering and death at Galway stadium has been brought to the attention of club management.

In an email to Corofin GAA chairman, Michael Ryder, ICABS stated: “Galway Stadium is one of the worst tracks in Ireland for injuries and deaths. At least 119 greyhounds suffered injuries there and 32 were killed by a track vet over the past five years alone.”

Those attending track fundraisers may be subjected to the upsetting sight of dogs suffering painful injuries such as broken legs.

Among the victims at Galway Stadium was a greyhound who could be heard crying out in agony after falling to the ground during a race. 1-year-old Ballycastle Val collided with another greyhound and tumbled at the beginning of what was to be her first and final race.”

Video footage of the fall, in which the greyhound’s cries are clearly audible can be viewed at https://www.igb.ie/videos/videos/?raceid=GLY_2018_01_05_03

Fundraisers at tracks are helping to keep cruel greyhound racing afloat - tracks take a 30-40% commission on ticket sales and profit from food/drink/gambling on the night. No sports club should support this nasty dog-killing activity.

As revealed in the "RTE Investigates: Greyhounds running for their lives" documentary, 6,000 dogs are killed every year simply because they are not fast enough to win races. We were shown horrifying scenes of dogs being delivered to knackeries to be shot in the head. One dog was seen writhing on the ground in agony as his merciless owner drove away. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYTb2qBjlMM

The programme also highlighted the illegal practice in the greyhound industry of doping dogs to make them run faster or slower to influence the outcomes of races. Also shown were greyhounds with their ears chopped off or burned with acid (to remove identity tattoos before being dumped) and the hellholes that await Irish greyhounds exported to China and Pakistan.

The Irish public is shocked and disgusted at the revelations, which have sparked multiple protests outside tracks (including Galway stadium) and calls for a ban on greyhound racing and a boycott of sponsors. Opinion polls conducted by RED C and TheJournal.ie show that a majority want the government to permanently end the state grants which are keeping greyhound racing and its associated animal cruelty alive. Petitions urging the government to stop the funding have been signed over 330,000 times.

Shame on the government for squandering €84 million on horse and greyhound racing this year (including €16.8 million for greyhound racing), while sports clubs, health and homeless groups, animal rescue centres and schools are forced to fundraise.

ACTION ALERT

Please join us in appealing to Corofin GAA and club sponsor Western Hygiene (whose logo appears on the club’s Night at the Dogs poster) to join other sports clubs - including Arklow Rugby Club and Verona FC - who have been praised for relocating fundraisers away from greyhound tracks.

Email: info@michaelryder.ie; secretary.corofin.galway@gaa.ie; ChildrensOfficer.corofin.galway@gaa.ie; pro.corofin.galway@gaa.ie; info@westernhygiene.ie
Tweet: https://twitter.com/CorofinGAA
Leave a comment on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Corofingaa

STOP THE STATE FUNDING FOR GREYHOUND RACING

Another €84 million of scarce public funds has been approved for horse and greyhound racing for 2020. Since 2001, they have received more than one and a quarter billion euros of taxpayers' money.

Urge the leaders of Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and the Labour Party (who back the funding every year) to stop the funding.

Leo Varadkar
Leader, Fine Gael
Government Buildings,
Upper Merrion St, Dublin 2
Telephone: 01-619 4020
Email: taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie; leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
Tweet to: http://www.twitter.com/@LeoVaradkar
Leave a comment on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeoVaradkar

Micheál Martin
Leader, Fianna Fail
Constituency Office
137 Evergreen Road,
Turner’s Cross, Cork
Email: micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie
Phone: 021-432 0088
Leinster House: 01–618 3000
Leave a comment on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/michealmartintd/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@MichealMartinTD

Brendan Howlin TD
Leader, Labour Party
Tel: 053 9124036 / 053 9123765
Email: brendan.howlin@oireachtas.ie
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@BrendanHowlin

SAMPLE LETTER
(If you have time, please write your own personal letter)

Dear Deputy,

I am writing to urge you to please stop supporting the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations.

The regulations will channel another €84 million of taxpayers’ money into the horse and greyhound racing gambling industries in 2020, bringing to more than one and a quarter billion euros the amount handed over since 2001.

Much of the money given to horse racing ends up as prize money in the pockets of wealthy horse owners and trainers, while the funding for greyhound racing continues despite plummeting attendance at tracks due to shocking revelations about cruelty and killing.

If you saw the "RTE Investigates: Greyhounds running for their lives" documentary, you will understand why there should be absolutely no support given to this shameful industry. The programme revealed that 6,000 greyhounds are killed every year simply because they are not fast enough to win. We were shown horrifying scenes of greyhounds being delivered to knackeries to be shot in the head. One dog was seen writhing on the ground in agony as his merciless owner drove away https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYTb2qBjlMM

The programme also highlighted the illegal practice in the greyhound industry of doping dogs to make them run faster or slower to influence the outcomes of races. Also shown were greyhounds with their ears chopped off or burned with acid (to remove identity tattoos before being dumped) and the hellholes that await Irish greyhounds exported to China and Pakistan.

The Irish public is shocked and disgusted at the revelations, which have sparked multiple, ongoing protests outside tracks and calls for a ban on greyhound racing.

A RED C opinion poll commissioned by the Irish Council Against Blood Sports and Greyhound Action Ireland shows that two out of every three Irish adults agree that the government should stop funding greyhound racing [66% Agree, 16% Disagree, 18% Don't Know, Of those stating an opinion, 80% of these agree that the Irish Government should stop funding greyhound racing while 20% disagree.] An opinion poll conducted by TheJournal.ie also found that an 80 per cent majority want the government to permanently end the grants. Petitions urging the government to stop the funding have been signed over 300,000 times.

It is COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE that scarce public funds have been pumped into these gambling industries. It is time for this to be stopped and for the money to be redirected to the many deserving causes crying out for funding.

Please stop supporting the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations.

Thank you. I look forward to your positive response.

Yours sincerely,

[Name/Address]

REPORTED GREYHOUND INJURIES AND DEATHS AT IRISH TRACKS

2019: (Jan to Sept): 254 injuries. 86 deaths
2018: 353 Injuries. 121 Deaths
2017: 357 Injuries. 124 Deaths
2016: 427 Injuries. 139 Deaths
2015: 422 Injuries. 122 Deaths

INJURIES AND DEATHS AT GALWAY STADIUM

2019 (January to September)
25 injuries, 8 deaths
2018 - 31 injuries, 7 deaths
2017 - 24 injuries, 10 deaths
2016 - 23 injuries, 04 deaths
2015 - 16 injuries, 03 deaths