A 1-year-old greyhound suffered a heart attack and died during a race at Clonmel track, the Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed has confirmed. The greyhound, named Darty Talk, collapsed at the finishing line during the 4th May race and fell head-first to the ground. It was her first race. Race footage on the Irish Greyhound Board Youtube channel shows the moment the animal collapses https://youtu.be/EAX_ZeVgvIA?t=35s Responding to a Dail Question from Clare Daly TD yesterday, Agriculture Minister Michael Creed (who has shamefully approved millions of euros of funding for the greyhound industry) stated: "Bord na gCon [Irish Greyhound Board] has informed me that on the 4th May 2018 the greyhound 'Darty Talk' competed in the seventh race at Clonmel track. The report from the Bord na gCon Stipendiary Steward officiating that night, indicated the dog led for most of the race but collapsed and died approaching the winning line. The vet on duty confirmed a 'heart attack' as the cause of death." As the greyhound died, a man could be seen running in the direction of the animal as the race commentator announced the next race and a "greyhounds as pets" website address. Details of the race on the Irish Greyhound Board website gives no indication whatsoever that Darty Talk died. According to the IGB race results, she finished the race in fifth position, with a time of 29.91 seconds and zero prize money. Darty Talk is one of countless victims of the cruel greyhound industry. In the past three years, over 1,000 greyhounds have suffered injuries at tracks around the country and 385 have been killed by track vets. An estimated 10,000 more go missing each year - presumed killed when found to be too slow to win races. Greyhounds are also dying in local dog pounds. 80 were destroyed in pounds last year, bringing to 2,729 the number killed in pounds in the past eight years. Clonmel greyhound track is one of the majority of remaining tracks that are loss-making. Last year, Minister Creed refused to say how much of a massive interest-free loan was paid back by Clonmel track. Minister Creed cited "commercial sensitivity" in reply to a Dail question from Clare Daly TD who asked him to confirm the size of the loan and the amount paid back to-date. The Sunday Business Post reported in 2015 that the amount handed over by the taxpayer-funded Irish Greyhound Board to the private company which operates the "loss-making greyhound track" in Clonmel was €250,000. The Irish Greyhound Owners and Breeders federation revealed this time last year that "Clonmel greyhound track is in serious trouble". ACTION ALERT Say NO to the greyhound industry - don't attend races or fund-raisers held at greyhound tracks (these are a significant source of funding for the greyhound industry). Distribute our "6 reasons to say NO to greyhound racing" leaflet outside greyhound tracks to encourage people to show compassion and boycott greyhound racing. You can download the leaflet at http://www.banbloodsports.com/ln170616.htm or order copies by emailing info@banbloodsports.com Encourage your local animal protection groups to join calls for an end to greyhound racing, given the cruelty and killing involved. The cruel and crumbling 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 end funding to the greyhound industry and instead direct the money to charities 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 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 Stop supporting the cruel greyhound industry https://www.change.org/p/stop-supporting-the-cruel-greyhound-industry GAA: Stop club fundraisers at greyhound tracks https://www.change.org/p/gaa-stop-club-fundraisers-at-greyhound-tracks DAIL QUESTION AND ANSWER 13/06/2018 QUESTION Clare Daly TD: To ask the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine the injuries sustained by a dog (details supplied) at the Clonmel track on 4 May 2018; and if the dog was euthanised by a vet at the track that day. (Details Supplied) Greyhound Darty Talk REPLY Agriculture Minister Michael Creed: Bord na gCon is a commercial State Body, established under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958, chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry. Bord na gCon is a body corporate and a separate entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Bord na gCon has informed me that on the 4th May 2018 the greyhound 'Darty Talk' competed in the seventh race at Clonmel track. The report from the Bord na gCon Stipendiary Steward officiating that night, indicated the dog led for most of the race but collapsed and died approaching the winning line. The vet on duty confirmed a 'heart attack' as the cause of death.