Oscar-nominated film director Lenny Abrahamson has condemned the massive state funding that is keeping the "BARBARIC" greyhound industry afloat.
In a tweet this week, Lenny stated: “Irish government support of the greyhound racing ‘industry’ is a NATIONAL MORAL STAIN and an APPALLING WASTE OF PUBLIC MONEY.”
Earlier, the award-winning director, who received a Best Director Oscar nomination for “Room”, tweeted that the rescued lurcher dog he adopted also supports an end to the funding - “Jake says he agrees that government funding for the barbaric greyhound racing industry should stop. He says ‘I’m adamant about it.’”
Thank you to Lenny and Jake for joining growing calls for an end to state's unacceptable funding for greyhound racing. Since 2001, around a quarter of a billion euros of taxpayers’ money has been handed over to the Irish Greyhound Board, including €16.8 million for 2019. Please respond to our action alert below and demand an immediate end to this funding.
Lenny Abrahamson has been speaking up for greyhounds for years. In 2011, he was among a group of 37 compassionate Irish actors/singers/directors who condemned the export of Irish greyhounds to China, describing a plan by the Irish Greyhound Board to develop and manage racetracks in China as cynical and sinister. In a letter published in the Irish Times, they denounced greyhound racing as a “cruel sport” and highlighted how greyhounds “are regularly subjected to neglect and abuse all over the world” - http://www.banbloodsports.com/ln160414.htm
Successfully appealing for the IGB to scrap its shameful plan to develop greyhound racing in China (a country with no animal welfare laws where dogs are brutally tortured and killed), they stated: “At this point in our country’s affairs, let us dispense with greed in favour of humanity”.
Lenny Abrahamson - who previously joined calls for a ban on cruel hare coursing - is a true friend of the animals, declaring: “I love animals - I always have”.
Last month, ahead of the announced fur farming ban, he urged the Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed to "BAN THE AWFUL PRACTICE OF FUR FARMING".
Last year, he encouraged people to adopt dogs from shelters instead of buying from breeders. On a visit to PAWS animal sanctuary in Tipperary, he said: “We need to move away from commercial breeding facilities. Growing up we always took in strays or dogs from shelters and people need to stop buying recklessly,”
URGENT ACTION ALERT
Say NO to the cruel greyhound industry - don't attend greyhound races or fundraisers/hen parties/office parties held at greyhound tracks
Join us in demanding an end to the government’s massive grants to the greyhound industry – €16.8 million for 2019, bringing to around a quarter of a billion euros the amount handed over since 2001. This must be ended. Contact Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe now.
An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar
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: @LeoVaradkar
Leave a comment on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/LeoVaradkar
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
Last November, the following 92 TDs voted in favour of another €16.8 million in funding for greyhound racing. Join us in contacting them and demanding an end to funding for an industry that causes so much suffering and death to dogs. Visit the Oireachtas website for names of TDs and their email addresses https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/tds/?term=/ie/oireachtas/house/dail/32
Bobby Aylward, Maria Bailey, Seán Barrett, John Brassil, Pat Breen, Colm Brophy, James Browne, Richard Bruton, Peter Burke, Mary Butler, Catherine Byrne, Dara Calleary, Seán Canney, Ciarán Cannon, Pat Casey, Shane Cassells, Lisa Chambers, Michael Collins, Niall Collins, Marcella Corcoran Kennedy, Simon Coveney, Barry Cowen, Michael Creed, John Curran, Michael D'Arcy, Jim Daly, Regina Doherty, Paschal Donohoe, Timmy Dooley, Bernard Durkan, Damien English, Alan Farrell, Frances Fitzgerald, Peter Fitzpatrick, Seán Fleming, Noel Grealish, Brendan Griffin, Michael Harty, Seán Haughey, Danny Healy-Rae, Michael Healy-Rae, Séamus Healy, Brendan Howlin, Paul Kehoe, Billy Kelleher, Alan Kelly, Seán Kyne, John Lahart, Michael Lowry, Marc MacSharry, Josepha Madigan, Micheál Martin, Helen McEntee, Finian McGrath, Mattie McGrath, Michael McGrath, John McGuinness, Joe McHugh, Tony McLoughlin, Mary Mitchell O'Connor, Kevin Moran, Aindrias Moynihan, Michael Moynihan, Margaret Murphy O'Mahony, Eoghan Murphy, Eugene Murphy, Hildegarde Naughton, Tom Neville, Carol Nolan, Michael Noonan, Darragh O'Brien, Jim O'Callaghan, Willie O'Dea, Patrick O'Donovan, Fergus O'Dowd, Kevin O'Keeffe, Fiona O'Loughlin, Frank O'Rourke, Jan O'Sullivan, Éamon Ó Cuív, Willie Penrose, Thomas Pringle, Michael Ring, Shane Ross, Brendan Ryan, Eamon Scanlon, Seán Sherlock, Brendan Smith, Niamh Smyth, David Stanton, Robert Troy, Katherine Zappone.
https://www.kildarestreet.com/debates/?id=2018-11-29a.238
Please sign and share our other 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
Contact the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Josepha Madigan, and urge her not to issue a licence for another season of cruel hare coursing.
Email "Stop the cruelty. Stop licensing cruel coursing" to
josepha.madigan@oireachtas.ie or
Phone: +353 (0)1 631 3800
Leave a comment on Facebook: https://facebook.com/JosephaMadiganFG
Tweet to: @josephamadigan
Sign the petition: IRELAND BAN CRUEL HARE COURSING
www.change.org/p/ireland-ban-cruel-hare-coursing