The ex-racing greyhounds being abandoned at animal rescue centres by greyhound trainers are in horrendous conditions - listen to rescue centre worker, Emma, speaking on the Niall Boylan shown on Classic Hits FM (3 July 2019).
Emma told listeners that there is a “conveyor belt” of greyhounds being abandoned at a rescue centre in Galway and that it’s the same greyhound trainers bringing dogs in over and over again. “It’s the same people and it’s a constant supply,” she stated.
She described the awful condition of many of the greyhounds due to the fact that heartless trainers don’t want to spend money on treating them.
“The majority of greyhounds coming in to us are riddled with fleas,” she said. “They are skinny. They have wounds on them. Many come in with bite marks on them. We get so many injured greyhounds. There is a majority of trainers who won’t be bothered to fix that injury...”
She said it is very difficult to find homes for rescued greyhounds here - “I’m in our rescue 15 years and in all those years, we have probably homed 10 greyhounds in Ireland.”
“I’d like to see a full ban on [greyhound racing]” she added.
Similar shocking accounts have come from other rescue centres around the country. Among the greyhounds saved was one infested with fleas and worms and whose ribcage was protruding.
Speaking on RTE’s Drivetime in December 2016, a representative of the Greyhound Rescue Association of Ireland provided sickening details of a greyhound who had suffered a broken leg and received no treatment - "She had a broken leg that had never received veterinary attention. At some point, maybe when she was training for the track or when she was being used for hunting or coursing, she broke her leg and nobody took her to a vet."
Also highlighted on the programme was a greyhound rescued in the midlands who was emaciated, had mange, worms, fleas and "numerous scars and scrapes all over her body".
Similar accounts have come from veterinary workers who have witnessed the appalling state of surrendered greyhounds.
One former Irish veterinary clinic worker stated earlier this year: “I worked in a local vet for three years and I have seen plenty of NEARLY DEAD GREYHOUNDS being dumped at the vet's door once their racing life is over. I know some of the dogs are well cared for but most are not.”
Meanwhile, an Irish greyhound sales agent was fined and warned off by the Greyhound Board of Great Britain after he was found to have caused "extreme suffering" to greyhounds - including one described as "A SKELETON ON LEGS". The greyhounds had been transported from Cork to a greyhound track in Yorkshire where they were offered for sale. A vet who examined 15 of the greyhounds found:
- Five seriously underweight, with three cases with suspected worm infestation.
- All 15 were flea infested, some heavily so.
- Five greyhounds had longstanding, untreated wounds, either caused or aggravated by self mutilation, probably in response to flea infestation.
- Two had multiple pressure sores.
- One had urine scalding to both hocks.
- Six were dehydrated.
For more information, see https://www.facebook.com/banbloodsports/posts/2075890395859841
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
STOP THE STATE FUNDING FOR GREYHOUND RACING
Since 2001, the Irish Government has paid out around a quarter of a billion euros of taxpayers' money to greyhound racing, including €16.8 million for 2019. Following the shocking RTE Investigates revelations about cruelty and killing, it is time for these grants to be finally ended. Not a single cent more of public funds should end up in this shameful industry. 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
Email “I support an end to all state funding to the cruel greyhound industry and a ban on hare coursing” to all Fine Gael TDs
maria.bailey@oireachtas.ie; sean.barrett@oireachtas.ie; pat.breen@oireachtas.ie; colm.brophy@oireachtas.ie; richard.bruton@oireachtas.ie; peter.burke@oireachtas.ie; catherine.byrne@oireachtas.ie; Ciaran.Cannon@oireachtas.ie; joe.carey@oireachtas.ie; corcorankennedy@eircom.net; Simon.Coveney@oireachtas.ie; michael.creed@oireachtas.ie; michael.darcy@oireachtas.ie; Jim.Daly@oireachtas.ie; john.deasy@oireachtas.ie; Pat.Deering@oireachtas.ie; Regina.Doherty@oireachtas.ie; Paschal.Donohoe@oireachtas.ie; andrew.doyle@oireachtas.ie; bernard.durkan@oireachtas.ie; damien.english@oireachtas.ie; Alan.Farrell@oireachtas.ie; frances.fitzgerald@oir.ie; peterm.fitzpatrick@oireachtas.ie; charles.flanagan@oireachtas.ie; Brendan.Griffin@oireachtas.ie; Simon.Harris@oireachtas.ie; Martin.Heydon@oireachtas.ie; Heather.Humphreys@oireachtas.ie; paul.kehoe@oireachtas.ie; enda.kenny@oireachtas.ie; Sean.Kyne@oireachtas.ie; josepha.madigan@oireachtas.ie; helen.mcentee@oireachtas.ie; joe.mchugh@oireachtas.ie; Tony.McLoughlin@oireachtas.ie; Mary.MitchellOConnor@oireachtas.ie; Dara.Murphy@oireachtas.ie; Eoghan.Murphy@oireachtas.ie; hildegarde.naughton@oireachtas.ie; tom.neville@limerick.ie; michael.noonan@oireachtas.ie; kate.oconnell@oireachtas.ie; Patrick.O'Donovan@oireachtas.ie; fergus.odowd@oireachtas.ie; JohnPaul.Phelan@oireachtas.ie; michael.ring@oireachtas.ie; noel@noelrock.ie; david.stanton@oir.ie; leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie
Email “I support an end to all state funding to the cruel greyhound industry and a ban on hare coursing” to all Fianna Fáil TDs
billykelleher@eircom.net;sean.haughey@oireachtas.ie;Bobby.Aylward@oireachtas.ie;brendan.smith@oireachtas.ie;johncurranff@gmail.com;Charlie.McConalogue@oireachtas.ie;michael.mcgrath@oireachtas.ie;sean.ofearghail@oireachtas.ie;john.brassil@oireachtas.ie;darragh.obrien@oireachtas.ie;eamon.ocuiv@oireachtas.ie;jackie.cahill@oireachtas.ie;john.mcguinness@oireachtas.ie;mattie.mcgrath@oireachtas.ie;micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie;michael.moynihan.td@oireachtas.ie;niall.collins@oireachtas.ie;coper@eircom.net;Robert.Troy@oireachtas.ie;thomas.byrne@oireachtas.ie;timmy.dooley@oireachtas.ie;barry.cowen@oireachtas.ie;fiona@fiona.ie;declan.breathnach@oireachtas.ie;mary.butler@oireachtas.ie;kevin.okeeffe@oireachtas.ie;dara.calleary@oireachtas.ie;escanlonmcc@eircom.net;sean.fleming@oireachtas.ie;niamh.smyth@oireachtas.ie;james@jameslawless.ie;shane.cassells@oireachtas.ie;willie.odea@oireachtas.ie;margaret.murphyomahony@oireachtas.ie;anne.rabbitte@oireachtas.ie;eugene.murphy@oireachtas.ie;jack.chambers@outlook.com;james.browne@oireachtas.ie;john.lahart@oireachtas.ie;lisa.chambers@oireachtas.ie;marc.macsharry@oireachtas.ie;jim.ocallaghan@oireachtas.ie;pat.casey@oireachtas.ie;aindrias.moynihan@oireachtas.ie;frankorourke1@gmail.com
Visit the Oireachtas website for more telephone numbers and other contact details for TDs
https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/tds/?term=/ie/oireachtas/house/dail/32
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
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
TELL SPONSORS TO STOP THEIR SPONSORSHIP.
Boycott businesses which continue to support cruel greyhound racing and/or coursing.
Please get in contact with Glanbia and ask it to permanently end all sponsorship/support of greyhound racing and hare coursing.
Jim Bergin
CEO, Glanbia
Glanbia House,
Kilkenny, Ireland
Telephone: +353 (0)56-777 2200
Email: corporatecomms@glanbia.com, info@gainanimalnutrition.com
Tweet to: @GlanbiaPlc
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GAINpetnutrition/
Urge Boylesports and Ladbrokes to immediately end their sponsorship
BoyleSports
Tel: 1800 22 00 66
Email: care@boylesports.com
Leave a comment on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/boylesports/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BoyleSports
Ladbrokes
Leave a comment on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ladbrokes/
Twitter @Ladbrokes ?@LadbrokesCare
Appeal to the Kerry Group (the company behind Pure sunflower/soya spread, Dairygold, LowLow, etc) to stop sponsoring greyhound racing.
Kerry Group
Phone: +353 (0)66 718 2000
Prince’s Street, Tralee, Co. Kerry
Email VIA: https://www.kerrygroup.com/help/contact-form/
Sign and share our other petitions
Stop supporting the cruel greyhound industry
https://www.change.org/p/stop-supporting-the-cruel-greyhound-industry
Last September, ICABS identified 30 Supervalu supermarkets around Ireland which had sponsored greyhound racing over the past decade - https://www.facebook.com/banbloodsports/posts/1857546281027588 We contacted Supervalu Head Office with information about all the dog injuries and deaths in greyhound racing and urged the company to act. We received no response. It's time for Supervalu to take action to stop its local stores from supporting greyhound racing again. See sickening footage from Enniscorthy track of a greyhound suffering a bad fall at the end of a race sponsored by a Supervalu supermarket - https://www.igb.ie/videos/videos/?raceid=ECY_2018_08_23_02 (forward to 30 seconds)
SuperValu Head Office
Musgrave Limited,
Ballycurreen, Airport Road, Cork
Tel +353 (0) 21 4522100
Email: supervalu@musgravegroup.com; group@musgrave.ie
Comment on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SuperValuIreland/
Tweet to @SuperValuIRL
ALSO CONTACT THESE COMPANIES WHICH SUPPORT GREYHOUND RACING IN 2019
(Source: Irish Greyhound Board)
https://www.igb.ie/talking-dogs/igb-finalises-classic--feature-events-calendar-for-2019/
Marshes Shopping Centre Dundalk
www.facebook.com/MarshesShoppingCentre/
Tweet to: @MarshesShopping
Telephone: (042) 939 5250
Flaherty Markets Galway
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Flaherty-Markets-230607914545890/
Email: info@flahertymarkets.com
Telephone: (091)756000
Dublin Coach
Facebook: www.facebook.com/DublinCoach/
Tweet to: @DublinCoach1
Email: info@dublincoach.ie
Telephone: (01) 465 9972
QuickPark.ie (car park at Dublin Airport)
Facebook: www.facebook.com/quickparkDublinAirport/
Email: info@quickpark.ie
Telephone: (01) 8621977
Kasko dog food
Email: information@kasko.ie
Telephone: (062) 61240
Thurles Fresh Milk
Facebook: www.facebook.com/thurlesfreshmilk1/
Telephone: 0504 22657 / HQ: 0504 91900
Speedrite dog food
Facebook: www.facebook.com/NuttsAboutPets/
Email: sales@nuttsaboutpets.ie
Telephone: (057) 915 3572
Casey's Caravan and Camping
Telephone: (058) 41919
Lee Strand
www.facebook.com/leestrandmilk/
Tweet to: @LeeStrandMilk
Email: info@leestrand.ie
Telephone: (066) 712 1084
Kerry Group
Telephone: (066) 718 2000
Best Car Parks
Tweet to: @bestcarparks
Email: info@bestcarparks.ie
Telephone: (01) 878 2074
Comerford Cakes (Comerford Brothers Ltd.)
Telephone: (045) 431 203
MORE CONTACT DETAILS FOR SPONSORS
(Thanks to Greyhound Awareness Cork)
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1RcaLYDWxuVAjLnF1N4q-twxK5jfixk7NZ_BTA_AvIow/edit?fbclid=IwAR3R9Yg_U_EVNBjFPHmUc9crRblncNDfflrUD21ZIXSo4TvzaQdyGtSa4MI#gid=0
URGE THE ROSE OF TRALEE TO DISASSOCIATE FROM GREYHOUND RACING
Contact the Rose of Tralee festival committee and urge them to show compassion and permanently disassociate from cruel greyhound racing - no more acceptance of sponsorship from a greyhound track and no Rose events at tracks.
Tel: +353 (0)66 712 1322
Email: info@roseoftralee.ie
Comment on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/roseoftraleefestival
Tweet to @RoseofTralee_
Watch the full “RTE Investigates Greyhounds Running for Their Lives” programme on the RTE Player
https://www.rte.ie/player/movie/rt%C3%A9-investigates-greyhounds-running-for-their-lives/104051751967
or on Youtube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYTb2qBjlMM