The Irish owner of a greyhound who was exported to Spain where he is believed to have suffered whippings, "complied with the Welfare of Greyhounds Act 2011 in the sale of the greyhound" - Agriculture Minister Michael Creed responding to a call for exports to Spain to be stopped.
In a Dail Question on Tuesday, Maureen O'Sullivan TD asked Minister Creed "if he will recommend an end to exports to Spain - a country where greyhounds are shot, hung from trees and mercilessly thrown down wells to die when they are deemed no longer useful".
The call follows a report that an Irish greyhound in “AN AWFUL CONDITION” was recently rescued from Spain.
“Josh - racing name ‘Daddys Cool’ is on his way to Birmingham greyhound protection from Spain,” Kerry Lawrence of Candy Cane Rescue said in a statement recently posted on Facebook. “Josh was exported to Spain nearly two years ago after a couple of races in Ireland. When we rescued him, he was in awful condition and the person who collected him believes he had been whipped on his body.”
She said he “now has his second chance - no thanks to the disgusting racing industry that do feck all about the dogs being exported.”
There is no indication on the Irish Greyhound Board website that Daddys Cool left Ireland or that there was a change in the registered owner https://www.igb.ie/results/greyhound-search/greyhound-details/?gid=DADDYS%20COOL The name of the owner on the IGB’s site is different to that on the Greyhound Data website, which puts the Irish dog’s “land of standing” as Spain http://www.greyhound-data.com/greyhound-modern/history.php?i=2298355
Before ending up in Spain, Daddys Cool raced three times in Tralee stadium in County Kerry. His last race in Ireland was on 23 February 2018 when he finished last.
Minister Michael Creed told Deputy O'Sullivan this week that "the movement of all breeds of dogs, including greyhounds, between EU member states is currently set at a European level rather than as a national measure in isolation [and] Bord na gCon continues to advise owners to only export to destinations that provide the expected levels of greyhound welfare through its Code of Practice which is monitored and updated regularly."
Advising owners is a farcical approach that will not stop the exports. Minister Creed is aware that Irish greyhounds are continuing to end up in hellholes in Spain, Pakistan and China. He maintains that the Irish Greyhoound Board "will continue to do everything possible within their remit to prevent exports of greyhounds to countries that do not have acceptable animal welfare regimes". However, it emerged last month that no meaningful action was taken against an individual described in the media as a "serial offender" when it comes to exporting Irish greyhounds to China.
Responding to a Dail Question from Tommy Broughan TD (Independent, Dublin Bay North), Minister Creed revealed that the Irish Greyhound Board merely "emphasised to the individual in question their responsibilities in exporting to destinations that do not provide the expected levels of greyhound welfare set out in its Code of Practice on the Care and Welfare of the Greyhound.” https://www.facebook.com/banbloodsports/photos/a.463548137094083/2497697743679102
Watch a video of rescued Josh / Daddys Cool at
https://www.facebook.com/kerry.elliman/videos/pcb.10218316046005058/10218316042684975
Find out more about Candy Cane Rescue
https://www.candycanerescue.org/
ACTION ALERT
Say NO to the cruel greyhound industry - don't attend greyhound races or fundraisers/hen parties/Christmas parties held at greyhound tracks
Please support the Greyhound Action Ireland / ICABS billboard advertising campaign on GoFundMe https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-fund-ban-greyhound-racing-billboards
STOP THE STATE FUNDING FOR GREYHOUND RACING
Contact Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe now and demand an end to state funding to greyhound racing.
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 petitions
Ireland - Ban cruel hare coursing
www.change.org/p/ireland-ban-cruel-hare-coursing
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
Tell Gain Pet Nutrition to Stop Sponsoring Greyhound Racing
https://www.change.org/p/jimtracy-glanbia-ie-tell-gain-pet-nutrition-to-stop-sponsoring-greyhound-racing
Contact the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Josepha Madigan, and urge her to permanently stop licensing cruel hare coursing.
Email: josepha.madigan@oireachtas.ie or
Phone: +353 (0)1 631 3800
Leave a comment on Facebook: https://facebook.com/JosephaMadiganFG
Tweet to: @josephamadigan
Watch RTE Investigates: Greyhounds Running for Their Lives to witness the horrors of greyhound racing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYTb2qBjlMM
DAIL QUESTION AND ANSWER
26 NOVEMBER 2019
QUESTION
Maureen O'Sullivan T.D. (Independent, Dublin Central): To ask the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the fact that an Irish greyhound that is believed to have suffered whippings has been rescued from Spain; if he will recommend an end to exports to Spain; and if he will make a statement on the matter. (Details Supplied) a country where greyhounds are shot, hung from trees and mercilessly thrown down wells to die when they are deemed no longer useful (details supplied) More details at https://www.facebook.com/banbloodsports/posts/2516156178499925
ANSWER
Michael Creed TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Fine Gael, Cork North West): 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 legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
Bord na gCon have informed me that they unreservedly condemn cruelty to any greyhound. They are aware of this case, and have confirmed that the greyhound’s Irish owner had complied with the Welfare of Greyhounds Act 2011 in the sale of the greyhound.
The movement of all breeds of dogs, including greyhounds, between EU member states is currently set at a European level rather than as a national measure in isolation. Bord na gCon continues to advise owners to only export to destinations that provide the expected levels of greyhound welfare through its Code of Practice which is monitored and updated regularly.
Bord na gCon have stated they will continue to do everything possible within their remit to prevent exports of greyhounds to countries that do not have acceptable animal welfare regimes.