The Irish Greyhound Board is continuing to hide video footage of greyhounds suffering bad falls at tracks around the country.
The latest attempt by the IGB to keep footage from the public relates to a race at Enniscorthy track on Thursday, 16th January, when 2 greyhounds were knocked over at the first bend. Video footage capturing the moment greyhounds Jovial Bob and Harriestown Star fell during Race 5 has been withheld.
So too has footage for Race 2 at Enniscorthy track on the same night when greyhound Rathbally Rory "did not finish" the race.
Race footage is also missing for the following past races at Enniscorthy track
- Race 4 at Enniscorthy track, 30 September 2019 - Greyhound Likeable Quiff was knocked over and "did not finish" the race. The 2-year-old greyhound has not been raced since. A week after the fall, she was run in a trial at Shelbourne Park and again, she "did not finish".
- Race 1 at Enniscorthy track, 21 December 2018 - Gortin Shift was knocked over at the first bend and "did not finish" the race. He has not been raced since.
Dogs suffer and die at Enniscorthy track. 90 greyhounds suffered injuries there and 20 were killed by a track vet over the past five years alone, sickening Irish Greyhound Board statistics show.
1,400 have signed a petition calling for the closure of Enniscorthy track - https://www.change.org/p/animal-lovers-and-wildlife-rescuers-close-enniscorthy-greyhound-racing-track
In November, Agriculture Minister Michael Creed was questioned about the withholding of race footage by the Irish Greyhound Board.
Maureen O'Sullivan TD (Dublin Central, Independent) asked Minister Creed “if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Irish Greyhound Board is attempting to hide incidents involving dogs falling and suffering injuries by withholding race footage from its website [and] if he will direct it to publish the footage”.
Responding, Minister Creed stated: “Bord na gCon [Irish Greyhound Board] have informed the Department that, although it broadcasts all races at Bord na gCon licensed stadia, there is no regulatory or legislative requirement on Bord na gCon to make all racing footage available on its website.” https://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2019-11-26a.945
Previously, the IGB attempted to hide a damning report which revealed that around 6,000 greyhounds are killed every year in Ireland because they are not fast enough to win races. The report’s contents were featured on the “RTE Investigates: Greyhounds Running for Their Lives” documentary, which can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYTb2qBjlMM
The IGB also tried to hide the fact that a greyhound (Ballymac Syd) collapsed from a heart attack and died at Shelbourne Park stadium in August. The death was revealed by the Greyhound Star website which reported: “The poor dog was having a heart attack. We managed to get him to the van and I started compressions but the tongue had already gone blue. He died shortly afterwards.” There was no mention on the IGB website of the heart attack or the dog dying. Incredibly, in a notice posted on the IGB website three days after Ballymac Syd died, the dog was listed among three dogs "withdrawn from the second round of the Boylesports Derby”. “In Heat 3, Ballymac Syd will be a non-runner from trap four,” the IGB website stated.
Among the footage unavailable on the IGB website:
Race 2 at Enniscorthy track, 16 January 2020 - Greyhound Rathbally Rory "did not finish" the race
Race 5 at Enniscorthy track, 16 January 2020 - Jovial Bob and Harriestown Star Were knocked over at the first bend
Race 8 at Shelbourne Park, 21st December 2019 - Greyhound Knocknarea Run was impeded and "did not finish" the race
Race 9 at Shelbourne Park, 21st December 2019 - Greyhounds Spots Trend, Knight Rocker and Boyhero were knocked over at the first bend
Race 5 at Shelbourne Park, 7th December 2019 - Greyhound Mags Angel “did not finish” the race.
Race 12 at Shelbourne Park, 7th December 2019 - greyhound Catunda Logan was knocked over at the first bend and “did not finish” the race.
Race 6 at Limerick stadium, 5th December - greyhound Gurtnacrehy Leah did not finish the race.
Race 9 at Limerick stadium, 5th December - greyhound Clounanna Gilt was knocked over at the first bend and did not finish the race.
Race 4 at Limerick stadium, 5th December - greyhound Rockalong Xpress was knocked over at the first bend and did not finish the race.
Race 4 at Mullingar stadium, 1 December 2019 - greyhound Lingrawn Pearl “did not finish” the race.
Race 6 at Shelbourne Park on 15 November 2019 - greyhound Oakview Brae reportedly broke a hock. She has not been raced since.
Race 8 at Shelbourne Park, 12th November 2019 - Greyhound Nebula was knocked over and did not finish the race. She has not been raced since.
Race 12 at Shelbourne Park on 16 November 2019 - greyhound Droopys Oomph was knocked over at the first bend and “did not finish” the race. He has not been raced since.
Race 2 at Newbridge stadium on 11 October 2019 - greyhound Blacksmith Cardi knocked over and did not finish the race. She has not been raced since.
Race 4 at Enniscorthy track, 30 September 2019 - Greyhound Likeable Quiff was knocked over and "did not finish" the race. The 2-year-old greyhound has not been raced since. A week after the fall, she was run in a trial at Shelbourne Park and again, she "did not finish"
Race 7 at Shelbourne Park on 31 August 2019 - Three greyhounds were knocked over at the first bend during a Boylesports-sponsored race - one of them, Laughil Josh, “did not finish”.
Race 1 at Enniscorthy track, 21 December 2018 - Gortin Shift was knocked over at the first bend and "did not finish" the race. He has not been raced since.
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
Another €16.8 million of scarce public funds has been approved for greyhound racing for 2020 - despite opinion polls showing the a majority of citizens want the funding to stop. Since 2001, greyhound racing has received more than a quarter of a billion euros of taxpayers' money. Make this an election issue - ask candidates where they stand. Reject candidates who support greyhound racing and give your number 1 vote to any candidate who pledges to work to end greyhound racing, foxhunting, hare coursing, etc. Find out the views of candidates at
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2020/01/08/general-election-2020-candidates-and-animal-cruelty-issues/
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
INJURIES AND DEATHS AT ENNISCORTHY TRACK
2019 (January to September)
25 injuries, 4 deaths
2018
27 injuries, 1 death
2017
18 injuries, 4 deaths
2016
6 injuries, 5 deaths
2015
14 injuries, 6 deaths
REPORTED 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