The Irish Greyhound Board is continuing to hide video footage of greyhounds suffering falls at tracks around the country.
At Galway Stadium on 18th June - the first day of the resumption of racing after it was forced to shut down in March - greyhounds Bumblebee Malory and Drombeg Dream were knocked over at the first bend and did not record a race finishing time. Footage of the incident has been withheld from the IGB website.
As has footage of Race 3 at Enniscorthy track on the same evening. During that race, greyhound Cosy Flash was knocked over at the first bend and “did not finish” the race (suggesting an injury was sustained). Another greyhound who did not finish a race was 2-year-old Wexford Star who was “baulked” at the first bend. Footage for this race has also been withheld.
The following night at Shelbourne Park stadium, race footage is also absent for Race 4 during which greyhound Deadly Brooklyn was knocked over and apparently did not finish the race.
More video footage has been hidden from public view this week. No footage is available for Races 6 and 8 at Enniscorthy track on Monday 22 June when greyhounds were knocked over or baulked at the first bend.
In November, Agriculture Minister Michael Creed was questioned about the withholding of race footage by the Irish Greyhound Board.
Then TD, Maureen O'Sullivan, 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 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:
Enniscorthy track - 22 June 2020, Race 6 - Greyhound Cactus Arrow knocked over at the first bend.
Enniscorthy track - 22 June 2020, Race 8 - Greyhound Zoes Charm baulked at the first bend, with no finishing time recorded.
Shelbourne Park - 19 June 2020, Race 4 - Greyhound Deadly Brooklyn was knocked over at the first bend and apparently did not finish the race.
Enniscorthy track - 18 June 2020, Race 3 - Greyhound Cosy Flash was knocked over at the first bend and “did not finish” the race (suggesting an injury was sustained).
Enniscorthy track - 18 June 2020, Race 5 - Greyhound Wexford Star was “baulked” at the first bend and “did not finish” the race.
Galway Stadium - 18 June 2020, Race 10 - Bumblebee Malory and Drombeg Dream were knocked over at the first bend and did not record a race finishing time.
Shelbourne Park - 21 March 2020, Race 6 - Greyhounds Highview Audi and Nitro Jen were knocked over at the first bend
Curraheen Park - 21 February 2020, Race 6 - Greyhound Delighted stumbled and “did not finish”
Tralee stadium - 16 February 2020, Race 7 - Greyhound Manhattan Field fell at the third bend and "did not finish"
Enniscorthy track - 16 January 2020, Race 2 - Greyhound Rathbally Rory "did not finish" the race
Enniscorthy track - 16 January 2020, Race 5 - Jovial Bob and Harriestown Star Were knocked over at the first bend
Shelbourne Park - 21 December 2019, Race 8 - Greyhound Knocknarea Run was impeded and "did not finish" the race
Shelbourne Park - 21 December 2019, Race 9 - Greyhounds Spots Trend, Knight Rocker and Boyhero were knocked over at the first bend
Shelbourne Park - 7 December 2019, Race 5 - Greyhound Mags Angel “did not finish” the race.
Shelbourne Park - 7 December 2019, Race 12 - greyhound Catunda Logan was knocked over at the first bend and “did not finish” the race.
Limerick stadium - 5 December, Race 6 - greyhound Gurtnacrehy Leah did not finish the race.
Limerick stadium - 5 December, Race 9 - greyhound Clounanna Gilt was knocked over at the first bend and did not finish the race.
Limerick stadium - 5 December, Race 4 - greyhound Rockalong Xpress was knocked over at the first bend and did not finish the race.
Mullingar stadium - 1 December 2019, Race 4 - greyhound Lingrawn Pearl “did not finish” the race.
Shelbourne Park - 15 November 2019, Race 6 - greyhound Oakview Brae reportedly broke a hock. She has not been raced since.
Shelbourne Park - 12 November 2019, Race 8 - Greyhound Nebula was knocked over and did not finish the race. She has not been raced since.
Shelbourne Park - 16 November 2019, Race 12 - greyhound Droopys Oomph was knocked over at the first bend and “did not finish” the race. He has not been raced since.
Newbridge stadium - 11 October 2019, Race 2 - greyhound Blacksmith Cardi knocked over and did not finish the race. She has not been raced since.
Shelbourne Park - 31 August 2019, Race 7 - Three greyhounds were knocked over at the first bend during a Boylesports-sponsored race - one of them, LAUGHIL JOSH, “did not finish”.
Enniscorthy track - 30 September 2019, Race 4 - 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"
Enniscorthy track - 21 December 2018, Race 1 - 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. Since 2001, greyhound racing has received more than a quarter of a billion euros of taxpayers' money. Please contact your local TDs and demand that they vote against this funding. Visit the Oireachtas website for contact details for TDs https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/tds/?term=/ie/oireachtas/house/dail/33
Urge the leaders of Fine Gael and Fianna Fail (who back the grants every year) to stop the funding.
Leo Varadkar
Leader, Fine Gael
Government Buildings,
Upper Merrion St, Dublin 2
Telephone: 01-619 4020
Email: taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie; leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
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Micheál Martin
Leader, Fianna Fail
Constituency Office
137 Evergreen Road,
Turner’s Cross, Cork
Email: micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie
Phone: 021-432 0088
Leinster House: 01–618 3000
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