Greyhound Racing Ireland is hiding video footage of a race during which a young dog, who was being used in racing for the first time, suffered a fall and "did not finish".
The 18-month-old greyhound, named Rathin Special, was knocked over at the first bend on Saturday at Galway stadium.
Galway stadium is one of the worst tracks in Ireland for greyhound injuries and deaths.
At least 158 greyhounds suffered injuries there and 45 died or were destroyed by a track vet over the past seven years alone, sickening Greyhound Racing Ireland statistics show. In the same period at tracks around Ireland, at least 2,315 greyhounds suffered injuries and 788 died or were killed.
Among the victims at Galway stadium was a greyhound who could be heard crying out in agony after falling. 16-month-old “Ballycastle Val” collided with another greyhound and tumbled at the beginning of what was to be her first and final race. As the 5th January 2018 race continued, Ballycastle Val’s cries rang out around the stadium and are clearly audible in Greyhound Racing Ireland’s race footage. The footage was later removed from the website but may be viewed at https://streamable.com/4sbs4w
In recent months, Greyhound Racing Ireland has also hidden footage of dogs falling at Shelbourne Park, Kilkenny, Mullingar, Enniscorthy, Limerick, Waterford and Clonmel tracks.
Greyhound Racing Ireland has a history of hiding damning evidence. It attempted to bury a 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 report estimated that a total of 17,962 greyhounds were culled in 2013, 2014 and 2015. They were killed for “failure to produce qualifying times”, “failure to produce desired entry level times” and for an “unacceptable decline in performance”. Read the report at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1X94XJGXdHtxLvraoya5rP8NE48FkwxqQ/view
Previously, Greyhound Racing Ireland tried to hide the fact that a greyhound collapsed from a heart attack and died at Shelbourne Park. 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 GRI 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 GRI website stated.
It’s time for the Irish Government to stop the funding that’s propping up this cruel, dog-killing gambling activity. Please respond to the action alert below and help bring greyhound racing to an end in Ireland.
ACTION ALERT
STOP THE STATE FUNDING FOR GREYHOUND RACING
Another €19.2 million of scarce public funds has been granted to greyhound racing for 2021. 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 act to stop the the 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 Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, the Green Party, Sinn Fein and Labour to stop the funding and back a ban on cruel greyhound racing
Micheál Martin TD
Leader, Fianna Fail
Email: micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie; info@fiannafail.ie
Phone: 021-432 0088
Leinster House: 01–618 3000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michealmartintd/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@MichealMartinTD
Leo Varadkar TD
Leader, Fine Gael
Telephone: 01-619 4020
Email: leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
Tweet to: http://www.twitter.com/@LeoVaradkar
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeoVaradkar
Eamon Ryan TD
Leader, Green Party
Tel: 01 618 3894
Email: eamon.ryan@oireachtas.ie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EamonRyanGP/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EamonRyan
Mary Lou McDonald TD
Leader, Sinn Fein
Tel: (01) 727 7102
Email: marylou.mcdonald@oireachtas.ie
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaryLouMcDonald
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MaryLouMcDonaldTD
Alan Kelly TD
Leader, Labour Party
Tel: 067 34190
Email: alan.kelly@oir.ie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alankellytd/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/alankellylabour
Please sign and share 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
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
Please support our campaign with a donation
https://www.paypal.me/banbloodsports
Watch RTE’s award-winning "Greyhounds Running For Their Lives" documentary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYTb2qBjlMM