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A greyhound trainer has been fined €5,500 and issued with an Exclusion Order after four greyhounds tested positive for prohibited substances "that can raise serious issues for the greyhound industry".
Greyhound owner and trainer Laurence Jones of Corduff, Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan appeared before Greyhound Racing Ireland’s Control Committee.
Its August 2022 report reveals that:
6a-Hydroxystanozolol was detected in greyhound Gut Feeling at Shelbourne Park Stadium on 15th August, 2020 where he finished last in the “2020 Boylesports Irish Greyhound Derby Round 1 Heat 14” race. The same substance was found in the greyhound at Jones' registered kennels three months later on 16th November, 2020.
6a-Hydroxystanozolol was also detected in greyhound Duck And Dive at Shelbourne Park Stadium on 5th September 2020 and 10th October 2020 and also at Jones' registered kennels on 16th November 2020.
6a-Hydroxystanozolol was also detected in greyhound Fort Light at Jones' registered kennels on 16th November 2020.
19-Norepiandrosterone and 19-Norethiocholanolone were detected in Darsup (a greyhound used in hare coursing) at Jones' registered kennels on 16th November 2020.
At the virtual hearing, the Control Committee commented that it was “conscious that the substances detected were very significant substances that can raise serious issues for the greyhound industry as well as for the individual involved” and went on to say that “having considered all of the evidence tendered in relation to these matters noted there were seven cases before it involving one person and the Committee had to deal with these matters in a way that respected proportionality”. https://www.grireland.ie/globalassets/rescource-centre/reports/control/august-2022.pdf#page=2
The Control Committee imposed the following fines on Jones:
€1,500 in relation to the detection of 6a-Hydroxystanozolol in Gut Feeling at Shelbourne Park on 15th August 2020, with the prizemoney of €20 forfeited. It said that “the subsequent Adverse Analytical Finding reported from this greyhound on the 16th of November, 2020 was taken into consideration in the making of the fine of €1,500”.
€1,500 in relation to the detection of 6a-Hydroxystanozolol in Duck And Dive at Shelbourne Park on 5th September 2020. It said that “the subsequent Adverse Analytical Findings reported from this greyhound on 10th of October, 2020 and on the 16th of November, 2020 were taken into consideration in the making of the fine of €1,500”. Race prizemoney of €75 and €20 was forfeited.
€1,500 in relation to the detection of 6a-Hydroxystanozolol in Fort Light at Jones's kennels on 16th November 2020.
€1,000 in relation to the detection of 19-Norepiandrosterone and 19-Norethiocholanolone in Darsup at Jones's kennels on 16th November 2020.
An Exclusion Order was also issued against Jones. This prohibits him from “being on any greyhound race track, being at any authorised coursing meeting, being at any public sale of greyhounds.”
The Greyhound Racing Ireland website shows that Laurence Jones has entered greyhounds into 1,604 races, with 321 race wins.
The most recent race was on 3 September 2022 at Dundalk Stadium. “Recently raced greyhounds currently owned by Laurence Jones” are listed as: Corduff Captain, Corduff Man, Fernisky Sky, Foggy Bottom, Forgotten King, Move It Molly, Potato Man, Show Boy, Sugar Flame, Tied The Knot, Truly Special and Well Met.
Gut Feeling is not on the list. Following the 15th August 2020 test at Shelbourne Park, he has not been used in races. He was trialled at Dundalk track on 13 October 2020, 25 May 2021 and 9 September 2021 and there are no further details on him.
Duck And Dive has not been used in racing since the 10 October 2020 test at Shelbourne Park. He was last seen in a trial at Dundalk track on 9 September 2021.
A page for Fort Light has been removed from the Greyhound Racing Ireland website. It listed the dog’s owner as “Mr Brian Mann”.
Greyhound Darsup was used in hare coursing. A report in the Dundalk Democrat (30 December 2019) outlined how the dog - trained by Laurence Jones and “owned by the Wexford-born, Cavan-based Tom Walsh” - was used at the Dundalk & Dowdallshill coursing meeting in December 2019. She was also trialled at Longford, Shelbourne Park and Dundalk tracks in March 2020.
Gut Feeling, Duck And Dive, Fort Light and Darsup are among a growing list of greyhounds who have tested positive for prohibited substances around Ireland. See below for more details.
ACTION ALERT
Don’t go greyhound racing. Please join us in urging the government to STOP the massive grants that are propping up this cruel, dog-killing gambling activity. Since 2001, Greyhound Racing Ireland has received €309 million in funding, including €16.8 million for 2020, €19.2 million for 2021 and €17.6 million for 2022. This is unacceptable and must be stopped.
Please contact your local TDs and urge them to oppose 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 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
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Eamon Ryan TD
Leader, Green Party
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Mary Lou McDonald TD
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Ivana Bacik TD
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“Stop state funding to cruel greyhound racing” – Email all Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, Green Party, Sinn Fein and Labour Party TDs.
Fianna Fáil TDs
john.mcguinness@oireachtas.ie; niamh.smyth@oireachtas.ie; brendan.smith@oireachtas.ie; aindrias.moynihan@oireachtas.ie; michael.moynihan.td@oireachtas.ie; micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie; michael.mcgrath@oireachtas.ie; Charlie.McConalogue@oireachtas.ie; sean.haughey@oireachtas.ie; jim.ocallaghan@oireachtas.ie; darragh.obrien@oireachtas.ie; jack@jackchambers.ie; anne.rabbitte@oireachtas.ie; eamon.ocuiv@oireachtas.ie; james.lawless@oireachtas.ie; sean.ofearghail@oireachtas.ie; sean.fleming@oireachtas.ie; barry.cowen@oireachtas.ie; willie.odea@oireachtas.ie; niall.collins@oireachtas.ie; Robert.Troy@oireachtas.ie; dara.calleary@oireachtas.ie; thomas.byrne@oireachtas.ie; marc.macsharry@oireachtas.ie; jackie.cahill@oireachtas.ie; mary.butler@oireachtas.ie; james.browne@oireachtas.ie; jennifer.murnaneoconnor@oireachtas.ie; cathal.crowe@oireachtas.ie; james.oconnor@oireachtas.ie; padraig.osullivan@oireachtas.ie; christopher.osullivan@oireachtas.ie; paul.mcauliffe@oireachtas.ie; john.lahart@oireachtas.ie; cormac@cormacdevlin.ie; normafoley1@eircom.net; joe.flaherty@oireachtas.ie; Stephen.Donnelly@oireachtas.ie
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ossian.smyth@oireachtas.ie
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Labour Party TDs
sean.sherlock@oireachtas.ie; aodhan.oriordain@oireachtas.ie; duncan.smith@oireachtas.ie; gerald.nash@oireachtas.ie; Alan.Kelly@oireachtas.ie; brendan.howlin@oireachtas.ie; ivana.bacik@oireachtas.ie
Please sign and share the 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
SEE ALSO:
Watch RTE’s award-winning “Greyhounds Running For Their Lives” documentary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYTb2qBjlMM
Greyhound injuries and deaths at tracks around Ireland
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2019/03/27/greyhound-injuries-and-deaths-at-irish-greyhound-tracks/
Irish Government grants to greyhound racing
2001 €11,777,583
2002 €13,613,163
2003 €12,837,200
2004 €13,382,800
2005 €13,670,000
2006 €14,012,000
2007 €14,572,000
2008 €15,257,000
2009 €13,625,600
2010 €11,852,800
2011 €11,460,000
2012 €11,258,000
2013 €11,004,000
2014 €10,844,000
2015 €13,600,000
2016 €14,800,000
2017 €16,000,000
2018 €16,000,000
2019 €16,800,000
2020 €16,800,000
2021 €19,200,000
2022 €17,600,000
Total: €309,966,146 / €309 million / €0.309 billion
Source: Department of Agriculture
Greyhounds who have tested positive for prohibited substances include…
- On 19 March 2022, prohibited substances 19‐Norepiandrosterone and 19‐Norethiocholanolone were detected in greyhound Danesrath Paris at Waterford’s Kilcohan Park stadium. On the day, the greyhound finished second in the “Greyhound Extreme & W.T.S.C A3 525” race.
- On 19th March 2022, Naproxen was detected in greyhound “Gower Jet” who won a race at Limerick Stadium. The dog whose registered owner is listed as Mrs Anna Carey finished first in “The Liffey Mills A5 525 Final”, with prize money of €1,250.
- On 19th March 2022, Guaiphenesin was found in greyhound “Slaheny Mags” who was tested at Limerick Stadium. The greyhound won the “MOET Accountants A6/A7 525 Final” race, with prize money of €1,250.
– On 21st December 2021, Meloxicam was detected in 2-year-old greyhound Ardfert Pope, whose owners are listed as Adrian Clifford and John Paul Leen. On that date, the greyhound finished third in a race at Tralee track.
– On 9th December 2021, Sildenafil was detected in 2-year-old greyhound “On The Lake” at Limerick stadium. The dog, whose registered owner was listed as John Ryan, finished second in a race on the night, with winnings of €65. The greyhound was raced once more at Limerick Stadium on 10 January 2022 before being exported to the UK.
– Ibuprofen was found in Tullig Puma (registered owner: Patrick Condon) who finished second in the “SIS Racing at Limerick A5/A6 525” race at Limerick stadium on 11th November 2021.
– Ibuprofen was found in greyhound “Brexit Polka” (registered owner: John O’Connell) at Tralee track on 6th November 2021. The dog finished fourth in the “RCETS Traceability App Stakes Round 1” race.
– Carprofen was detected in 2-year-old greyhound “Generous Angel” at Shelbourne Park stadium on 9th October 2021.
– Guaifenesin was detected in greyhound Glentara Kid at Thurles Greyhound Stadium on 25 September 2021. On the day, the dog was listed as “Lot 56” in a greyhound sale auction at the track but was not sold.
– Acetaminophen was detected in a sample taken from Rowlers Road at Shelbourne Park stadium on 17 September 2021. He finished fifth in the “2021 SIS Juvenile Derby 525 Round 1 Heat 7” race.
– Oxazepam was detected in greyhound Colmyard Pulse (registered owner listed as Michael Collins) at Thurles track on 7th August 2021. Colmyard Pulse was “slow away” in the race at Thurles track and finished third, with winnings of €40. He was raced again at Thurles a week later when he finished last.
– Codeine and Acetaminophen were found in two greyhounds in Wexford on 7 July 2021. The prohibited substances were detected in samples taken from 2-year-old greyhound “Romantic Raja” (registered owner: Myles-Family-Syndicate) and 15-month-old “One for George” (registered owner: Mrs Deirdre Myles and Mr Mark Mulholland) at an unspecified location in Wexford. Commenting on this finding, greyhound campaign group CAGED Nationwide stated: “Codeine and Acetaminophen – both drugs can result in horrific side effects and can prove fatal when given to dogs. Greyhounds can be particularly susceptible to side effects or fatality due to their physiology.”
– Amphetamine was found in greyhound Boher Recruit at Tralee track on 22 January 2021.
– 6α‐hydroxystanozolol was detected in a greyhound Gut Feeling (owned by a Mr Laurence Jones) who finished last in a “Boylesports Irish Greyhound Derby Round 1” race at Shelbourne Park on August 15th 2020.
– On September 5th at Shelbourne Park, 6α‐hydroxystanozolol was detected in greyhound, Duck And Dive, who finished third in the “Talking Dogs Open 550” race. According to the adverse analytical finding report, this dog is co-owned by Laurence Jones.
– In September 2020, prohibited substance Acetaminophen was detected in greyhound Pentire at Enniscorthy track. He finished second in the “Try a Trio Bet 600” race and hasn’t been seen at a track since.
– Frusemide was detected in greyhound Suirview Emma at a trial on 9th June 2020 at Waterford stadium.
– Firocoxib was found in a urine sample from greyhound Colarhouse Super at Dundalk Stadium on 1st February 2020.
– Carprofen was detected in greyhound Looney Mctoe at Shelbourne Park on 19 November 2019. On the night, the 2-year-old dog finished third in the “Barking Buzz A6/A7 525 Semi-Final” race.
– The hydrolysis of a human medication “with performance enhancing effects when administered to a racing greyhound” was found in a urine sample taken from greyhound Rising Flash at Dundalk Stadium on 25th October 2019. On the night, the greyhound finished last in the “Last Chance To Back A Winner A3 525” race.
– The hydrolysis product of Naftldrofuryl was found in a urine sample taken from greyhound Fionn Caoimhin at Shelbourne Park Stadium on 22nd October 2019.
– Propranolol – a “serious substance that has the potential to slow a greyhound down” was found in greyhound Yesterdays News who finished last in the “Tote Trio Pool 525” race at Tralee Greyhound Stadium on the 22nd September, 2019.
– The active ingredient in Viagra was detected in a greyhound at Limerick stadium during the summer. Sildenafil, was found in greyhound Makingtherunning according to the Irish Greyhound Board’s November 2019 “Adverse Analytical Findings” report. The detection was made at Limerick stadium on 24th August 2019 after the greyhound finished third in the “Bet Into Shelbourne Park S7 Lower 350” race. https://youtu.be/tuRD_iQ4CFw
– Naproxen was detected in a sample taken from greyhound Grahams Star at Galway Stadium on 31st July 2019. The greyhound finished last in the “GAIN INTERTRACK CHALLENGE ROUND 6″ – one of a series of races sponsored by Glanbia’s GAIN brand.
– Ibuprofen was also found in a sample taken from greyhound Cricket Field at Dundalk stadium on 12th July 2019. The greyhound finished last in the “Fanfruit Ltd Open 600” race. The owner was fined just €200.
– Amphetamine was found in a urine sample taken from greyhound Night Time Mammy at Newbridge track on 31 May 2019. The GRI website shows that the greyhound finished first in the “Troy Electrical & NTSC Tri Distance A3/4 Final” race, with winnings of €1,600. Appearing before the Control Committee, the greyhound’s owner, Donal Brennan, “stated at the outset that he was taking full responsibility for the adverse analytical finding”. He was fined just €500.
– Acepromazine was found in a sample taken from greyhound Confey Bay at Mullingar stadium on 16th February 2019. The greyhound was “an extremely nervous and ‘hyperactive’ greyhound” and a tablet, containing the prohibited substance, was given to the greyhound “to calm her down”. The owner/trainer was fined just €300 and the €50 prize money was forfeited.
– Acetaminophen and Codeine were found in a sample taken from greyhound Our Ellas Prince at Shelbourne Park stadium on 25th June 2019. “The Control Committee noted that [owner] Mr Houston stated in his evidence that he had administered Paracetamol tablets to the greyhound as pain relief medication. He was unaware at the time that Paracetamol was a prohibited substance…The Control Committee accepted the explanation tendered by Mr Houston and the Committee was satisfied Mr Houston did not administer the medication to the greyhound to enhance the greyhounds [sic] performance. Having taken all the circumstances into consideration, including the excellent level of co-operation received from Mr Houston, the Control Committee decided not to impose a fine on Mr Houston. The prize money of €255 won by the greyhound Our Ellas Prince in the event in question is forfeited.”
– Ibuprofen was found in a sample taken from greyhound Slippy Ned at Tralee stadium on 29th March 2019. The owner was fined just €200 and the €200 prize money was forfeited.
– Ibuprofen – “a therapeutic human medication which is not licensed for canine veterinary use” – was found in a sample taken from greyhound Finnery Loch at Lifford stadium on 16th March 2019. The owner, from whom there was a “lack of co-operation” was fined just €300
– Ibuprofen was found in a sample taken from greyhound Beaming Rainbow at Dundalk stadium on 16th March 2019. The owner was fined just €200 and “the prize money of €50 won by the greyhound Beaming Rainbow in the event in question is forfeited”.
– Ibuprofen was found in a sample taken from greyhound Some Ginger at Dundalk stadium on 8th February 2019. According to owner Adrian Markey, “the greyhound was being treated for a muscle injury with Ibuprofen Gel the week before the race. On changing the greyhound’s bedding the week after the race, Mr Markey said he found a tube of Ibuprofen Gel that the greyhound had chewed on unknown to Mr Markey”. The owner was fined just €200.
Read the Adverse Analytical Findings reports at
https://www.grireland.ie/Resource/adverse-analytical-findings/