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Another Irish greyhound has been shamefully exported to China. 3-year-old Gougane Jet is the latest greyhound to end up in the country with no animal welfare laws where dogs are beaten, boiled alive and hung on hooks at meat markets.
A photo of Gougane Jet now appears on a Chinese greyhound breeding website https://www.glqyy.com/h-pd-9694.html
"Sadly, our grave concerns for greyhound Gougane Jet, seem to have been confirmed," UK greyhound welfare group Action for Greyhounds stated in a Facebook post this week. "Shame on ALL involved. Sadly many greyhounds bred for racing are being found in China and other countries with no animal welfare protection."
The Greyhound Racing Ireland website shows that Gougane Jet was used in two trials at Kilkenny and Galway tracks in March and April 2022 and in one race at Galway stadium on 29 April 2022 (in which he finished first). Sometime after that, he was exported to the UK.
According to a statement published on the Greyhound Star website, the greyhound's owners "accepted an offer of £30,000 for him to go to Ireland and be raced there", a figure described as "far in excess of his market value, particularly going to race in Ireland". https://greyhoundstar.co.uk/57817-2/
The owners were "warned constantly that it was very likely that [Gougane Jet] would be exported as this type of behaviour is the modus operandi of unscrupulous operators wishing to export greyhounds to countries that do not have the same welfare standards as the UK."
The statement on Greyhound Star went on to say that "in the weeks leading up to [Gougane Jet] leaving the kennel", one of the owners arranged for a greyhound transporter to pick up £30,000 in cash from the buyer in Ireland and bring it to the UK.
The greyhound was collected by the transporter on 4 October 2023 and was not seen again.
En-route to the kennels of a trainer in Ireland, "someone" is said to have contacted the transporter and arranged to take the greyhound before he reached the destination "effectively intercepting the delivery". It is currently unknown how Gougane Jet was brought from Ireland to China.
Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue is being urged to investigate the circumstances surrounding the export and take action against those involved.
Shame on those responsible for the export and shame on the Irish Government for failing to take action to stop the direct or indirect export of greyhounds to China. Irish dogs can face horrendous fates after they are used for racing and breeding. Shocking videos filmed in China have shown a greyhound being boiled alive in a barrel and an individual slamming a greyhound into the ground after the dog failed to win races. Sickening scenes of greyhounds on hooks at meat markets in China have also been filmed and posted online.
Caged Nationwide has previously stated that Chinese volunteers who try to save some of the dogs at meat markets have told them that the greyhound is the “third most popular breed found at the slaughterhouses”.
“It’s fully legal to drug, beat, skin or cook a greyhound whilst still alive, for their flesh in China,” the group highlights on its website. “There are no boundaries to how you can torture any animal there. They have zero animal welfare laws.”
Kerry Elliman of Candy’s Hound Rescue - a group which rescues greyhounds from China - has said: "What I witnessed in China was that many trainers and owners of greyhounds would sell them when the dogs are no good to race. One underground track I visited was right by a meat market and literally for 3 hours, greyhound after greyhound was brought into the market for sale, either for meat or racing. Greyhounds from Ireland, UK, Australia and America have been found in breeding facilities in mainland China. We have done many years of research and many DNA tests on our rescued greyhounds and bloodlines all go back to these four countries (America less than the other 3). The reason for this is greyhounds are exported to China for breeding. China now has some of the biggest breeding facilities in the world and the Chinese pay big money for Irish and English dogs. We have rescued 5 Irish greyhounds from China and 11 Australian hounds. Unfortunately, the racing industry takes no responsibility for greyhounds being exported and its supporters will even defend the practice."
Earlier this year, Agriculture Minister Charlie McConaloague was questioned about the export of Irish greyhounds to China.
In a 23 May 2023 Dail Question, Joe Flaherty TD (Fianna Fáil, Longford-Westmeath) asked the Minister “if a stud greyhound (details supplied) is registered accordingly in the Greyhound Racing Ireland’s RCETS traceability system and if he will make a statement on the matter.”
The greyhound he was referring to is “Havana Class” who, he told the Minister, “was exported to a greyhound breeding facility in Nangong, Hebei, China in April 2023 but is still listed in the Irish Greyhound Stud Book as owned by Mr Billy Loveridge in Co Tipperary”.
Eight months after the export, the greyhound continues be listed by Greyhound Racing Ireland as Irish-owned.
In a response to the question, Minister McConalogue stated that “the question raised by the Deputy in relation to a named greyhound is an operational matter for RCÉ [Greyhound Racing Ireland] and, therefore, the question has been referred to the body for direct reply.”
In subsequent correspondence to Deputy Flaherty, Greyhound Racing Ireland stated: “Rásaíocht Con Éireann can confirm the greyhound Havana Class is registered on its Traceability System RCÉTS. The greyhound is assigned a status of being exported. Rásaíocht Con Éireann are not the appointed keepers of the Irish Greyhound Stud Book nor is it responsible for the entry of data or maintenance of records therein. Such activity falls directly within the remit of the Irish Coursing Club. Arising out of a report received regarding the greyhound ‘Havana Class’ being located in China, Rásaíocht Con Éireann can confirm the reported circumstances around the discovery of this greyhound in China are currently the subject of an investigation being undertaken by Rásaíocht Con Éireann. This investigation involves interaction with policing authorities and greyhound regulators in Republic of Ireland, the six counties and the UK. As a result of this investigative work, Rásaíocht Con Éireann do not consider it prudent to comment any further on the matter.”
In May 2023, Joan Collins TD questioned Minister McConalogue about the export to China of another Irish greyhound named “Claregalway Lad”. She asked “if he will investigate if the dog was exported directly or indirectly from Ireland; if action will be taken against those responsible for the export; and if he is aware of other Irish greyhounds exported to China for breeding and racing purposes and if he will urgently ban the export of greyhounds to China”.
Minister McConalogue told her that “The department does not collect information on the breed of dog being certified for movement from Ireland, and therefore figures of greyhound movements are not available. There has been no recorded movement of dogs from Ireland to the country named [China] between the years of 2019 and 2023.”
A photo posted online shows the unfortunate Irish dog in the Hebei province of China , along with a document classifying him as a “breeding male”. https://www.facebook.com/cagednw/posts/pfbid0V93uYwjrUF3jzVK53L2PmHdZPxdbDo56iDyPTNRt1gmhHZdLr4EqufLR1eutEQ9Nl
Alongside these is a 2019 photo taken at Galway Stadium after the greyhound won a “Con and Annie Kirby Memorial” race.
Find out more about some of the other unfortunate British and Irish greyhounds who have ended up in China at https://www.cagednw.co.uk/chinaexports.html
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 €347 million in funding, including €17.6 million for 2022, €18.2 million for 2023 and €19 million for 2024. This is unacceptable and must be stopped. It’s time for politicians to stop the funding and allow unpopular greyhound racing to die a death.
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
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michealmartintd/
X: http://www.twitter.com/@MichealMartinTD
Leo Varadkar TD
Leader, Fine Gael
Telephone: 01-619 4020
Email: leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
X: http://www.twitter.com/@LeoVaradkar
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeoVaradka
Eamon Ryan TD
Leader, Green Party
Tel: 01 618 3894
Email: eamon.ryan@oireachtas.ie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EamonRyanGP/
X: https://twitter.com/EamonRyan
Mary Lou McDonald TD
Leader, Sinn Fein
Tel: (01) 727 7102
Email: marylou.mcdonald@oireachtas.ie
X: https://twitter.com/MaryLouMcDonald
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MaryLouMcDonaldTD
Ivana Bacik TD
Leader, The Labour Party
Tel: (01) 6183136
Email: ivana.bacik@oireachtas.ie
X: https://twitter.com/ivanabacik
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bacikivana/
Please sign and share the petitions
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
Watch RTE’s award-winning “Greyhounds Running For Their Lives” documentary
https://youtu.be/ZYTb2qBjlMM