[NOTE: Any donations made through Change.org go directly to Change.org. Please consider donating to the Irish Council Against Blood Sports to support our campaigns https://www.paypal.me/banbloodsports Thank you]
More greyhounds have tested positive for prohibited substances, Greyhound Racing Ireland’s latest “Adverse Analytical Findings” report reveals.
Prohibited substance Cetirizine – an Antihistamine – was detected in three greyhounds at Waterford, Kilkenny and Shelbourne Park tracks in March 2024. https://www.grireland.ie/globalassets/rescource-centre/adverse-analytical-findings/adverse-analytical-findings-may-2024.pdf
On March 21st at Waterford track, Cetirizine was detected in greyhound Slaneyside Riley. Owner/trainer: Mr Derek Kehoe. On the day, the greyhound finished third in the "We Love Our Greyhounds 525" race, with prize money of €60.
On March 22nd at Kilkenny track, Cetirizine was also detected in greyhound Salubrious Izzy (owner: Pat Comerford). On the day, the greyhound finished third, with prize money of €315.
The following week, on March 30th, Cetirizine was detected in greyhound Headinthewindow at Shelbourne Park stadium (owner: Michael O'Donovan). On the day, the greyhound finished fourth, with prize money of €20.
The trainer of the latter two greyhounds is Murt Leahy.
Murt Leahy is the trainer who was fined €300 in 2023 after prohibited substance Hydrochlorothiazide was found in a greyhound at Shelbourne Park. The substance was detected in Droopys Nice One on 10th June 2023 at the Dublin track. That day, the greyhound finished fifth in the “Sporting Press Online Edition Irish Oaks Semi-Final” race, with prize money of €500.
In a November 2023 report, the Greyhound Racing Control Committee said it “noted the Investigation Report Form submitted by Mr Leahy prior to the hearing of the Greyhound Racing Control Committee, where he admitted to being ‘in part breach’ of the Regulations.”
The Committee “noted Mr. Leahy’s evidence that at the time, he was feeding Category 2 meat to greyhounds under his care, as an authorised holder of a Meat Feeders Licence issued by the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine” and that “having considered all the evidence tendered in relation to this matter, [the Control Committee] was satisfied that the substance Hydrochlorothiazide was present in the urine sample obtained from the greyhound Droopys Nice One on the date in question.”
It also noted “two publications regarding the feeding of Category 2 meat to racing greyhounds issued by Greyhound Racing Ireland dated November 2015 and November 2021”.
The Committee “found the case presented by Rasaiocht Con Eireann was proven”, fined Leahy €300 and “warned him of his future conduct”. The prize money of €500 won by Droopys Nice One in the Shelbourne Park race was forfeited.
Martin (Murt) Leahy was fined €200 in 2017 after prohibited substance Caffeine was detected in greyhound Ballybough Lee. The greyhound was presented for racing at Shelbourne Park Stadium on 16 April 2016 and finished last in a race. https://www.grireland.ie/globalassets/rescource-centre/reports/control/august—-2017.pdf#page=6
Greyhound Racing Ireland’s Control Committee Report of August 2017 outlined that “the Committee noted Mr. Leahy had attributed the adverse analytical finding to a tonic he had administered to the greyhound at the time. However, the substance Caffeine should not have been present in the greyhound’s system when presented for racing. Taking into consideration the reported level of Caffeine detected, the Control Committee imposed a fine of €200 on Mr. Leahy.”
Leahy was also fined €200 after Caffeine was found in a urine sample taken from greyhound Ballybough Mondo at Shelbourne Park on 21 July 2016. In the same Control Committee report, it was stated: “Mr. Leahy had attributed the adverse analytical finding to a tonic he had administered to the greyhound at the time. However, the substance Caffeine should not have been present in the greyhound’s system when presented for racing. Taking into consideration the reported level of Caffeine detected, the Control Committee imposed a fine of €200 on Mr. Leahy. Prize money of €102 won by the greyhound Ballybough Mondo in the event in question is forfeited.”
A Greyhound Racing Ireland “Adverse Analytical Findings” report from 2015 also shows that Ballybough Mondo tested positive for “Pentobarbital” at Kilkenny stadium on 4th November 2016. The report lists Martin (Murt) Leahy as the trainer. It is unknown if there were any related fines https://www.grireland.ie/globalassets/rescource-centre/adverse-analytical-findings/adverse-analytical-findings-nov-2016.pdf
A profile page for Murt Leahy on the Greyhound Racing Ireland website shows that he has had 7,236 recorded race entries and 1,610 recorded winners. This includes 254 race entries and 62 winners to-date in 2024. https://www.grireland.ie/results/trainers-page/?tid=600039
Slaneyside Riley, Salubrious Izzy and Headinthewindow are among a growing list of greyhounds testing positive for prohibited substances around Ireland. Find out more at https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2024/02/16/more-and-more-greyhound-testing-positive-for-prohibited-substances/
Read the Adverse Analytical Findings reports at
https://www.grireland.ie/Resource/adverse-analytical-findings/
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.
Tell the leaders of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, the Green Party and Sinn Fein to stop supporting this funding.
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
Simon Harris TD
Leader, Fine Gael
Telephone: +353 (0)1 618 3805 or +353 (0)1 889 2442
Email: simon.harris@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
X: http://www.twitter.com/SimonHarrisTD
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DeputySimonHarris
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
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
Watch RTE’s award-winning “Greyhounds Running For Their Lives” documentary
https://youtu.be/ZYTb2qBjlMM