Scouting Ireland is being urged to intervene to stop a scout group fundraiser from going ahead at a greyhound track.

The 6th Tipperary Roscrea Scouts have announced a “Night at the Dogs” fundraiser next month at Thurles greyhound track https://www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/6thTipperaryScoutsNightattheDogs

In our appeal to Scouting Ireland, we stated: “A fundraiser at a gambling venue is completely inappropriate, particularly at a time when there is a gambling addiction epidemic in Ireland, with ongoing efforts to steer the next generation away from gambling. This fundraiser, which encourages youngsters to attend (“children under 16: free”) will introduce scouts to a gambling environment where placing bets is normalised and presented as an exciting experience. While minors are not permitted to place bets, they will see prominent ‘download our betting app’ signs and be exposed to on-site tote betting at tables where they are seated.” 

Scouting Ireland says it is dedicated to keeping young people safe and we hope this includes keeping them safe from the gambling industry which can have a devastating long-term impact on people’s lives.

We are confident that if the members of Tipperary Roscrea Scouts were aware of the awful cruelty and killing that occurs in greyhound racing, they would not want to go anywhere near Thurles track.

The horrors of greyhound racing were exposed in the award-winning “RTE Investigates: Greyhounds running for their lives” documentary. This revealed that thousands of greyhounds are killed behind the scenes every year simply because they are not fast enough. It included disturbing footage of dogs being delivered to a knackery where they were shot in the head and dumped in a skip. One shot dog was seen writhing on the ground in agony as his merciless owner drove away.  

The programme featured a damning report which Greyhound Racing Ireland attempted to hide. This showed that around 6,000 greyhounds are killed every year because they don’t make the grade. The report estimated that, for example, 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”.

Watch “Greyhounds Running For Their Lives” at https://youtu.be/ZYTb2qBjlMM

Dogs also suffer and die at tracks, including at Thurles track. Over the past 10 years alone, 118 greyhounds suffered injuries (broken legs, hocks, etc) there and 52 were killed. This includes 14 injuries and 7 deaths last year.

At races around Ireland since 2014, at least 3,696 greyhounds were injured and 1,396 were killed. Among the victims were a greyhound who collapsed after a race and died of a heart attack, a greyhound who was carried away bleeding with a leg bone “popped out”, a greyhound who collapsed and died with a “haemorrhage into the abdomen from a rupture of the aorta”, a greyhound who “collided with a boundary wall and died on impact”, a greyhound with a severed spine and greyhounds who suffered broken necks and died.

Greyhound racing is responsible for so much suffering and death that many of the biggest animal welfare charities in Ireland, the US and the UK are calling for it to be ended. They include the RSPCA, Dogs Trust UK, Blue Cross, GREY2K USA, the League Against Cruel Sports and Scottish SPCA. Here in the Ireland, Dogs Trust has announced that it wants to see greyhound racing ended as soon as possible. The ISPCA also wants it ended and has highlighted "the appalling animal welfare and export issues linked with the greyhound industry" and raised concerns about "the welfare of greyhounds and that includes before, during and after their racing lives".

We hope Tipperary Roscrea Scouts will show compassion for the animals who suffer and die in this inherently cruel activity and join the many companies, clubs and charities which have rejected greyhound racing.

ACTION ALERT

Join us in urging Scouting Ireland to act to stop the scout fundraiser.

Seán Sheehan
Chief Executive Officer
Scouting Ireland
Email: ssheehan@scouts.ie
CC: fminogue76@gmail.com (Francis Minogue, Roscrea Scouts)

INJURIES AND DEATHS AT THURLES STADIUM

2024: 14 injuries, 7 deaths
2023: 15 injuries, 4 deaths
2022: 09 injuries, 5 deaths
2021: 12 injuries, 4 deaths
2020: 11 injuries, 8 deaths
2019: 09 injuries, 5 deaths
2018: 09 injuries, 6 deaths
2017: 10 injuries, 3 deaths
2016: 18 injuries, 5 deaths
2015: 11 injuries, 5 deaths

INJURIES AND DEATHS AT THURLES STADIUM (2024)

13 January 2024: Thurles, Fractured wrist – Euthanised by track vet
17 February 2024: Thurles, Fractured hock – Euthanised by track vet
9 March 2024: Thurles, Broke front leg – Euthanised by track vet
16 March 2024: Thurles, Fractured toe – Treated
23 March 2024: Thurles, Wrist injury – Treated
30 March 2024: Thurles, Broke hock – Euthanised by track vet
04 May 2024: Thurles, Broke hind metatarsals – Euthanised by track vet
25 May 2024: Thurles, Fractured right hock – Treated
15 June 2024: Thurles, Broke right hock – Euthanised by track vet
15 June 2024: Thurles, Spiked front leg – Treated
31 August 2024: Thurles, Dislocated wrist – Treated
21 September 2024: Thurles, Fractured radius & ulna – Euthanised by track vet
14 December 2024: Thurles, Broke right hock – Treated
14 December 2024: Thurles, Laceration on shoulder – Treated

REPORTED GREYHOUND INJURIES AND DEATHS AT IRISH TRACKS

2024: 389 injuries, 202 deaths
2023: 257 injuries, 134 deaths
2022: 287 injuries. 122 deaths
2021: 351 injuries. 154 deaths
2020: 255 injuries. 90 deaths
2019: 332 injuries. 119 deaths
2018: 353 injuries. 121 deaths
2017: 357 injuries. 124 deaths
2016: 427 injuries. 139 deaths
2015: 422 injuries. 122 deaths
2014: 266 injuries. 69 deaths (July to Dec 2014)

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