The State’s horse and greyhound industries have been allocated funding of €74m in Budget 2016. State support to both industries is provided through the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund. There will be increased funding of €6 million, or almost 9 per cent, with €4.8 million for horses and €1.2 million for greyhounds.The additional funds bring the total exchequer spend for greyhound racing to €14.8 million in 2016.

Both of these so called sports cause untold suffering and deaths to Irish Horses and Greyhounds.The Irish Greyhound Board are now sending dogs to China, many dogs are subjected to horriffic abuse like skinning alive, being boiled alive and being beateh to death in the meat trade.

Greyhound breeders are exporting Irish dogs to Pakistan, China and Argentina via the UK and other EU states to stop them being tracked by Government officials.
Many of the dogs are then subjected to horrific abuse due to a lack of animal welfare legislation in those countries.

Tom Hayes, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture with responsibility the greyhound sector, said the Irish Greyhound Board provides “a range of infrastructural supports and services without which this sector could not continue to exist”.

“The additional funding should be used to encourage participation in the sport,” he added.

Thoroughbred horses that are too old, too slow or not good enough jumpers, have a brutal end. A bullet through the temple or a metal bolt into the side of the brain. Then their carcasses are loaded on to freezer lorries and driven to France, where their flesh is sold as gourmet meat.

We want an end to the grants that promote so much suffering to Dogs and horses used for racing and abused in the associated lucrative meat trade.