On Wednesday November 25th, a motion will be tabled in Ireland’s Parliament, the Dail, by the Social Democratic party calling for an end to State funding of Ireland’s greyhound industry.

If the motion is passed we will hopefully see the demise of this appalling industry that has brought misery and death to so many greyhounds in Ireland.

When a greyhound’s running days have ended, or its “performance” is no longer deemed satisfactory, the animal is quietly disposed of…usually by a shot in the head or the whack of a spade. The shallow graves of greyhounds are regularly unearthed all over Ireland.

Doping of greyhounds is common, with a vast array of substance used to enhance or restrict a dog’s performance on the track.

And the horrific practice of blooding continues. Back in 1994 a prominent trainer was filmed in broad daylight blooding greyhounds at a track in County Tipperary. The footage featured in a TV documentary titled On the Line and I provide a link to it here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q33yiORJfXs&t=10s

Today, blooding is even MORE WIDESPREAD than when that footage was captured. Trainers routinely feed hares, rabbits and even stray cats to their dogs. The trainer filmed in that clip is now, incredibly, a major figure in Irish greyhound racing.

The Irish greyhound industry is in decline, with track attendances falling and sponsors deserting it in droves. So it is the State funding that keeps it afloat. This is where you can help. Please, time permitting; send a message to Irish politicians asking them to support the parliamentary motion on Wednesday calling for end to the funding of this hellish industry.

You can compose a message of your own or use the following one.

Dear Deputy,

We understand that a motion calling for an end to State funding of Ireland’s greyhound industry will be debated and voted on next Wednesday in Ireland’s parliament, the Dail. Given the overwhelming evidence of animal cruelty and willful neglect of dog welfare that has marred this industry we urge you to support the motion. It is bad enough that such an industry even exists without having it propped up with tax payer’s money. Please show compassion and put the welfare of the unfortunate dogs before the interests of gamblers and those who find pleasure in cruelty.

Thanking you,

Here’s the address list of the relevant members of Ireland’s parliament: Email the message to yourself, having “copied and pasted” the list into the B.B.C. (“blind back up copy”) column… Thank you!

Address list one:

richard.bruton@oireachtas.ie, sean.haughey@oireachtas.ie, denise.mitchell@oireachtas.ie, aodhan.oriordain@oireachtas.ie, eoghan.murphy@oireachtas.ie, jim.ocallaghan@oireachtas.ie, eamon.ryan@oireachtas.ie, paschal.donohoe@oireachtas.ie, marylou.mcdonald@oireachtas.ie, alan.farrell@oireachtas.ie, darragh.obrien@oireachtas.ie, joe.obrien@oireachtas.ie, louise.oreilly@oireachtas.ie, gino.kenny@oireachtas.ie, mark.ward@oireachtas.ie, eoin.obroin@oireachtas.ie, dessie.ellis@oireachtas.ie, roisin.shortall@oireachtas.ie, josepha.madigan@oireachtas.ie, catherine.martin@oireachtas.ie, neale.richmond@oireachtas.ie, joan.collins@oireachtas.ie, brid.smith@oireachtas.ie, aengus.osnodaigh@oireachtas.ie, colm.brophy@oireachtas.ie, sean.crowe@oireachtas.ie, john.lahart@oireachtas.ie, paul.murphy@oireachtas.ie, jack@jackchambers.ie, leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie, kathleen.funchion@oireachtas.ie, john.mcguinness@oireachtas.ie, malcolm.noonan@oireachtas.ie

Address list two:

jennifer.murnaneoconnor@oireachtas.ie, brendan.smith@oireachtas.ie, niamh.smyth@oireachtas.ie, pat.buckley@oireachtas.ie, david.stanton@oireachtas.ie, mick.barry@oireachtas.ie, colm.burke@oireachtas.ie, padraig.osullivan@oireachtas.ie, simon.coveney@oireachtas.ie, micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie, pearse.doherty@oireachtas.ie, padraig.maclochlainn@oireachtas.ie, charlie.mcconalogue@oireachtas.ie, thomas.pringle@oireachtas.ie, richard.boydbarrett@oireachtas.ie, sean.canney@oireachtas.ie, ciaran.cannon@oireachtas.ie, anne.rabbitte@oireachtas.ie, catherine.connolly@oireachtas.ie, noel.grealish@oireachtas.ie, hildegarde.naughton@oireachtas.ie, eamon.ocuiv@oireachtas.ie, bernard.durkan@oireachtas.ie, james.lawless@oireachtas.ie, catherine.murphy@oireachtas.ie, martin.heydon@oireachtas.ie, charles.flanagan@oireachtas.ie, sean.fleming@oireachtas.ie, carol.nolan@oireachtas.ie, brian.stanley@oireachtas.ie, willie.odea@oireachtas.ie, kieran.odonnell@oireachtas.ie, maurice.quinlivan@oireachtas.ie

Address list three:

patrick.odonovan@oireachtas.ie, peterm.fitzpatrick@oireachtas.ie, imelda.munster@oireachtas.ie, gerald.nash@oireachtas.ie, fergus.odowd@oireachtas.ie, dara.calleary@oireachtas.ie, rose.conwaywalsh@oireachtas.ie, michael.ring@oireachtas.ie, thomas.byrne@oireachtas.ie, peadar.toibin@oireachtas.ie, michael.fitzmaurice@oireachtas.ie, Denis.Naughten@oireachtas.ie, frank.feighan@oireachtas.ie, martin.kenny@oireachtas.ie, marc.macsharry@oireachtas.ie, alan.kelly@oireachtas.ie, mary.butler@oireachtas.ie, david.cullinane@oireachtas.ie, brendan.howlin@oireachtas.ie, joe.mchugh@oir.ie

Address list four:

jcarrollmacneill@cllr.dlrcoco.ie, cormac@cormacdevlin.ie, ossian.smyth@oir.ie, alan.dillon@oireachtas.ie, brian.leddin@oireachtas.ie, matt.shanahan@oireachtas.ie, ocathasaigh@oireachtas.ie, marian.harkin@oireachtas.ie, chris.andrews@oireachtas.ie, cian.ocallaghan@oireachtas.ie, info@askoconnor.ie, neasa.hourigan@oireachtas.ie,   gary.gannon@oireachtas.ie, holly.cairns@oireachtas.ie, paul.donnelly@oireachtas.ie, roderic.ogorman@oireachtas.ie, matt.carthy@oireachtas.ie, patrick.costello@oireachtas.ie, violet-anne.wynne@oireachtas.ie, francisnoel.duffy@oireachtas.ie, paul.mcauliffe@oireachtas.ie, duncan.smith@oireachtas.ie, emer.higgins@oireachtas.ie, thomas.gould@oireachtas.ie, christopher.osullivan@oireachtas.ie, mairead.farrell@oireachtas.ie, reada.cronin@oireachtas.ie, patricia.ryan@oireachtas.ie, sorca.clarke@oireachtas.ie, ruairi.omurchu@oireachtas.ie, johnny.mythen@oireachtas.ie, Johnny.guirke@oireachtas.ie, darren.orourke@oireachtas.ie,  claire.keranne@oireachtas.ie