Disappointment has been expressed after a photograph emerged showing Bob Geldof at a greyhound track.

The photo appeared in the Racing Post's "Off the Leash" column along with a report which revealed that Geldof owns a share in a racing greyhound https://www.facebook.com/shutdownbv/photos/a.650488958329253/2207540905957376/?type=3&theater

The report stated: "Central Park [in Kent] was graced by a visit from Sir Bob Geldof last Sunday [16 December 2018]. Er, yes, really. He was there to see Tony Collett's Professor Gimlet in whom he has a share, in action. Geldof duly presented the trophy for the race...but it was to the Paul Philpott-trained Alarming Hades and not his own hound, who had to settle for third."

Responding to the report, the "Shut Down Belle Vue Stadium" group said it was disappointed to see Bob Geldof supporting greyhound racing. "Wonder if he’s aware that over 1,000 #dogs were killed in the UK last year in the name of this #bloodsport, most of them from his native Ireland," they commented.

The "Close Hove Dog Track" added: "Very surprised and disappointed with Bob Geldof. Maybe he should take a look a look at the [greyhound injury and death] stats".

According to these sickening statistics (released earlier this year by the Greyhound Board of Great Britain), 4,837 greyhound injuries were recorded in 2017, with 257 dogs destroyed at tracks. The stats also show that 1,003 greyhounds died upon retirement last year. As reported in The Times of March 15th 2018, "333 dogs were killed because it was deemed too expensive to treat them or they had a poor prognosis [and] at least 348 dogs were destroyed because they could not be rehomed".

During 2017 in Ireland, 357 greyhounds suffered injuries at races and 124 were reported destroyed by track vets. In the first six months of 2018, 163 greyhound suffered injuries and 53 died or were killed. These deaths are believed to be just the tip of the iceberg. An estimated 10,000 greyhounds go missing here each year, presumed killed when found to be too slow to win races.