A SuperValu supermarket, which last year organised a race night event at a local greyhound track, has confirmed that there won't be another one this year.
Responding to complaints posted on its Facebook page, Pettitts SuperValu in Wexford this week stated: “There is no sponsored race night this year.”
Last August, the supermarket was criticised for organising a “Gala Race Night” at Enniscorthy greyhound track which the store promoted as “fun for the whole family with live music, party food, goodie bags, face painting, free draws and much more”. https://www.facebook.com/pettittssupervalu/photos/a.194586477228313/1971369662883310
On the night, during the “Pettitt’s SuperValu Great Sprint Stakes” race, two-year-old Longslip Charlie was knocked over at the final bend and could be seen falling to the ground and tumbling. See sickening footage at https://www.igb.ie/videos/videos/?raceid=ECY_2018_08_23_02 (forward to 30 seconds)
A Supervalu advertisement sign was on display at the side of the track close to where Longslip Charlie fell.
The Supervalu store’s name was also attached to the “Pettitt’s SupertValu Five-Two-Five Stakes” race, with more than €800 in prize money on offer.
We welcome the announcement from Pettitt’s that there will be no sponsored race night “this year” and are calling on the supermarket to confirm that it has permanently ended its support for greyhound racing.
No business should in any way support the cruel greyhound industry. As highlighted by the recent “RTE Investigates: Greyhounds Running for Their Lives” documentary, 6,000 greyhounds are killed every year simply because they are not fast enough to win races.
We were shown horrifying scenes of dogs being dragged into knackeries to be shot in the head. One dog was seen writhing on the ground in agony as his merciless owner drove away. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYTb2qBjlMM
The programme also highlighted the illegal practice in the greyhound industry of doping dogs to make them run faster or slower to influence the outcomes of races. Also shown were greyhounds with their ears chopped off or burned with acid (to remove identity tattoos before being dumped) and the hellholes that await Irish greyhounds exported to China and Pakistan.
The Irish public is shocked and disgusted at the revelations, which have sparked multiple protests outside tracks and calls for a ban on greyhound racing and a boycott of sponsors. An opinion poll conducted by TheJournal.ie shows that an 80 per cent majority want the government to permanently end the state grants that are keeping greyhound racing and its associated animal cruelty alive. Petitions urging the government to stop the funding have been signed over 250,000 times.
ACTION ALERT
Contact Pettitt’s Supervalu supermarket and appeal to the manager to confirm that it will no longer hold greyhound track gala nights or support greyhound racing in any way.
Nicky Byrne
Manager, Pettitts Supervalu
St Aidans Shopping Centre,
Co. Wexford
Tel: 053 9124055
Email: pettitts@pettitts.ie
30 Supervalu supermarkets around Ireland have sponsored greyhound racing over the past decade - https://www.facebook.com/banbloodsports/posts/1857546281027588 It's time for Supervalu to take action to stop its local stores from supporting greyhound racing.
SuperValu Head Office
Musgrave Limited,
Ballycurreen, Airport Road, Cork
Tel +353 (0) 21 4522100
Email: supervalu@musgravegroup.com; group@musgrave.ie; mrpi@musgrave.ie
Comment on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SuperValuIreland/
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