SUNDAY TIMES ARTICLE FEBRUARY 27TH 2011 (UK) Chinese set to take away Irish dogs But welfare groups are furious at plans to export greyhounds claiming that animals too slow to win races are routinely slaughtered and even eaten John Mooney Published: 27 February 2011 · Campaigners fear that racing animals will suffer in China And they’re off ... Bord na gCon, the Irish greyhound board, wants to export dogs to China as part of an international expansion that could result in it operating racing stadiums there. The move is opposed by Irish animal welfare groups, which say other countries refuse to sell greyhounds to China. Dogs too slow to win races are routinely slaughtered and even eaten, they claim. Attempts have been made to improve the image of greyhound racing but the welfare of retired dogs continues to be a concern. It has been raised by Joanna Lumley, the actress, and Richard Wilson, of One Foot in the Grave. Sharon Ní Bheoláin, the RTE newsreader, and other public figures have also campaigned about the welfare of the racing dogs. Bord na gCon says Chinese officials visited Dublin this month to see how the Irish greyhound-racing industry is run and regulated. A spokesman said the board informed the Department of Agriculture, which regulates the transport of greyhounds, about its expansion plans. “As with any country we do not have any influence on the welfare standards adopted in other countries, and these matters are more appropriately dealt with by the country’s own legislative system,” the spokesman said. The export of greyhounds was a matter for individuals and Bord na gCon, said the department. “The board has informed us that they are exploring the possibility of assisting with the establishment of greyhound racing in China,” it said. Ireland exports greyhounds to America, mainland Europe, Australia and Pakistan, but animal-welfare societies want trading with China to be prohibited. Orla Aungier, of the Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said China had a reputation for the ill-treatment of wild and domestic animals. “A number of countries which export greyhounds to China are already under pressure to stop because dogs that do not race well are routinely killed,” she said. “If Irish greyhounds are sent to China it would be almost impossible to monitor their welfare. We are urging Bord na gCon to reconsider their plans and to think about how devastating this move will be for the welfare of Irish greyhounds.” China is the main source of the 2m cats and dogs killed annually for their fur, according to the Humane Society of the United States. The reputation of the Irish greyhound racing industry was tarnished in the 1990s when images of starving and ill-treated dogs exported to Spain and Italy appeared in the media. The Irish authorities stopped supporting the Spanish trade. Ní Bheoláin has urged greyhound breeders to think twice about sending dogs to China. “I’d be extremely fearful of condemning any Irish animal to an existence where their basic welfare requirements are routinely ignored. Economic factors aside, we cannot as a civilised nation be seen to trade in cruelty,” she said. Ireland, as one of the world’s biggest exporters of greyhounds, must “ safeguard our reputation and start to set standards,” she added. Greyhound racing is worth €500m a year to the Irish economy, according to Bord na gCon. Greyhound exports are valued at €40m a year. Animal-welfare groups have long criticised the practice of destroying healthy dogs when too old to race. When a greyhound reaches three to five years, it is considered too slow. Is there no end to the evil this industry can do to these beautiful hounds:twisted:
Nothing happening in the threads tonight to cheer me up.Life's a bitch.I'm on it.Made a phone call to a friend who's on a rather stroppy welfare forum here.She hadn't heard a thing but she's putting it out.If anyone can put a halt to that gallop it's that bunch.I'm SO ashamed to be Irish on days like this.Bord na Gon did NOTHING to stop the export of greys to Spain,they still don't.EVIL bunch of money grubbing magalomaniacs who need exposing for what they are.
Please do because there will be hundresds of greyhound who will never know what a hug is Just a vile painful end to their lives, never ever knowing the love ALL dogs should know.
Oh it will because money talks in an industry not know for its animal welfare. The subject is even banned for discussion on some so called greyhound sites (I say greyhound sites but really mean money loving sites)
I hope this can be stopped, these people on the board should hang their heads in shame. The chinese are on the whole renowned for their cruelty.
Shame is not a notion BordnaGon take on board.They DO have it in their power to stop this but they won't. There's a rake of Irish breeders will jump at the chance to sell their greys to China (not all - a lot won't sell to Spain) as it will be the first sales they've seen in a while.Tragic.
Yes, it's all about money grabbing unprincipalled ignorant humans. Just for the record it's a known fact that they do eat them and it's also a known fact that Newfoundlands are still being clubbed to death for their fur. The fur trade is still rampant in China and no one gives a dam. But, what the heck, if thousands of people still go and cheer that horse killer now playing for a division 2 football club in England, and millions cheer Micheal Vick in America, then what else can we expect. If anyone lives in London they can ring James Whale on LBC (0845 6060973) because he at least could make this horror story better known.
The evil won't stop until the 'sport' is stopped totally.I know a lot of 'good guys' in the gh business but even the good guys are responsible for the death of young healthy greyhounds,no matter how careful and caring they are. It is an industry growing on the fresh carcasses of dogs that are (to borrow an excellent catch phrase) "DYING TO ENTERTAIN YOU"
It's disgusting and anyone participating in the trade of any living creature knowing the suffering and fate that is inevitable should be shamed and brought to justice(sadly don't think will happen).:-(
Not a justice we get to see perhaps but I believe it does exist.Those who cause suffering DO suffer in the end.
Excellent posts but until people stop supporting this so called sport nothing will be done for the welfare of these dogs.
Indeed but while there is still money to be made and people go and support the industry it will take a while to collapes - I do believe it will one day.
Please sign and help save these dogs from being exploited any more than they alread are! Care2 Petition Say NO to Greyhound Exports to China A petition targeting the Irish Greyhound Board and the Irish Government has been published on the Care2 website calling for the withdrawal of the IGB’s proposals to export greyhounds to China. Please sign the petition and help place pressure on the Irish authorities to show some care and compassion for this gentle breed. The petition will be delivered to the Irish Embassy in London – the Irish Greyhound Board and Government offices. http://www.thepetitionsite.com/3/say-no-to-greyhound-exports-to-china/ http://www.thepetitionsite.com/3/say-no-to-greyhound-exports-to-china/
