Donedeal urged to remove ads for cruel snares

21 Mar

donedeal please remove ads for snares copy

Classified ads website Donedeal is being urged to remove ads for cruel snares.

The company has been told that “snares are extremely cruel and can cause horrific injuries and prolonged suffering for trapped animals”.

As highlighted by antisnaring.org.uk, an Independent Working Group on Snares, reporting to the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs in 2005, identified a long list of harm caused to animals caught in snares. Adverse impacts included:

  • the stress of restraint, which could include frustration, anxiety and rage
  • fear of predation or capture whilst held by the snare
  • friction, penetration and self-inflicted skin injuries whilst struggling against or fighting the tether
  • pain, thirst, hunger and exposure when restrained for long periods


ACTION ALERT

Join us in urging Donedeal to reject snares.

Email: hello@donedeal.ie
Tweet to: @DoneDeal

Another greyhound suffers injury at Shelbourne Park

21 Mar

Another greyhound suffers injury at Shelbourne Park copy

Another greyhound has suffered an injury in a race at Shelbourne Park stadium.

A report on the Greyhound Racing Ireland website details how the greyhound named “Here Comes Syd” sustained an “injury to his stopper bone” and will be “retired from racing action”.

The injury to the 2-year-old dog occurred during a race on Saturday (18 March 2023).

Greyhound trainer Murt Leahy was quoted as saying: “The pace he displayed on Saturday was unbelievable…He found nothing from the final turn and we knew something must have gone wrong. It’s the stopper bone and it’s the end. We’ll give him the opportunity to mate a few bitches.”

Shelbourne Park is one of the worst tracks in Ireland for greyhound injuries and deaths.

At least 278 greyhounds suffered injuries there and 73 died or were killed by a track vet over the past eight years alone, sickening Greyhound Racing Ireland statistics show. This includes 40 injuries and 11 deaths last year.

Among the victims at the track were a greyhound who died in September 2022 of cardiac failure, a greyhound who died in September 2021 after suffering a “severe fracture of the neck”, another who collapsed and died in December 2020 with a “haemorrhage into the abdomen from a rupture of the aorta”, a greyhound who died of a heart attack after a race in August 2019 and another who was carried away bleeding with a leg bone “popped out”.

Martin (Murt) Leahy is the trainer who was fined €200 in 2017 after prohibited substance Caffeine was detected in greyhound Ballybough Lee. The greyhound was presented for racing at Shelbourne Park Stadium on 16 April 2016 and finished last in a race. https://www.grireland.ie/globalassets/rescource-centre/reports/control/august—-2017.pdf#page=6

Greyhound Racing Ireland’s Control Committee Report of August 2017 outlined that “the Committee noted Mr. Leahy had attributed the adverse analytical finding to a tonic he had administered to the greyhound at the time. However, the substance Caffeine should not have been present in the greyhound’s system when presented for racing. Taking into consideration the reported level of Caffeine detected, the Control Committee imposed a fine of €200 on Mr. Leahy.”

Leahy was also fined €200 after Caffeine was found in a urine sample taken from greyhound Ballybough Mondo at Shelbourne Park on 21 July 2016. In the same Control Committee report, it was stated: “Mr. Leahy had attributed the adverse analytical finding to a tonic he had administered to the greyhound at the time. However, the substance Caffeine should not have been present in the greyhound’s system when presented for racing. Taking into consideration the reported level of Caffeine detected, the Control Committee imposed a fine of €200 on Mr. Leahy. Prize money of €102 won by the greyhound Ballybough Mondo in the event in question is forfeited.”

A Greyhound Racing Ireland “Adverse Analytical Findings” report from 2015 also shows that Ballybough Mondo tested positive for “Pentobarbital” at Kilkenny stadium on 4th November 2016. The report lists Martin (Murt) Leahy as the trainer. It is unknown if there were any related fines https://www.grireland.ie/globalassets/rescource-centre/adverse-analytical-findings/adverse-analytical-findings-nov-2016.pdf

A profile page for Martin (Murt) Leahy on the Greyhound Racing Ireland website shows that he has had 6,521 recorded race entries and 1,444 recorded winners. This includes 99 race entries and 21 winners to-date in 2023.

SEE ALSO

Trainer of winning greyhound was previously fined €400 https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2022/09/19/trainer-of-winning-greyhound-was-previously-fined-e400/

287 greyhounds injured and 122 killed in racing in 2022
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2023/02/15/122-greyhounds-killed-in-racing-in-2022/

40 greyhounds injured, 11 dead at Shelbourne Park stadium in 2022
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2023/03/03/40-greyhounds-injured-11-dead-at-shelbourne-park-stadium-in-2022/

42 greyhounds injured, 15 killed at Shelbourne Park stadium in 2021 https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2022/02/23/42-greyhounds-injured-15-killed-at-shelbourne-park-stadium-in-2021/

INJURIES AND DEATHS AT SHELBOURNE PARK

2022: 40 injuries, 11 deaths (10 killed by track vet + 1 fatality)
2021: 42 injuries, 15 deaths
2020: 18 injuries, 4 deaths (3 killed by track vet + 1 fatality)
2019: 32 injuries, 7 deaths
2018: 41 injuries, 12 deaths
2017: 21 injuries, 10 deaths
2016: 51 injuries, 7 deaths
2015: 33 injuries, 7 deaths

REPORTED GREYHOUND INJURIES AND DEATHS AT IRISH TRACKS

2022: 287 injuries. 122 deaths
2021: 351 injuries. 154 deaths
2020: 255 injuries. 90 deaths
2019: 332 injuries. 119 deaths
2018: 353 injuries. 121 deaths
2017: 357 injuries. 124 deaths
2016: 427 injuries. 139 deaths
2015: 422 injuries. 122 deaths
2014: 266 injuries. 69 deaths (July to Dec 2014)

Danger for greyhounds as track traps malfunction

21 Mar

The Minister for Agriculture has been asked if any greyhounds suffered injuries when traps malfunctioned at the start of a race at Curraheen Park track at the weekend.

Disturbing Greyhound Racing Ireland video footage from Saturday (18 March 2023) shows the race lure speeding past the traps before the doors fail to open.

The traps, with six greyhounds stuck inside, were then seen lifting up, moving backwards and tilting to the rear as people rushed in. (Video: Greyhound Racing Ireland / CC BY 4.0 licence)

There are concerns that the greyhounds – trained to burst out of the traps when they see the lure – may have been injured. At least one of the greyhounds can be seen hitting the barrier when it unexpectedly remained shut. This dog did not run when the race was restarted – he was listed as “turned in traps”.

Minister Charlie McConalogue, who oversees greyhound racing, has been asked if the greyhounds were checked for injuries before the race was restarted and if any of the dogs suffered face or head injuries.

There is no mention of this dangerous incident in a race report on the Greyhound Racing Ireland website. It refers only to the winning greyhound who was “a most impressive winner, clocking 29.88 and beating Ballyhimikin Rex, by two lengths.”

Greyhound Racing Ireland is hiding footage of the race – it is the only race from Saturday’s Curraheen Park meeting that is not available to view on its website.

ACTION ALERT

Don’t go greyhound racing or attend events at greyhound tracks. Please join us in urging the government to end the state funding that is keeping the dying greyhound “industry” afloat.

Since 2001, over €309 million in funding has been handed over to Greyhound Racing Ireland, including €19.2 million for 2021, €17.6 million for 2022 and €18.2 million for 2023. It’s time for politicians to stop the funding and allow unpopular greyhound racing to die a death.

Please contact your local TDs and urge them to oppose this funding. Visit the Oireachtas website for contact details for TDs https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/tds/?term=/ie/oireachtas/house/dail/33

Urge the leaders of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, the Green Party, Sinn Fein and Labour to stop the funding and back a ban on cruel greyhound racing

Micheál Martin TD
Leader, Fianna Fail
Email: micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie; info@fiannafail.ie
Phone: 021-432 0088
Leinster House: 01–618 3000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michealmartintd/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@MichealMartinTD

Leo Varadkar TD
Leader, Fine Gael
Telephone: 01-619 4020
Email: leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
Tweet to: http://www.twitter.com/@LeoVaradkar
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeoVaradka

Eamon Ryan TD
Leader, Green Party
Tel: 01 618 3894
Email: eamon.ryan@oireachtas.ie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EamonRyanGP/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EamonRyan

Mary Lou McDonald TD
Leader, Sinn Fein
Tel: (01) 727 7102
Email: marylou.mcdonald@oireachtas.ie
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaryLouMcDonald
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MaryLouMcDonaldTD

Ivana Bacik TD
Leader, The Labour Party
Tel: (01) 6183136
Email: ivana.bacik@oireachtas.ie
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ivanabacik
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bacikivana/

Please sign and share the petitions

Irish Government: Stop Giving Millions of Euro to Cruel Greyhound Racing
https://www.change.org/p/irish-government-stop-giving-millions-of-euro-to-cruel-greyhound-racing

GAA: Stop club fundraisers at greyhound tracks
https://www.change.org/p/gaa-stop-club-fundraisers-at-greyhound-tracks

Tell Gain Pet Nutrition to Stop Sponsoring Greyhound Racing
https://www.change.org/p/jimtracy-glanbia-ie-tell-gain-pet-nutrition-to-stop-sponsoring-greyhound-racing

 

Irish Government urged to ban unethical and painful surgical AI

21 Mar

ban unethical surgical AI 2023 copy

The Irish Government is again being urged to ban surgical artificial insemination, an invasive procedure which greyhounds are continuing to be subjected to.

Already banned in the UK, it involves making a cut in the abdomen and inserting semen directly into the uterus.

In the past four years, there have been more than 500 surgical artificial inseminations carried out on greyhounds used in racing and hare coursing.

“Surgical insemination involves anaesthetising the female and making a small incision in her abdomen so that her uterus can be gently lifted out,” a breeding booklet published by Greyhound Racing Victoria outlines. “The semen is then injected directly into the uterus via a fine needle with half of the semen being injected into each side (horn) of the uterus. The uterus is then gently placed back, and the surgery site is stitched (sutured) closed.”

Responding to a Dail Question from Neasa Hourigan TD last month, Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue revealed that the procedure was carried out 501 times on greyhounds since 2019, including 87 in 2022, 133 in 2021, 142 in 2020 and 139 in 2019.

Information obtained by Deputy Hourigan also showed that there were 1,482 Frozen Semen Inseminations on greyhounds here in the same period, with 77 involving semen from deceased dogs.

This continuation of surgical artificial insemination is a reminder that the pursuit of winnings in the government-funded greyhound “industry” comes before the welfare of dogs. Not even cutting into the bodies of greyhounds in a bid to produce winning litters is off-limits in this shameful gambling activity.

Surgical artificial insemination is against the law in the UK, with the British Veterinary Association stating that “experts say it is highly unethical and painful for bitches due to the subsequent pregnancy putting pressure on abdominal wounds”.

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons notes that “Surgical Artificial Insemination is prohibited by UK animal welfare legislation which legally restricts mutilations to animals (i.e. procedures which interfere with sensitive tissue or bone structure)”.

In a February 2022 Dail Question, Sinn Fein TD Eoin O Broin asked the Minister for Agriculture “if he will consider banning the surgical artificial insemination of greyhounds and other canines due to the growing body of veterinarian medical evidence regarding animal welfare issues from surgical artificial insemination of canines and in view that Britain has outlawed the practice”.

Responding at the time, Minister McConalogue stated: “My Department has not received any welfare complaints in relation to the procedure outlined by the Deputy. There are no related policy proposals being considered currently. The artificial insemination of greyhounds is regulated under the Artificial Insemination of Greyhounds Act, 2005. There are no plans to amend these regulations at present.”

“The Veterinary Council of Ireland is the statutory body that regulates the practice of veterinary medicine in the State – it maintains a register of veterinary practitioners, veterinary nurses and veterinary premises for which a certificate of suitability has been issued,” he added.

Responding to an appeal to join calls for a ban on surgical artificial insemination, the Veterinary Council of Ireland last year told ICABS that the matter was considered at meetings of the VCI’s Legislation, Ethics and Monitoring Committee and that it is “under consideration by the Council”.

Speaking at a meeting of the Joint Committee on Agriculture on 25 May 2022, Senator Lynn Boylan commented: “A reply to a parliamentary question shows that over 400 female greyhounds underwent surgical artificial insemination in the past three years [2019-2021]. We know that the procedure is banned in Britain. Representatives of the Irish Veterinary Council have told this committee that they are looking at this very invasive procedure. The first thing to consider before carrying out any procedure is the requirement not to harm any animal. ”

ACTION ALERT

Urge Minister Charlie McConalogue to follow the UK in banning surgical artificial insemination.

Charlie McConalogue
Minister for Agriculture
Tel: 01 618 3199 or 01 607 2000
Email: minister@agriculture.gov.ie; charlie.mcconalogue@oireachtas.ie
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CharlieMcConalogue
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@McConalogue

Urge the Veterinary Council of Ireland and Veterinary Ireland to join calls on the government to ban surgical artificial insemination.

Niamh Muldoon
CEO, Veterinary Council of Ireland
Tel: +353 (0) 1 668 4402
Email: niamh.muldoon@vci.ie

Finbarr Murphy, Chief Executive
Veterinary Ireland
Tel: +353 (0)1 457 7976
Email: hq@vetireland.ie

Don’t go greyhound racing or attend events at greyhound tracks. Please join us in urging the government to end the state funding that is keeping the dying greyhound “industry” afloat.

Since 2001, over €309 million in funding has been handed over to Greyhound Racing Ireland, including €19.2 million for 2021, €17.6 million for 2022 and €18.2 million for 2023. It’s time for politicians to stop the funding and allow unpopular greyhound racing to die a death.

Please contact your local TDs and urge them to oppose this funding. Visit the Oireachtas website for contact details for TDs https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/tds/?term=/ie/oireachtas/house/dail/33

Urge the leaders of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, the Green Party, Sinn Fein and Labour to stop the funding and back a ban on cruel greyhound racing

Micheál Martin TD
Leader, Fianna Fail
Email: micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie; info@fiannafail.ie
Phone: 021-432 0088
Leinster House: 01–618 3000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michealmartintd/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@MichealMartinTD
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michealmartintd/

Leo Varadkar TD
Leader, Fine Gael
Telephone: 01-619 4020
Email: leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
Tweet to: http://www.twitter.com/@LeoVaradkar
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeoVaradkar
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leovaradkar/

Eamon Ryan TD
Leader, Green Party
Tel: 01 618 3894
Email: eamon.ryan@oireachtas.ie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EamonRyanGP/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EamonRyan
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eamondryan/

Mary Lou McDonald TD
Leader, Sinn Fein
Tel: (01) 727 7102
Email: marylou.mcdonald@oireachtas.ie
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaryLouMcDonald
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MaryLouMcDonaldTD
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maryloumcdonaldsf/

Ivana Bacik TD
Leader, The Labour Party
Tel: (01) 6183136
Email: ivana.bacik@oireachtas.ie
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ivanabacik
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bacikivana/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ivanabacik/

“Stop state funding to cruel greyhound racing” – Email all Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, Green Party, Sinn Fein and Labour Party TDs.

Email Fianna Fail TDs

micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie; john.mcguinness@oireachtas.ie; niamh.smyth@oireachtas.ie; brendan.smith@oireachtas.ie; aindrias.moynihan@oireachtas.ie; michael.moynihan.td@oireachtas.ie; Charlie.McConalogue@oireachtas.ie; michael.mcgrath@oireachtas.ie; sean.haughey@oireachtas.ie; jim.ocallaghan@oireachtas.ie; darragh.obrien@oireachtas.ie; jack@jackchambers.ie; anne.rabbitte@oireachtas.ie; eamon.ocuiv@oireachtas.ie; james.lawless@oireachtas.ie; sean.ofearghail@oireachtas.ie; sean.fleming@oireachtas.ie; barry.cowen@oireachtas.ie; willie.odea@oireachtas.ie; niall.collins@oireachtas.ie; Robert.Troy@oireachtas.ie; dara.calleary@oireachtas.ie; thomas.byrne@oireachtas.ie; marc.macsharry@oireachtas.ie; jackie.cahill@oireachtas.ie; mary.butler@oireachtas.ie; james.browne@oireachtas.ie; jennifer.murnaneoconnor@oireachtas.ie; cathal.crowe@oireachtas.ie; james.oconnor@oireachtas.ie; padraig.osullivan@oireachtas.ie; christopher.osullivan@oireachtas.ie; paul.mcauliffe@oireachtas.ie; john.lahart@oireachtas.ie; cormac@cormacdevlin.ie; normafoley1@eircom.net; joe.flaherty@oireachtas.ie; Stephen.Donnelly@oireachtas.ie

Email Fine Gael TDs

leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie; JohnPaul.Phelan@oireachtas.ie; Heather.Humphreys@oireachtas.ie; joe.carey@oireachtas.ie; david.stanton@oir.ie; colm.burke@oireachtas.ie; michael.creed@oireachtas.ie; Simon.Coveney@oireachtas.ie; joe.mchugh@oireachtas.ie; richard.bruton@oireachtas.ie; Paschal.Donohoe@oireachtas.ie; Alan.Farrell@oireachtas.ie; emer.higgins@oireachtas.ie; neale.richmond@oireachtas.ie; josepha.madigan@oireachtas.ie; colm.brophy@oireachtas.ie; jennifer.carrollmacneill@oireachtas.ie; Ciaran.Cannon@oireachtas.ie; hildegarde.naughton@oireachtas.ie; Brendan.Griffin@oireachtas.ie; bernard.durkan@oireachtas.ie; Martin.Heydon@oireachtas.ie; charles.flanagan@oireachtas.ie; kieran.odonnell@oireachtas.ie; Patrick.O’Donovan@oireachtas.ie; peter.burke@oireachtas.ie; fergus.odowd@oireachtas.ie; alan.dillon@oireachtas.ie; michael.ring@oireachtas.ie; helen.mcentee@oireachtas.ie; damien.english@oireachtas.ie; frank.feighan@oireachtas.ie; paul.kehoe@oireachtas.ie; Simon.Harris@oireachtas.ie

Email Green Party TDs

Eamon.Ryan@greenparty.ie; catherine.martin@oireachtas.ie; patrick.costello@oireachtas.ie; francisnoel.duffy@oireachtas.ie; neasa.hourigan@oireachtas.ie; brian.leddin@oireachtas.ie; steven.matthews@oireachtas.ie; malcolm.noonan@oireachtas.ie; joe.obrien@oireachtas.ie; marc.ocathasaigh@oireachtas.ie; roderic.ogorman@oireachtas.ie; ossian.smyth@oireachtas.ie

Email Sinn Fein TDs

MaryLou.McDonald@oireachtas.ie; john.brady@oireachtas.ie; pat.buckley@oireachtas.ie; Sean.Crowe@oireachtas.ie; david.cullinane@oireachtas.ie; Pearse.Doherty@oireachtas.ie; dessie.ellis@oir.ie; kathleen.funchion@oireachtas.ie; martinkennysf@gmail.com; denise.mitchell@oireachtas.ie; imelda.munster@oireachtas.ie; eoin.obroin@oireachtas.ie; donnchadh.olaoghaire@oireachtas.ie; aengus.osnodaigh@oireachtas.ie; louiseoreillysf@gmail.com; maurice.quinlivan@oireachtas.ie; Brian.Stanley@oireachtas.ie; mark.ward@oireachtas.ie; chris.andrews@oireachtas.ie; martin.browne@oireachtas.ie; matt.carthy@oireachtas.ie; sorca.clarke@oireachtas.ie; roseconwaywalsh@eircom.net; reada.cronin@oireachtas.ie; pa.daly@oireachtas.ie; paul.donnelly@oireachtas.ie; mairead.farrell@oireachtas.ie; thomas.gould@oireachtas.ie; johnny.guirke@oireachtas.ie; claire.kerrane@oireachtas.ie; padraig.maclochlainn@oir.ie; johnny.mythen@oireachtas.ie; ruairi.omurchu@oireachtas.ie; darren.orourke@oireachtas.ie; patriciaryan975@gmail.com; pauline.tully@oireachtas.ie

Email Labour Party TDs

ivana.bacik@oireachtas.ie; brendan.howlin@oireachtas.ie; sean.sherlock@oireachtas.ie; aodhan.oriordain@oireachtas.ie; duncan.smith@oireachtas.ie; gerald.nash@oireachtas.ie; Alan.Kelly@oireachtas.ie

Please sign and share the petitions

Irish Government: Stop Giving Millions of Euro to Cruel Greyhound Racing
https://www.change.org/p/irish-government-stop-giving-millions-of-euro-to-cruel-greyhound-racing

Stop supporting the cruel greyhound “industry”
https://www.change.org/p/stop-supporting-the-cruel-greyhound-industry

GAA: Stop club fundraisers at greyhound tracks
https://www.change.org/p/gaa-stop-club-fundraisers-at-greyhound-tracks

Tell Gain Pet Nutrition to Stop Sponsoring Greyhound Racing
https://www.change.org/p/jimtracy-glanbia-ie-tell-gain-pet-nutrition-to-stop-sponsoring-greyhound-racing

Watch RTE’s award-winning “Greyhounds Running For Their Lives” documentary

Hare injured and killed at Bandon coursing meeting

20 Mar

Hare injured and killed at Bandon coursing meeting copy

A hare suffered injuries and died at a coursing meeting in Bandon, County Cork.

The hare was one of four caught and pinned to the ground by greyhounds. Another hare was hit by the dogs.

A total of 40 hares were forced to run for their lives at the 5th-6th December 2022 bloodsport event. With a licence shamefully granted by Heritage Minister Darragh O’Brien (Fianna Fail), coursers netted the hares from the wild on dates between 10 November and 24 November.

Documents published on the National Parks and Wildlife Service website show that on Day 1 of the meeting, two hares were caught by greyhounds, pinned to the ground and held in place. They were retrieved and a coursing club vet examined them for injuries.

The following day, two hares were again caught, pinned by the dogs and examined for injuries. One of these hares “died from injuries”.

See the full report at
https://www.npws.ie/sites/default/files/files/coursing-bandon-2022-2023.pdf

Shame on the Irish Government for allowing this bloodsport to continue, despite majority support among the public for a ban. A 2019 RED C poll found that 77% want coursing banned, with just 9% disagreeing with a ban. A majority in both rural and urban areas are in favour of a ban.

Due to the cruelty involved, coursing is already illegal in all our neighbouring jurisdictions (Northern Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales).

ACTION ALERT

HELP THE HARES: Tell Heritage Minister Darragh O’Brien and Minister of State Malcolm Noonan to give full protection to the Irish Hare and stop licensing cruel coursing.

Minister Darragh O’Brien (Fianna Fail, Dublin Fingal)
Tel: (01) 618 3802 OR (086) 251 9893
Email: darragh.obrien@oireachtas.ie; minister@housing.gov.ie
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DarraghOBrienTD
Twitter: http://twitter.com/DarraghOBrienTD

Malcolm Noonan TD (Green Party, Carlow Kilkenny)
Minister of State for Heritage
Tel: (01) 618 3148 OR (01) 618 3156
Email: mos@housing.gov.ie; malcolm.noonan@oireachtas.ie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/votemalcolmnoonan1/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/noonan_malcolm

Urge Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue to remove exemptions for hare coursing and fox hunting from the Animal Health and Welfare Act.

Charlie McConalogue
Minister for Agriculture
Tel: 01 618 3199 or 01 607 2000
Email: minister@agriculture.gov.ie; charlie.mcconalogue@oireachtas.ie
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CharlieMcConalogue
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@McConalogue

It is time for politicians to consign coursing and hunting to history. Join us in contacting all TDs and urging them to act to ensure that a ban is urgently introduced. Visit the Oireachtas website for contact details https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/tds/?term=/ie/oireachtas/house/dail/33

Contact the leaders of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, the Green Party, Sinn Fein and the Labour Party to tell them that you want hare coursing and all bloodsports banned.

Micheál Martin TD
Leader, Fianna Fail
Email: micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie; info@fiannafail.ie
Phone: 021-432 0088
Leinster House: 01–618 3000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michealmartintd/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@MichealMartinTD
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michealmartintd/

Leo Varadkar TD
Leader, Fine Gael
Telephone: 01-619 4020
Email: leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
Tweet to: http://www.twitter.com/@LeoVaradkar
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeoVaradkar
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leovaradkar/

Eamon Ryan TD
Leader, Green Party
Tel: 01 618 3894
Email: eamon.ryan@oireachtas.ie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EamonRyanGP/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EamonRyan
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eamondryan/

Mary Lou McDonald TD
Leader, Sinn Fein
Tel: (01) 727 7102
Email: marylou.mcdonald@oireachtas.ie
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaryLouMcDonald
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MaryLouMcDonaldTD
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maryloumcdonaldsf/

Ivana Bacik TD
Leader, The Labour Party
Tel: (01) 6183136
Email: ivana.bacik@oireachtas.ie
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ivanabacik
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bacikivana/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ivanabacik/

Contact Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, Green Party, Sinn Fein and Labour Party TDs and urge them to pledge support for Paul Murphy TD’s upcoming Animal Health & Welfare (Ban on Hare Coursing) Bill 2020.

Fianna Fáil TDs

john.mcguinness@oireachtas.ie; niamh.smyth@oireachtas.ie; brendan.smith@oireachtas.ie; aindrias.moynihan@oireachtas.ie; michael.moynihan.td@oireachtas.ie; micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie; michael.mcgrath@oireachtas.ie; Charlie.McConalogue@oireachtas.ie; sean.haughey@oireachtas.ie; jim.ocallaghan@oireachtas.ie; darragh.obrien@oireachtas.ie; jack@jackchambers.ie; anne.rabbitte@oireachtas.ie; eamon.ocuiv@oireachtas.ie; james.lawless@oireachtas.ie; sean.ofearghail@oireachtas.ie; sean.fleming@oireachtas.ie; barry.cowen@oireachtas.ie; willie.odea@oireachtas.ie; niall.collins@oireachtas.ie; Robert.Troy@oireachtas.ie; dara.calleary@oireachtas.ie; thomas.byrne@oireachtas.ie; marc.macsharry@oireachtas.ie; jackie.cahill@oireachtas.ie; mary.butler@oireachtas.ie; james.browne@oireachtas.ie; jennifer.murnaneoconnor@oireachtas.ie; cathal.crowe@oireachtas.ie; james.oconnor@oireachtas.ie; padraig.osullivan@oireachtas.ie; christopher.osullivan@oireachtas.ie; paul.mcauliffe@oireachtas.ie; john.lahart@oireachtas.ie; cormac@cormacdevlin.ie; normafoley1@eircom.net; joe.flaherty@oireachtas.ie; Stephen.Donnelly@oireachtas.ie

Fine Gael TDs

JohnPaul.Phelan@oireachtas.ie; Heather.Humphreys@oireachtas.ie; joe.carey@oireachtas.ie; david.stanton@oir.ie; colm.burke@oireachtas.ie; michael.creed@oireachtas.ie; Simon.Coveney@oireachtas.ie; joe.mchugh@oireachtas.ie; richard.bruton@oireachtas.ie; Paschal.Donohoe@oireachtas.ie; Alan.Farrell@oireachtas.ie; emer.higgins@oireachtas.ie; neale.richmond@oireachtas.ie; josepha.madigan@oireachtas.ie; colm.brophy@oireachtas.ie; leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie; jennifer.carrollmacneill@oireachtas.ie; Ciaran.Cannon@oireachtas.ie; hildegarde.naughton@oireachtas.ie; Brendan.Griffin@oireachtas.ie; bernard.durkan@oireachtas.ie; Martin.Heydon@oireachtas.ie; charles.flanagan@oireachtas.ie; kieran.odonnell@oireachtas.ie; Patrick.O’Donovan@oireachtas.ie; peter.burke@oireachtas.ie; fergus.odowd@oireachtas.ie; alan.dillon@oireachtas.ie; michael.ring@oireachtas.ie; helen.mcentee@oireachtas.ie; damien.english@oireachtas.ie; frank.feighan@oireachtas.ie; paul.kehoe@oireachtas.ie; Simon.Harris@oireachtas.ie

Green Party TDs

Eamon.Ryan@greenparty.ie; catherine.martin@oireachtas.ie; patrick.costello@oireachtas.ie; francisnoel.duffy@oireachtas.ie; neasa.hourigan@oireachtas.ie; brian.leddin@oireachtas.ie; steven.matthews@oireachtas.ie; malcolm.noonan@oireachtas.ie; joe.obrien@oireachtas.ie; marc.ocathasaigh@oireachtas.ie; roderic.ogorman@oireachtas.ie;
ossian.smyth@oireachtas.ie

Sinn Fein TDs

john.brady@oireachtas.ie; pat.buckley@oireachtas.ie; Sean.Crowe@oireachtas.ie; david.cullinane@oireachtas.ie; Pearse.Doherty@oireachtas.ie; dessie.ellis@oir.ie; kathleen.funchion@oireachtas.ie; martinkennysf@gmail.com; MaryLou.McDonald@oireachtas.ie; denise.mitchell@oireachtas.ie; imelda.munster@oireachtas.ie; eoin.obroin@oireachtas.ie; donnchadh.olaoghaire@oireachtas.ie; aengus.osnodaigh@oireachtas.ie; louiseoreillysf@gmail.com; maurice.quinlivan@oireachtas.ie; Brian.Stanley@oireachtas.ie; mark.ward@oireachtas.ie; chris.andrews@oireachtas.ie; martin.browne@oireachtas.ie; matt.carthy@oireachtas.ie; sorca.clarke@oireachtas.ie; roseconwaywalsh@eircom.net; reada.cronin@oireachtas.ie; pa.daly@oireachtas.ie; paul.donnelly@oireachtas.ie; mairead.farrell@oireachtas.ie; thomas.gould@oireachtas.ie; johnny.guirke@oireachtas.ie; claire.kerrane@oireachtas.ie; padraig.maclochlainn@oir.ie; johnny.mythen@oireachtas.ie; ruairi.omurchu@oireachtas.ie; darren.orourke@oireachtas.ie; patriciaryan975@gmail.com; pauline.tully@oireachtas.ie

Labour Party TDs

ivana.bacik@oireachtas.ie; sean.sherlock@oireachtas.ie; aodhan.oriordain@oireachtas.ie; duncan.smith@oireachtas.ie; gerald.nash@oireachtas.ie; Alan.Kelly@oireachtas.ie; brendan.howlin@oireachtas.ie

Please sign and share the petitions

Ban Blood Sports in Ireland
https://www.change.org/p/ban-blood-sports-in-ireland

Sinn Fein: Support a ban on cruel hare coursing
https://www.change.org/p/sinn-fein-support-a-ban-on-cruel-hare-coursing

Ireland – Ban cruel hare coursing
http://www.change.org/p/ireland-ban-cruel-hare-coursing

Please support our campaign with a donation
https://www.paypal.me/banbloodsports

Renewed appeal to Thurles Credit Union to disassociate from greyhound track

19 Mar

Thurles credit union 2023 copy

Join us in again urging Thurles Credit Union to stop advertising at a greyhound track where dogs suffer and die. A prominent trackside ad banner for the credit union remains in place at Thurles Park stadium despite sickening revelations about cruelty and killing in greyhound racing.

At least 89 greyhounds have suffered injuries at Thurles Park and 41 were killed by a vet over the past eight years alone. Among the victims was a greyhound who was destroyed after colliding with an in-field pole.

Last year at Thurles track, 9 greyhounds were injured and 5 of them were killed by a track vet.

The 5 greyhounds who were killed had suffered fractured leg (2), fractured hock (2) and wrist injury (1). The remaining 4 injured greyhounds were “treated”. Their injuries were fractured hock (3) and fractured wrist (1).

Since 2014, at least 3,050 greyhounds sustained injuries and 1,060 died or were killed at races around Ireland. The Irish Greyhound Board figures do not include the greyhounds injured at tracks and later killed elsewhere, or the thousands of greyhounds who are killed every year because they are not fast enough to win races https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2019/03/27/greyhound-injuries-and-deaths-at-irish-greyhound-tracks/

As revealed in the award-winning “RTE Investigates: Greyhounds running for their lives” documentary, around 6,000 greyhounds are killed every year because they don’t make the grade. It included shocking scenes of dogs being delivered to a knackery where they were shot in the head and dumped in a skip. One shot dog was seen writhing on the ground in agony as his merciless owner drove away. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYTb2qBjlMM

ACTION ALERT

Urge Thurles Credit Union to stop advertising at Thurles Park greyhound track.

Brian King, CEO
Thurles Credit Union
Email: info@thurlescu.ie; info@creditunion.ie
Tel: 0504 91700
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thurlescu/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/thurlescu
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thurlescreditunion/

A cry in the wilderness: Demand a ban on cruel coursing

18 Mar

A cry in the wilderness - letter copy

Those who wish to see an end to coursing should contact their local TDs and make their views known – Read John Fitzgerald’s Letter to the Editor in The Avondhu and please scroll down for action alert…

A cry in the wilderness
Letter, The Avondhu, 16 March 2023

Dear Editor,

Last year, the Oireachtas set up a Citizen’s Assembly to report on biodiversity loss in Ireland, with so many of our vulnerable species and their habitats under threat or on the brink of extinction. Politicians of all shades were adamant that they cared deeply about our native fauna and sang the praises of efforts to safeguard Ireland s wildlife heritage.

Yet, the Assembly had barely wrapped up its deliberations when a spate of hare coursing events was being organized all over the country. A few days ago, the last coursing fixture was run off on Limerick racecourse, just a fortnight after a marathon three-day “festival” of hare-chasing was staged at another racecourse in Tipperary.

And these weren’t rogue activities operating below the radar like illegal cock fighting, or away from public view. The terrified hares that ran from dogs did so in broad daylight and with the blessing of some of the same politicians who so loudly proclaim their love of nature and wildlife.

Across Europe anyone who tried to organize a hare coursing fixture would face a hefty fine or prison term. Here, the only police you see when pairs of dogs are set on hares for human amusement are the ones directing traffic outside the venue.

Because the whole sorry spectacle is legal, from the snatching of hares from their natural home in the country and their weeks of deeply stressful confinement, right up to the moment each hare is released to a chorus of laughter and cheering to be chased.

Though hares have to fight for survival in the wild, coursing is intrinsically unnatural.

It is a distorted mirror image of nature, contrived to give pleasure to those who enjoy seeing an animal suffer. Without the ever-present risk of injury or death to a hare, the fans will tell you, coursing would not be worth seeing.

That’s why they flatly reject the notion of a mechanical lure to replace the real one, and why they persist with this cruel excuse for a sport, even when they hear the pitiful screech of an injured or frightened hare.

It is blatantly hypocritical for any politician who condones or encourages this abhorrent practice to proclaim concern for our beleaguered wildlife.

Those who wish to see an end to coursing should contact their local TDs and make their views known. If enough people speak out, and loudly, the hare’s heart-rending screech will no longer be a cry in the wilderness.

John Fitzgerald,
Callan, Co. Kilkenny

ACTION ALERT

HELP THE HARES: Tell Heritage Minister Darragh O’Brien and Minister of State Malcolm Noonan to give full protection to the Irish Hare and stop licensing cruel coursing.

Minister Darragh O’Brien (Fianna Fail, Dublin Fingal)
Tel: (01) 618 3802 OR (086) 251 9893
Email: darragh.obrien@oireachtas.ie; minister@housing.gov.ie
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DarraghOBrienTD
Twitter: http://twitter.com/DarraghOBrienTD

Malcolm Noonan TD (Green Party, Carlow Kilkenny)
Minister of State for Heritage
Tel: (01) 618 3148 OR (01) 618 3156
Email: mos@housing.gov.ie; malcolm.noonan@oireachtas.ie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/votemalcolmnoonan1/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/noonan_malcolm

It is time for politicians to consign coursing and hunting to history. Join us in contacting all TDs and urging them to act to ensure that a ban is urgently introduced. Visit the Oireachtas website for contact details https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/tds/?term=/ie/oireachtas/house/dail/33

Contact the leaders of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, the Green Party, Sinn Fein and the Labour Party to tell them that you want hare coursing and all bloodsports banned.

Micheál Martin TD
Leader, Fianna Fail
Email: micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie; info@fiannafail.ie
Phone: 021-432 0088
Leinster House: 01–618 3000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michealmartintd/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@MichealMartinTD
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michealmartintd/

Leo Varadkar TD
Leader, Fine Gael
Telephone: 01-619 4020
Email: leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
Tweet to: http://www.twitter.com/@LeoVaradkar
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeoVaradkar
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leovaradkar/

Eamon Ryan TD
Leader, Green Party
Tel: 01 618 3894
Email: eamon.ryan@oireachtas.ie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EamonRyanGP/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EamonRyan
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eamondryan/

Mary Lou McDonald TD
Leader, Sinn Fein
Tel: (01) 727 7102
Email: marylou.mcdonald@oireachtas.ie
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaryLouMcDonald
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MaryLouMcDonaldTD
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maryloumcdonaldsf/

Ivana Bacik TD
Leader, The Labour Party
Tel: (01) 6183136
Email: ivana.bacik@oireachtas.ie
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ivanabacik
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bacikivana/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ivanabacik/

Contact Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, Green Party, Sinn Fein and Labour Party TDs and urge them to pledge support for Paul Murphy TD’s upcoming Animal Health & Welfare (Ban on Hare Coursing) Bill 2020.

Fianna Fáil TDs

john.mcguinness@oireachtas.ie; niamh.smyth@oireachtas.ie; brendan.smith@oireachtas.ie; aindrias.moynihan@oireachtas.ie; michael.moynihan.td@oireachtas.ie; micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie; michael.mcgrath@oireachtas.ie; Charlie.McConalogue@oireachtas.ie; sean.haughey@oireachtas.ie; jim.ocallaghan@oireachtas.ie; darragh.obrien@oireachtas.ie; jack@jackchambers.ie; anne.rabbitte@oireachtas.ie; eamon.ocuiv@oireachtas.ie; james.lawless@oireachtas.ie; sean.ofearghail@oireachtas.ie; sean.fleming@oireachtas.ie; barry.cowen@oireachtas.ie; willie.odea@oireachtas.ie; niall.collins@oireachtas.ie; Robert.Troy@oireachtas.ie; dara.calleary@oireachtas.ie; thomas.byrne@oireachtas.ie; marc.macsharry@oireachtas.ie; jackie.cahill@oireachtas.ie; mary.butler@oireachtas.ie; james.browne@oireachtas.ie; jennifer.murnaneoconnor@oireachtas.ie; cathal.crowe@oireachtas.ie; james.oconnor@oireachtas.ie; padraig.osullivan@oireachtas.ie; christopher.osullivan@oireachtas.ie; paul.mcauliffe@oireachtas.ie; john.lahart@oireachtas.ie; cormac@cormacdevlin.ie; normafoley1@eircom.net; joe.flaherty@oireachtas.ie; Stephen.Donnelly@oireachtas.ie

Fine Gael TDs

JohnPaul.Phelan@oireachtas.ie; Heather.Humphreys@oireachtas.ie; joe.carey@oireachtas.ie; david.stanton@oir.ie; colm.burke@oireachtas.ie; michael.creed@oireachtas.ie; Simon.Coveney@oireachtas.ie; joe.mchugh@oireachtas.ie; richard.bruton@oireachtas.ie; Paschal.Donohoe@oireachtas.ie; Alan.Farrell@oireachtas.ie; emer.higgins@oireachtas.ie; neale.richmond@oireachtas.ie; josepha.madigan@oireachtas.ie; colm.brophy@oireachtas.ie; leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie; jennifer.carrollmacneill@oireachtas.ie; Ciaran.Cannon@oireachtas.ie; hildegarde.naughton@oireachtas.ie; Brendan.Griffin@oireachtas.ie; bernard.durkan@oireachtas.ie; Martin.Heydon@oireachtas.ie; charles.flanagan@oireachtas.ie; kieran.odonnell@oireachtas.ie; Patrick.O’Donovan@oireachtas.ie; peter.burke@oireachtas.ie; fergus.odowd@oireachtas.ie; alan.dillon@oireachtas.ie; michael.ring@oireachtas.ie; helen.mcentee@oireachtas.ie; damien.english@oireachtas.ie; frank.feighan@oireachtas.ie; paul.kehoe@oireachtas.ie; Simon.Harris@oireachtas.ie

Green Party TDs

Eamon.Ryan@greenparty.ie; catherine.martin@oireachtas.ie; patrick.costello@oireachtas.ie; francisnoel.duffy@oireachtas.ie; neasa.hourigan@oireachtas.ie; brian.leddin@oireachtas.ie; steven.matthews@oireachtas.ie; malcolm.noonan@oireachtas.ie; joe.obrien@oireachtas.ie; marc.ocathasaigh@oireachtas.ie; roderic.ogorman@oireachtas.ie;
ossian.smyth@oireachtas.ie

Sinn Fein TDs

john.brady@oireachtas.ie; pat.buckley@oireachtas.ie; Sean.Crowe@oireachtas.ie; david.cullinane@oireachtas.ie; Pearse.Doherty@oireachtas.ie; dessie.ellis@oir.ie; kathleen.funchion@oireachtas.ie; martinkennysf@gmail.com; MaryLou.McDonald@oireachtas.ie; denise.mitchell@oireachtas.ie; imelda.munster@oireachtas.ie; eoin.obroin@oireachtas.ie; donnchadh.olaoghaire@oireachtas.ie; aengus.osnodaigh@oireachtas.ie; louiseoreillysf@gmail.com; maurice.quinlivan@oireachtas.ie; Brian.Stanley@oireachtas.ie; mark.ward@oireachtas.ie; chris.andrews@oireachtas.ie; martin.browne@oireachtas.ie; matt.carthy@oireachtas.ie; sorca.clarke@oireachtas.ie; roseconwaywalsh@eircom.net; reada.cronin@oireachtas.ie; pa.daly@oireachtas.ie; paul.donnelly@oireachtas.ie; mairead.farrell@oireachtas.ie; thomas.gould@oireachtas.ie; johnny.guirke@oireachtas.ie; claire.kerrane@oireachtas.ie; padraig.maclochlainn@oir.ie; johnny.mythen@oireachtas.ie; ruairi.omurchu@oireachtas.ie; darren.orourke@oireachtas.ie; patriciaryan975@gmail.com; pauline.tully@oireachtas.ie

Labour Party TDs

ivana.bacik@oireachtas.ie; sean.sherlock@oireachtas.ie; aodhan.oriordain@oireachtas.ie; duncan.smith@oireachtas.ie; gerald.nash@oireachtas.ie; Alan.Kelly@oireachtas.ie; brendan.howlin@oireachtas.ie

Please sign and share the petitions

Ban Blood Sports in Ireland
https://www.change.org/p/ban-blood-sports-in-ireland

Sinn Fein: Support a ban on cruel hare coursing
https://www.change.org/p/sinn-fein-support-a-ban-on-cruel-hare-coursing

Ireland – Ban cruel hare coursing
http://www.change.org/p/ireland-ban-cruel-hare-coursing

Please support our campaign with a donation
https://www.paypal.me/banbloodsports

Department refuses to release results of greyhound post-mortems

18 Mar

Dept refuses to release results of greyhound post-mortems copy

The Department of Agriculture is refusing to release the results of post mortems carried out on the remains of greyhounds found dumped in a bog in Newbridge last August.

In its 2 March 2023 refusal response, the Department stated that the post mortem report “contains description and findings of post mortems carried out by the Department of Agriculture on greyhounds, whose bodies were recovered from a bog at Roseberry, Newbridge, Co Kildare”.

The post mortems “contain findings and information relevant to an ongoing investigation” and the “release of the post mortem report may impair or prejudice successful conclusion of the investigation and/or prosecution of offenders,” the Department added.

Responding to a Dail Question from Paul Murphy TD in January, Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue stated: “incomplete skeletal remains of seven dogs were submitted for post mortem examination to my Department’s laboratories at Backweston on 1st September 2022…It was not possible to determine when these animals had died but traumatic injury, evident in six of the dogs, was the most probable cause of death.”

Minister McConalogue told Deputy Murphy that the case was handed over to Greyhound Racing Ireland which arranged for tissue samples from the dogs to be analysed by a specialised laboratory.

TheJournal reported on 3rd February 2023 that Minister McConalogue “said it was not possible to determine when the animals had died”.

A Greyhound Racing Ireland representative was quoted as saying that “DNA was retrieved from one of the greyhounds and submitted for analysis” and “the DNA sample was cross referenced with DNA from a selection of greyhounds in the wider Newbridge area – to date, no match has been found and the GRI investigation into the matter is ongoing.”

“This is yet another horrendous example of what happens to greyhounds in this callous racing industry,” ICABS campaign director Aideen Yourell has stated. “Six of these poor creatures suffered traumatic injuries as revealed by the post mortems. We need more detail of what kind of traumatic injuries they mean, how these dogs died and did they suffer injuries to different parts of their bodies. It’s high time the government pulled the plug on funding this horrible industry that sees thousands of greyhounds disposed of when surplus to requirements.”

The gruesome find, comprising skulls, bones and skeletons, was made by a member of the public who was walking at Roseberry Bog at a spot just 2km from Newbridge Greyhound Stadium. Among the remains, a greyhound muzzle was visible.

Documents obtained by journalist Ken Foxe included a report from a Greyhound Racing Ireland Stipendary Steward who visited the scene. He wrote: “The remains were of a minimal of 6 dogs, 5 of which the skull and spinal chord were in one piece as well as well as one skull and one body of a dog which may or may not be the same dog. We numbered these 1-7. The 6 skulls had damage to the top of the skull where it meets with the spine. The remains which were bagged in bags numbered 1-6 were of skeletal remains, however the remains numbered 7 were still submerged in the bog and when we pulled them out of the wet peat the hind quarters were very much intact and you could tell this was a large black dog with well-developed muscles consistent with that of a racing greyhound and you could see its nails had been clipped in a manner consistent with that of a racing greyhound.” https://www.thestory.ie/2023/03/07/report-into-discovery-of-mass-grave-of-dogs-finds-they-were-very-likely-to-have-been-racing-greyhounds/

This is not the first time that greyhound remains have been found dumped in the countryside by unscrupulous greyhound owners. In Ballyagran, Co. Limerick, in 2012, the remains of six greyhounds were found at a disused dump, having been shot in the head, while in 2005 the mutilated remains of three greyhounds were found floating in a river in the Dungarvan area.

RTE’s award-winning “Greyhounds running for their lives” documentary revealed that thousands of greyhounds are killed every year simply because they are not fast enough to win. It featured disturbing scenes of dogs being delivered to a knackery where they were shot in the head and dumped in a skip. One shot dog was seen writhing on the ground in agony as his merciless owner drove away. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYTb2qBjlMM

The documentary featured extracts from a damning report which Greyhound Racing Ireland attempted to hide. The report estimated that, for example, a total of 17,962 greyhounds were culled in 2013, 2014 and 2015. They were killed for “failure to produce qualifying times”, “failure to produce desired entry level times” and for an “unacceptable decline in performance”.

Greyhounds are also dying at tracks. Greyhound Racing Ireland statistics show that at races around Ireland in the past nine years, at least 3,050 greyhounds suffered injuries and 1,060 died or were killed.

ACTION ALERT

Don’t go greyhound racing or attend events at greyhound tracks. Please join us in urging the government to end the state funding that is keeping the dying greyhound “industry” afloat.

Since 2001, over €309 million in funding has been handed over to Greyhound Racing Ireland, including €19.2 million for 2021, €17.6 million for 2022 and €18.2 million for 2023. It’s time for politicians to stop the funding and allow unpopular greyhound racing to die a death. Please contact your local TDs now https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/tds/?term=/ie/oireachtas/house/dail/33

Urge the leaders of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, the Green Party, Sinn Fein and Labour to stop the funding and back a ban on cruel greyhound racing

Micheál Martin TD
Leader, Fianna Fail
Email: micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie; info@fiannafail.ie
Phone: 021-432 0088
Leinster House: 01–618 3000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michealmartintd/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@MichealMartinTD

Leo Varadkar TD
Leader, Fine Gael
Telephone: 01-619 4020
Email: leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
Tweet to: http://www.twitter.com/@LeoVaradkar
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeoVaradka

Eamon Ryan TD
Leader, Green Party
Tel: 01 618 3894
Email: eamon.ryan@oireachtas.ie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EamonRyanGP/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EamonRyan

Mary Lou McDonald TD
Leader, Sinn Fein
Tel: (01) 727 7102
Email: marylou.mcdonald@oireachtas.ie
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaryLouMcDonald
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MaryLouMcDonaldTD

Ivana Bacik TD
Leader, The Labour Party
Tel: (01) 6183136
Email: ivana.bacik@oireachtas.ie
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ivanabacik
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bacikivana/

Please sign and share the petitions

Irish Government: Stop Giving Millions of Euro to Cruel Greyhound Racing
https://www.change.org/p/irish-government-stop-giving-millions-of-euro-to-cruel-greyhound-racing

GAA: Stop club fundraisers at greyhound tracks
https://www.change.org/p/gaa-stop-club-fundraisers-at-greyhound-tracks

Tell Gain Pet Nutrition to Stop Sponsoring Greyhound Racing
https://www.change.org/p/jimtracy-glanbia-ie-tell-gain-pet-nutrition-to-stop-sponsoring-greyhound-racing

Irish greyhound “being used as breeding machine in Pakistan”

17 Mar

Irish greyhound being used as breeding machine in Pakistan copy

An Irish greyhound who was used in racing at Shelbourne Park, Curraheen Park and Youghal tracks is now “being used as a breeding machine in Pakistan”.

A disturbing photo of “Knockboy Jet” in Pakistan was published on the Facebook page of CAGED Nationwide this week. The greyhound campaign group expressed concerns about the dog, saying “the condition of this lad has really deteriorated since being exported”. https://www.facebook.com/cagednw

Members of the public have reacted with disgust to the photo, with comments including:
“this greyhound needs a vet, he looks so sick”, “poor dog” and “this is why greyhound racing needs to stop for ever“.

There is no indication on the Greyhound Racing Ireland website that Knockboy Jet was exported out of Ireland and ended up in Pakistan – a country with little or no animal welfare laws. A GRI page for the greyhound shows that he was first used in racing at Youghal track on 19 June 2019. During the following four months, he was entered into 9 races at Shelbourne Park in Dublin and one race at Curraheen Park in Cork.

In December 2019, he was trialled at Brough Park track in the UK and in March 2020 was used in three races at Nottingham track. In June 2020, he was back in Ireland for a trial at Dundalk stadium. Sometime after that, he was exported to Pakistan.

A “Knockboy Jet at Stud” page on Facebook states that “in Pakistan, he got injured”, adding that “before injury, he shows his true class in Raja Rustum Greyhound Derby 2021 – he won both quarter final and semi-final and beat almost all top dogs of Pakistan, Tommys Fantasy, Racecourse Mine, Red Stone, Jumeirah Buddy, etc.”

The CAGED Nationwide campaign has previously pointed out: “Irish greyhounds bred for the racing industry are being forced to travel thousands of miles to countries where there are no welfare laws. Around 80 per cent of dogs are sent to the UK from Ireland, but many are later transported to countries like Pakistan to be used for racing, of where there are no animal welfare laws whatsoever to protect them from suffering and death.”

Kerry Elliman of Birmingham Greyhound Protection has also condemned the export of greyhounds to countries “with no animal welfare laws”.

Greyhounds sent to Pakistan “will either die at a very young age once they can no longer race or will be bred from,” she said, adding that a contact in Pakistan told her that it’s “dreadful for the dogs there, it’s always mega hot, there’s no animal protection laws, no rehoming programs and not many vets and the ones that are out there are hours away.”

He told her he has seen greyhounds starved to death at the end of their career.

ACTION ALERT

Join us in urging Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue to act NOW to stop the export of Irish greyhounds to Pakistan and to end the government funding that is keeping cruel greyhound racing afloat in Ireland.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar TD
Telephone: +353 (0)1-704 3630 OR +353 (0)1-640 3133
Email: leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
Tweet to: http://www.twitter.com/@LeoVaradkar
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeoVaradkar

Charlie McConalogue TD
Minister for Agriculture
Tel: (01) 618 3199 OR (074) 917 7282
Email: charlie.mcconalogue@oireachtas.ie
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CharlieMcConalogue
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@McConalogue

Watch RTE’s award-winning “Greyhounds Running For Their Lives” documentary

Greyhound track removed from Youghal Chamber website

16 Mar

Greyhound track removed from Youghal Chamber website copy

A greyhound track has been removed from the website of Youghal Chamber of Tourism and Development.

The page for the unpopular Youghal greyhound stadium was deleted from the Chamber’s online business directory earlier this year. It had encouraged people to visit the venue for a “wonderful night’s entertainment for all the family”.

Statistics released by Greyhound Racing Ireland this week show that zero family tickets were purchased at Youghal track in 2022. The stats reveal that the public is staying away from the track – average attendance at race meetings there last year was a mere 18.

It was reported in January that Greyhound Racing Ireland “intends to close [Youghal track] down”. This follows a recommendation in a GRI-commissioned Indecon economic report that the loss-making track be shut.

Local TDs Sean Sherlock (Labour) and James O’Connor (Fianna Fail) have shamefully pushed for it to remain open. This despite all the injuries and deaths at the track and revelations that thousands of dogs are mercilessly killed behind the scenes in greyhound racing every year because they are not fast enough to win races.

The Irish Examiner reported on 21 January 2023 that Tánaiste Micheál Martin met the lease holders of the track, spoke with them for almost 15 minutes and agreed to bring their concerns to the attention of Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue.

In a letter to the Tanaiste, ICABS drew his attention to a RED C poll which found that a two-thirds majority want the government to stop ploughing millions of euros of taxpayers’ money into this dog-killing gambling activity.

In July 2020, the Irish Council Against Bloodsports urged Youghal Chamber to stop encouraging families to visit Youghal greyhound track, not only because of the suffering and death of dogs but also due the track being rated “VERY POOR” for fire safety.

According to a November 2019 Indecon report, Youghal greyhound stadium was “judged to be in poor condition and merited a rating of ‘very poor’ on fire safety”. Read the report at https://www.igb.ie/globalassets/report-pdfs/indecon/indecon-independent-strategic-review-of-irish-greyhound-racing-stadia-december-2019.pdf#page=85

Despite this serious fire safety warning, Youghal Chamber had continued to promote the venue to families.

In an appeal to Youghal Chamber to disassociate from greyhound racing, we highlighted the fire safety issue and also pointed out that tourism bodies Tourism Ireland and Failte Ireland both stopped promoting greyhound racing, due to fears that it damages Ireland’s reputation as a tourist destination https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/ireland/shane-ross-immoral-dog-racing-will-deter-tourists-982nwhwb9

“Instead of promoting greyhound racing, Youghal Chamber should recognise that this cruel, dog-killing activity is bad for your town’s image and is more likely to repel potential tourists than attract them,” we stated. “More and more people are rejecting greyhound racing – evident in a 50 per cent fall in track attendances in the past decade.”

Over the past eight years alone, at least 109 greyhounds have suffered injuries at Youghal track and 51 were killed, sickening Greyhound Racing Ireland statistics show.

Youghal track was the worst in the country for greyhound deaths in 2022. 36 greyhounds suffered injuries there and 16 were killed between January and December. That was the highest number of annual injuries and deaths at the track since records began.

The latest deaths at the track included the killing of three greyhounds at a single meeting on 7th November 2022. The unfortunate dogs were destroyed after suffering hock fracture, wrist fracture and ruptured tendon. They were among five greyhounds injured at the meeting – the other two were treated for hock injuries.

Two greyhounds were also destroyed at a meeting on 30th May and another two at a meeting on 17th August. All four had suffered fractured hocks.

Greyhounds were also killed at trial events held at Youghal track. Two greyhounds who sustained hock injuries were destroyed at trials on 12 January and 26 March 2022.

Other injuries recorded at Youghal track included spinal injury, leg fracture, wrist fracture, toe fracture, shoulder injury and muscle injury.

The horrors of greyhound racing were exposed in the award-winning “RTE Investigates: Greyhounds running for their lives” documentary which revealed that around 6,000 dogs are killed every year simply because they are not fast enough to win races. It included disturbing scenes of dogs being delivered to knackeries to be shot in the head. One shot dog was seen writhing on the ground in agony as his merciless owner drove away https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYTb2qBjlMM

ACTION ALERT

Don’t go greyhound racing or attend events at greyhound tracks. Please join us in urging the government to end the state funding that is keeping the dying greyhound “industry” afloat.

Since 2001, over €309 million in funding has been handed over to Greyhound Racing Ireland, including €19.2 million for 2021, €17.6 million for 2022 and €18.2 million for 2023. It’s time for politicians to stop the funding and allow unpopular greyhound racing to die a death. Please contact your local TDs now https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/tds/?term=/ie/oireachtas/house/dail/33

Urge the leaders of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, the Green Party, Sinn Fein and Labour to stop the funding and back a ban on cruel greyhound racing

Micheál Martin TD
Leader, Fianna Fail
Email: micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie; info@fiannafail.ie
Phone: 021-432 0088
Leinster House: 01–618 3000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michealmartintd/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@MichealMartinTD

Leo Varadkar TD
Leader, Fine Gael
Telephone: 01-619 4020
Email: leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
Tweet to: http://www.twitter.com/@LeoVaradkar
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeoVaradka

Eamon Ryan TD
Leader, Green Party
Tel: 01 618 3894
Email: eamon.ryan@oireachtas.ie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EamonRyanGP/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EamonRyan

Mary Lou McDonald TD
Leader, Sinn Fein
Tel: (01) 727 7102
Email: marylou.mcdonald@oireachtas.ie
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaryLouMcDonald
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MaryLouMcDonaldTD

Ivana Bacik TD
Leader, The Labour Party
Tel: (01) 6183136
Email: ivana.bacik@oireachtas.ie
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ivanabacik
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bacikivana/

Please sign and share the petitions

Irish Government: Stop Giving Millions of Euro to Cruel Greyhound Racing
https://www.change.org/p/irish-government-stop-giving-millions-of-euro-to-cruel-greyhound-racing

GAA: Stop club fundraisers at greyhound tracks
https://www.change.org/p/gaa-stop-club-fundraisers-at-greyhound-tracks

Tell Gain Pet Nutrition to Stop Sponsoring Greyhound Racing
https://www.change.org/p/jimtracy-glanbia-ie-tell-gain-pet-nutrition-to-stop-sponsoring-greyhound-racing

SEE ALSO:

Youghal track: Average of just 18 attended races in 2022
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2023/03/15/youghal-track-average-of-just-18-attended-races-in-2022/

Resistance to plan for Youghal greyhound track closure
https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/munster/arid-41053814.html

Youghal track the WORST for greyhound DEATHS in 2022
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2023/02/09/youghal-track-the-worst-for-greyhound-deaths-in-2022/

At least 122 greyhounds killed in racing in 2022
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2023/02/08/at-least-122-greyhounds-killed-in-racing-in-2022/

The Sunday Times (Ireland): Greyhound industry insiders make up over half of race attendees
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/greyhound-industry-insiders-make-up-over-half-of-race-attendees-0b56z5k6w

Greyhound Racing Ireland’s misleading track attendance statistics
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2022/07/06/greyhound-racing-irelands-misleading-track-attendance-statistics/

REPORTED INJURIES AND DEATHS AT YOUGHAL TRACK

2022: 36 injuries, 16 deaths
2021: 20 injuries, 7 deaths
2020: 11 injuries, 9 deaths
2019: 10 injuries, 6 deaths
2018: 13 injuries, 6 deaths
2017: 07 injuries, 1 death
2016: 05 injuries, 3 deaths
2015: 07 injuries, 3 deaths

Injuries and deaths at Youghal track (2022)

3rd January 2022, Hock Fracture, Treated
12th January 2022, Leg Fracture, Euthanised
2nd March 2022, Fractured Hock, Treated
18th May 2022, Hock Fracture, Euthanised
23rd May 2022, Fractured Hock, Euthanised
30th May 2022, Fractured Hock, Euthanised
30th May 2022, Fractured Hock, Euthanised
6th June 2022, Hock Injury, Euthanised
8th June 2022, Wrist Injury, Treated
25th July 2022, Hock Injury, Treated
27th July 2022, Wrist Injury, Treated
15th August 2022, Spinal Injury, Euthanised
15th August 2022, Shoulder Injury, Treated
17th August 2022, Hock Fracture, Euthanised
17th August 2022, Hock Fracture, Euthanised
24th August 2022, Toe Injury, Treated
7th September 2022, Hock Fracture, Euthanised
14th September 2022, Hock Fracture, Euthanised
14th September 2022, Leg Injury, Treated
14th September 2022, Muscle Injury, Treated
10th October 2022, Hock Fracture, Treated
26th October 2022, Hock Fracture, Treated
2nd November 2022, Wrist Injury, Treated
7th November 2022, Hock Fracture, Euthanised
7th November 2022, Ruptured Tendon, Euthanised
7th November 2022, Wrist Fracture, Euthanised
7th November 2022, Hock Fracture, Treated
7th November 2022, Hock Injury, Treated
9th November 2022, Wrist Injury, Euthanised
9th November 2022, Wrist Injury, Treated
14th November 2022, Leg Fracture, Euthanised
16th November 2022, Leg Injury, Treated
16th November 2022, Toe Fracture, Treated
21st November 2022, Leg Fracture, Treated
21st November 2022, Wrist Fracture, Treated
5th December 2022, Hock Fracture, Treated

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