Irish Greyhound statistics

lotmc

Hi I was wondering if anyone would be able to let me know what the statistics are in Ireland regarding the breeding of greyhounds for racing each year, and the amount of these that
i) are killed/euthanised
ii) are rehomed
iii) manage to actually become racing dogs

I read somewhere that over 20,000 are bred, with fewer of 5,000 making it to the tracks, but really don't know if this is true..

Any help would be great, thanks

DBB

Hi Lotmc,
Can you tell us a bit about what you want this information for?
Thanks,
DBB

sotisme

DBB wrote: »

Hi Lotmc,
Can you tell us a bit about what you want this information for?
Thanks,
DBB

I am an animal lover and its something that I would like to find more about
Hope this is ok

DBB

Mod note: sotisme mistakenly posted under a family member's username in the opening post. After a pm conversation, this has been cleared up now.
If anyone can help sotisme find the info they're looking for, please fire away! :-)
Thanks,
DBB

Dodd

Puppy farms do more harm to dogs than greyhound breeders.
Why not focus on them where you can do more good for dogs.?

DBB

Dodd wrote: »

Puppy farms do more harm to dogs than greyhound breeders.
Why not focus on them where you can do more good for dogs.?

No, let's keep this thread on topic, please.
Greyhound discussion only.
Do not reply to this post on thread.
Thanks,
DBB

Dodd

You will never get the stats the same as you would never get the stats for farmed dogs that end up in pounds.

DBB

There is far more regulation around greyhounds in this country than there is of puppy farms, and there are two publically funded organisations which are obliged to keep records on greyhounds, namely Bord na gCon and the Irish Coursing Club.
Whilst I'm not saying either are perfect, far from it, I daresay the stats they produce would be significantly more accurate than any puppy farm figures, as until there is a total, inclusive, national roll-out of the breeding establishments legislation, there is simply no method of collating figures for same.

Dodd

Greyhound gets a number on the ear and can be tracked.

Pups sold other than them don't and can't be traced.

Greyhounds are some of the best breed dogs because other dogs were breed even they had problems but greyhounds were breed for the best of the best, so what you have now is one type of dog that will be ok with kids and family low mantinance.

DBB

What has that got to do with the availability of stats?
I'll ask you once again to keep this thread on topic. No more straw-man arguments which will derail this thread.
The op is looking for stats on greyhound numbers. Please stop deviating from that.

Inexile

OP
Try the following for stats on
i) are killed/euthanized - there was a table showing how many dogs were pts in pounds around the country and if I recall correctly that there was one that showed how many of them were greys. The Dept of Environment may have it or else try google as it was widely circulated.

ii) are rehomed
One organisation the Greyhound Association of Ireland was collecting stats on the numbers of dogs that various rescues took in. It will not be a total figure but it will be a good start. You can also ask the IGB as they also have a rehoming programme. However, be aware you don't double count as the IGB numbers may also include dogs homed by independent organisations which received assistance from the IGB (they make a contribution to vaccinations and transport) may have their figures included in the IGB numbers. So ask them for numbers rehomed by the IGB solely and by others. The IGB will also have stats on the numbers bred.

I saw a table recently that showed Ireland bred more greyhounds than the USA, UK and either matched or was slightly ahead of the numbers bred in Australia. Very scary stats really . Sorry don't have the link but again try google.
iii) manage to actually become racing dogs
This one is too broad Im afraid. While many dogs don't make the grade most will have been trialled and had at least one race before being retired.

Good luck with the project.

Chinasea

Inexile wrote: »

OP

I saw a table recently that showed Ireland bred more greyhounds than the USA, UK and either matched or was slightly ahead of the numbers bred in Australia. Very scary stats really .
Good luck with the project.

I despair, that is depressing.

sotisme

Thanks everyone for your helpful replies. I can't believe that the statistics for this aren't easily accessible. This is very disappointing, especially as it concerns the lives of so many innocent creatures. I really think that this information should be made known to the public, not hidden.

Also am I right in thinking that greyhounds killed in pound statistics wouldn't be much help as the greyhounds put down due to unsuitability for racing wouldn't be sent to the pound(euthanised by a vet instead)?

boomerang

Correct, soitsme. We have no figures for the number of greys being put down at vets and in my own experience, it's a lot.

Inexile

sotisme wrote: »

Also am I right in thinking that greyhounds killed in pound statistics wouldn't be much help as the greyhounds put down due to unsuitability for racing wouldn't be sent to the pound(euthanised by a vet instead)?

I may disagree a bit with Boomerang here as I think a vet would cost more €30, which is what our local pound charge, to dispose of a dog at their practice. However, if a vet was coming to treat another animal and was then asked to do dirty deed on the same visit it may be cheaper.

I think the numbers in the pound are startling enough and while they do not show the full story its a starting point.

beanie.

Thousands of Irish greyhounds are destroyed each year. Bord na gCon (The Irish Greyhound Board) has admitted that 8,000 dogs die each year due to "natural wastage" i.e. injuries and diseases. This figure does not include the initial cull of young dogs that are not registered. Greyhounds are a very healthy breed and would normally live to be at least 14 years old. ( hide content )

In 2006, 4,481 litters of greyhound pups were registered in Ireland. If we estimate six to seven pups per litter we get a figure of 31,367 pups. Only 23,700 of these pups were registered to race. These figures suggest that 7,667 pups never made it to the racing track. This figure is on the conservative side as it is calculated on seven pups per litter.The average greyhound litter is seven to ten pups. The issue of young greyhounds that do not make it to the tracks is a huge area of concern. Hundreds of pups are too slow to grade, some don't chase, other get injured and never make it to the first trials. In addition, at least 8,000 adult greyhounds leave racing and "retire" each year. When we add the unaccounted for puppies to the adult "retired" dogs, we get a figure of approximately 16,000 greyhounds that are surplus to the industry's requirements.

Of those who do not make it to the racetrack, many are destroyed each year with some abandoned or sold on as "poor quality" dogs at the many greyhound auctions held at the greyhound tracks all around Ireland. A small percentage are taken in by Irish welfare groups, who do their best to find loving homes for them. As the Irish public are only slowly realising the greyhound's potential as a wonderful family pet, Irish rescues rely currently heavily on overseas adoptions.

Not sure if the link will take you to the correct page, but just open the greyhound tab.
<snip>
Please don't link to rescue websites, as per the forum charter.
To readers: this link was to a well-known rescue group who don't just rehome greyhounds, and the above info on their website comes without citations/references.
Thanks,
DBB

beanie.

A lot are sold and end up in Spain for galgo racing, I wouldn't advise googling it in too much detail if you're easily upset, I read up on it a few years ago and it still haunts me.

Vel

The IGB/ICC could put a system in place to establish just how many greyhounds are destroyed each year but the reason they don't, in my opinion is because they don't want proven confirmation of just how many are destroyed as they certainly aren't going to come out of it looking good. So therefore, at the moment it is only possible to estimate how many are destroyed each year.

Vel

beanie. wrote: »

A lot are sold and end up in Spain for galgo racing, I wouldn't advise googling it in too much detail if you're easily upset, I read up on it a few years ago and it still haunts me.

Irish greyhounds are sold to countries all over the world, including Sweden, Pakistan, Romania, the UK etc. There was a greyhound racing scene in Spain a good number of years ago and it is well documented that the conditions were dire and many dogs were kept in appalling conditions and forced to race while injured/pregnant etc. I won't link to anything but information can be found on google. All of the tracks eventually shut down and thankfully no greyhounds were being bought by the Spanish for racing.

However, two new tracks have been built and are awaiting licences for gambling, so greyhound racing is re-starting there. At the recent sales in Thurles, 20 Irish greyhounds were bought by agents for the Spanish and are regrettably now in Spain. Again I won't link to anything but the treatment and fate of the Spanish Galgo can be researched via google and it is not for the faint-hearted. There is a lot of concern that Irish greyhounds are once again being sent to Spain.

I am told that many greyhound breeders here do not want their dogs going to Spain and won't knowingly sell to a Spanish buyer.

This also links into the topic in question as thousands of Irish bred greyhounds are exported each year to a huge number of countries and there is currently no way of knowing their fate and how many of them are destroyed each year.

boomerang

Friends of mine in mixed, country practice have greyhounds coming to them to be pts in constant drips and drabs. And actually the same goes for two city practices I know of.

sotisme

Thanks everyone for all your helpful inputs, much appreciated

Inexile

boomerang wrote: »

Friends of mine in mixed, country practice have greyhounds coming to them to be pts in constant drips and drabs. And actually the same goes for two city practices I know of.

How depressing. Wonder if the owners even bother to contact a rescue on behalf of the dog.:mad:

boomerang

beanie. wrote: »

To readers: this link was to a well-known rescue group who don't just rehome greyhounds, and the above info on their website comes without citations/references.

I do believe that's my "copy" written many moons ago. Me bad!

whatanidiot

Inexile wrote: »

OP
Try the following for stats on
i) are killed/euthanized - there was a table showing how many dogs were pts in pounds around the country and if I recall correctly that there was one that showed how many of them were greys. The Dept of Environment may have it or else try google as it was widely circulated.

http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/LocalGovernment/DogControl/

Think this is the one you're talking about.

DBB

boomerang wrote: »

I do believe that's my "copy" written many moons ago. Me bad!

Lol, I wondered was it you alright! No harm intended in what I said, it's just that because the poster couldn't in this case link to where they got that info from without breaking the forum charter, I was trying to give it a little more context ;-)

boomerang

It was the lack of citations/references that had my cheeks burning!

boomerang

Saw this tonight, and thought of you, OP.

These are the (2012) rehoming figures for tattooed greyhounds from Irish pounds. 530 were taken in, 98 went to rescue and 28 were reclaimed or rehomed from the pound. This means that the pound had a 5.5% rehoming rate, 18.5% went to rescues and 76% were killed. Some counties' pounds do not record taking in any tattooed greyhounds. That might simply mean that the breed was not recorded specifically but lumped in with the pound's overall tally.

Look at Co. Clare - 125 greyhounds taken in, and not one rehomed! :eek: