Greyhound culling

Graces7

Deleted User wrote: »

I’d say it’s the Department of Agricultural you need to pester Grace.

Seems they allow this transport of dogs abroad (to UK anyway) and did not revoked the licence of that scumbag who drove 11 greyhounds for 15 hours through the UK (no water, no bedding, no breaks ) .

This scumbag had his licence revoked in the UK by the GB greyhound board. They were appalled by the conditions of the dogs. That should have spoke volumes about his practices but the Irish turned a blind eye and he still held his licence as a dog transported issued by the Irish Dept of Agriculture!!


I’ll be complaining to Dept of Agriculture today .

OK; they are usually very good. At the last rental a neighbour who was scared of the man concerned showed me he was ill treating his cattle right behind the rental. I emailed the dept and the vet was out there within hours and it was sorted

irishgeo

Whats IGB got to say this morning?

Graces7

seamus wrote: »

We deny it even happens. It's far more convenient for the man on the street to pretend that the people who breed animals are all above board and it's "just a few knackers" doing all the horrible stuff.

Makes it easier to believe that your day at the dogs or the horses is a fun day out for everyone and no animals had to suffer for it.

Deep, deep denial.

To be fair I had no idea how bad it was and nor did a fair few folk here. we tend to think all is well until we see otherwise. I have seen enough abuse in farming areas to see else but until y;day I thought folk adopted retired greyhounds

I know re puppy farms as that has been exposed.

Graces7

Graces7 wrote: »

.............

Any ideas anyone please?

I know folk that get in contact with any company sponsoring or having a fund raiser at greyhound tracks to make them aware of the abuse.

I know folk who protest at greyhound tracks too .......... to make the racegoers aware of the issue.

Graces7

An update/reaction on the programme and concerns

https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2019/0626/1057728-greyhound/

Does indeed seem to be at the door of the Dept of Ag.; well done rte

Doctors room ghost

irishgeo wrote: »

Whats IGB got to say this morning?

They’re hoping the dust settles fast and it’s back to racing the weekend.
All involved in the knackerys need to be investigated,closed and charged with animal cruelty and breaching whatever rules they broke.
The cowards are probably in work today with sheepish heads on them though when they should be answering to animal cruelty charges

Vel

I've had rescue greyhounds and lurchers for years, have been involved in a small bit of rescue and have known what a disgusting industry it is for a long time now. I couldn't bring myself to watch this.

Whats upsets me most is that the way greyhounds are portrayed as a result of this industry (vicious with muzzles, ugly, dangerous etc.) means that so many people don't appreciate that they are dogs, just like your westies, labs, goldendoodles. They are no different but I think people sometimes forget this and it is what makes it so heartbreaking for me. When they get the chance to, they play, they become part of a family, they are loyal, gentle, sensitive, forgiving, beautiful creatures.

Imagine if for example, the Guide Dogs culled their labs or golden retrievers when they 'retired' or didn't make the grade? There would be mass uproar and rightly so. But somehow it's different for greyhounds.

Its just heartbreaking.

There have been scandals exposed before within this industry - greyhound carcasses dumped in public, sending them to China etc. and nothing has happeneded. I'm an oul cynic at this point but I am hopeful good things come from this

Doctors room ghost

Vel wrote: »

I've had rescue greyhounds and lurchers for years, have been involved in a small bit of rescue and have known what a disgusting industry it is for a long time now. I couldn't bring myself to watch this.

Whats upsets me most is that the way greyhounds are portrayed as a result of this industry (vicious with muzzles, ugly, dangerous etc.) means that so many people don't appreciate that they are dogs, just like your westies, labs, goldendoodles. They are no different but I think people sometimes forget this and it is what makes it so heartbreaking for me. When they get the chance to, they play, they become part of a family, they are loyal, gentle, sensitive, forgiving, beautiful creatures.

Imagine if for example, the Guide Dogs culled their labs or golden retrievers when they 'retired' or didn't make the grade? There would be mass uproar and rightly so. But somehow it's different for greyhounds.

Its just heartbreaking.

There have been scandals exposed before within this industry - greyhound carcasses dumped in public, sending them to China etc. and nothing has happeneded. I'm an oul cynic at this point but I am hopeful good things come from this

You should watch it on the rte player just to see the type of scum that are involved.
The mafia wouldn’t be a patch on these savages.

A department inspector in the yard and the lads laughing saying they would shoot the dog when he leaves.
You wouldn’t see the likes of it on the sapranos

jackboy

Doctors room ghost wrote: »

The dirty coward sitting in his van waiting to get his lead and collar back while the poor dog got shot and thrashing around the floor.life is cheap with the coward.
Sad thing is the coward must have other hounds when he needed the collar and lead back.
I hope he’s treated accordingly after being identified from that to people who recognize him

What went on in that scene was wrong, shouldn't have happened and should be prevented from happening.

However, calling that man names and wishing ill will on him is fine, if it is coming from someone who is not linked to appaling treatment of animals. Have you ever ate a burger, chicken or eggs. Many of these products come from animals that have suffered far more than that dog. Does further distance from the action make one less of a coward?

We are all guilty. Attacking individuals will not help. Proper regulations with real inspections and penalties is what is needed.

ILoveYourVibes

Graces7 wrote: »

To be fair I had no idea how bad it was and nor did a fair few folk here. we tend to think all is well until we see otherwise. I have seen enough abuse in farming areas to see else but until y;day I thought folk adopted retired greyhounds

I know re puppy farms as that has been exposed.

I am surprised it took RTE this long.

ILoveYourVibes

jackboy wrote: »

What went on in that scene was wrong, shouldn't have happened and should be prevented from happening.

However, calling that man names and wishing ill will on him is fine, if it is coming from someone who is not linked to appaling treatment of animals. Have you ever ate a burger, chicken or eggs. Many of these products come from animals that have suffered far more than that dog. Does further distance from the action make one less of a coward?

We are all guilty. Attacking individuals will not help. Proper regulations with real inspections and penalties is what is needed.

Its a virtually non existent sport in the US now. All but five states have banned it.

I think it should be wound down here.

They gave dog of the year to a dog that they knew had been doped .
https://www.thejournal.ie/clonbrien-hero-cocaine-positive-test-3596958-Sep2017/
https://www.independent.ie/sport/greyhounds/champion-greyhound-that-tested-positive-for-cocaine-claims-25k-st-leger-in-limerick-36294129.html

It doesn't have to happen overnight. But what are we realistically going to do with 6000k greyhounds not just ONE year but EVERY year?

Vel

Doctors room ghost wrote: »

You should watch it on the rte player just to see the type of scum that are involved.
The mafia wouldn’t be a patch on these savages.

A department inspector in the yard and the lads laughing saying they would shoot the dog when he leaves.
You wouldn’t see the likes of it on the sapranos

Oh believe me I know the type very well sadly. As I said I've been involved with rescue greyhounds for years.

Doctors room ghost

jackboy wrote: »

What went on in that scene was wrong, shouldn't have happened and should be prevented from happening.

However, calling that man names and wishing ill will on him is fine, if it is coming from someone who is not linked to appaling treatment of animals. Have you ever ate a burger, chicken or eggs. Many of these products come from animals that have suffered far more than that dog. Does further distance from the action make one less of a coward?

We are all guilty. Attacking individuals will not help. Proper regulations with real inspections and penalties is what is needed.

You’re dealing with paddy Irishman there so forget the rules and regs.theres nobody as corrupt as good old paddy Irishman.

Doctors room ghost

Vel wrote: »

Oh believe me I know the type very well sadly. As I said I've been involved with rescue greyhounds for years.

If you do one thing today vel watch the documentary.people need to see it

Doctors room ghost

Doctors room ghost wrote: »

If you do one thing today vel watch the documentary.people need to see it

Loads of folk knows what goes on, they don't need to see it............. it's an eyeopener for many others, they need to see it........ Vel seems to know more than most what goes on......

Vel wrote: »

I've had rescue greyhounds and lurchers for years, have been involved in a small bit of rescue and have known what a disgusting industry it is for a long time now. I couldn't bring myself to watch this..........

I've not watched it myself but am also aware of what goes on ....
https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=110535824&postcount=14
It's old news if you are anyway involved or volunteer with any rescue group really (and sadly of course).

https://www.facebook.com/pg/GreyhoundAwarenessCork/photos/?tab=album&album_id=604339133299154

Graces7

The minister named in the report today; his email will be easy to find online and we need to deluge him. Nothing abusive but to the point.

Good for RTE and it needs to be followed through.

Emerges my faith-family who work in dog rescue abroad, know about this but did not want to tell me how bad it was.

This will not be the first time i have emailed a minister..

Graces7

Here he is

https://www.finegael.ie/our-people/ministers/wicklow/andrew-doyle/

CONNECT WITH ANDREW, he invites... OK, let us all do that.

Cupatae

jackboy wrote: »

Yes it is true. However, there is great hypocrisy in this highlighting of the greyhound industry. This large scale culling is also widely known in the horse racing industry but the media will not touch this due to the benefits to the economy that the horse racing industry brings.

Ahh thats grand so, sur they do it with horse its alright. The people that do this are scum and the people involved in it are scum, i hope some day they meet a faith that reflects what they have done, and are as cruelly treated. Them and anyone that profits from it.

Makes my blood boil...

jackboy

Cupatae wrote: »

Ahh thats grand so, sur they do it with horse its alright. The people that do this are scum and the people involved in it are scum, i hope some day they meet a faith that reflects what they have done, and are as cruelly treated. Them and anyone that profits from it.

Makes my blood boil...

The program was designed to make your blood boil. The same channel that made this program have made heroes of trainers in the horse racing industry, who have done the equivalent animal abuse. That doesn’t make it right. It just means that the makers of the program have no interest in animal welfare. It was just designed to manipulate people’s emotions.

Cupatae

jackboy wrote: »

The program was designed to make your blood boil. The same channel that made this program have made heroes of trainers in the horse racing industry, who have done the equivalent animal abuse. That doesn’t make it right. It just means that the makers of the program have no interest in animal welfare. It was just designed to manipulate people’s emotions.

While you are right it clearly was aimed to target peoples emotions, it still doesnt change the fact, i hope this results in both industry's being destroyed or at the very least heavily clamped down on.

jomalone14

Ok, for all here that want to actively do something, I've copied the below template from GRAI.

Bombard your local TDs and tell them to take action. Strength in numbers! You can find a template letter below and you can find out who your representative here- https://www.whoismytd.com/

Dear __TD name here,
Re: Greyhound welfare in the racing industry
As one of your constituents, I am writing to you following the ‘RTE Investigates’ programme, which aired on 26 June 2019. This programmed highlighted several shockingly abusive and cruel practices currently happening in the state funded greyhound industry.
Key issues raised include; the abuse of dogs through use of performance enhancing drugs, the overbreeding of dogs which leads to excess numbers of animals being ‘culled’ or exported to unregulated and clearly very cruel dog markets in China. The programme reported that up to 6000 dogs are killed each year because they are not deemed fast enough to compete. Several knackeries were shown to charge anything from 20 euro upwards to illegally kill these dogs. The image of a dog writhing on the floor, after being shot with a bolt gun, as its owner waited for its collar to be returned, provided a shocking insight into the reality of how many of these animals experience the last moments of their lives. This is both illegal and inhumane. Equally shocking was the footage of the coursing event on Whiddy Island, which was unlicensed and illegal and clearly causing untold distress to hares in this area.
As my elected representative I am asking you to take action with urgency on the following:
1. Based on this report, consider an urgent DAIL review/question into the current state of animal welfare in greyhound racing and coursing.
2. A removal or freezing of any state funding until animal welfare can be guaranteed for greyhounds, in terms of breeding, kennel conditions, regulation of foreign exports and methods of euthanasia.
3. Using the Greyhound Act 2019 and the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 and related legislation, to enforce criminal sanctions against perpetrators of illegal activity in this industry.
I look forward to hearing to hearing your response.
Yours sincerely,
Name and address

famagusta

What a joke this thread is, why are you not standing outside halting sites protesting about cruelty and writing letters to ministers about them too.

DBB

famagusta wrote: »

What a joke this thread is, why are you not standing outside halting sites protesting about cruelty and writing letters to ministers about them too.

One battle at a time, huh?
Whataboutery will not win any battles for anyone. If you'd like to start a thread about protesting about cruelty at halting sites, rather than pulling this thread off-topic, you're more than welcome to do so.

Graces7

jackboy wrote: »

The program was designed to make your blood boil. The same channel that made this program have made heroes of trainers in the horse racing industry, who have done the equivalent animal abuse. That doesn’t make it right. It just means that the makers of the program have no interest in animal welfare. It was just designed to manipulate people’s emotions.

That kind of cynicism is not justified and is counter productive. Focus on this issue?

Graces7

jomalone14 wrote: »

Ok, for all here that want to actively do something, I've copied the below template from GRAI.

Bombard your local TDs and tell them to take action. Strength in numbers! You can find a template letter below and you can find out who your representative here- https://www.whoismytd.com/

Dear __TD name here,
Re: Greyhound welfare in the racing industry
As one of your constituents, I am writing to you following the ‘RTE Investigates’ programme, which aired on 26 June 2019. This programmed highlighted several shockingly abusive and cruel practices currently happening in the state funded greyhound industry.
Key issues raised include; the abuse of dogs through use of performance enhancing drugs, the overbreeding of dogs which leads to excess numbers of animals being ‘culled’ or exported to unregulated and clearly very cruel dog markets in China. The programme reported that up to 6000 dogs are killed each year because they are not deemed fast enough to compete. Several knackeries were shown to charge anything from 20 euro upwards to illegally kill these dogs. The image of a dog writhing on the floor, after being shot with a bolt gun, as its owner waited for its collar to be returned, provided a shocking insight into the reality of how many of these animals experience the last moments of their lives. This is both illegal and inhumane. Equally shocking was the footage of the coursing event on Whiddy Island, which was unlicensed and illegal and clearly causing untold distress to hares in this area.
As my elected representative I am asking you to take action with urgency on the following:
1. Based on this report, consider an urgent DAIL review/question into the current state of animal welfare in greyhound racing and coursing.
2. A removal or freezing of any state funding until animal welfare can be guaranteed for greyhounds, in terms of breeding, kennel conditions, regulation of foreign exports and methods of euthanasia.
3. Using the Greyhound Act 2019 and the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 and related legislation, to enforce criminal sanctions against perpetrators of illegal activity in this industry.
I look forward to hearing to hearing your response.
Yours sincerely,
Name and address

Great....

Graces7

add fuel and keep pressure on...

https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2019/0627/1058876-greyhound/

davidk1394

jackboy wrote: »

The program was designed to make your blood boil. The same channel that made this program have made heroes of trainers in the horse racing industry, who have done the equivalent animal abuse. That doesn’t make it right. It just means that the makers of the program have no interest in animal welfare. It was just designed to manipulate people’s emotions.

I agree with you there. Same things happen to horses, even in well know stables

Graces7

davidk1394 wrote: »

I agree with you there. Same things happen to horses, even in well know stables

as others have said . one issue at a time. There IS a real and terrible issue with greyhounds and t is great it is being fully exposed and publicised so well done to RTE

Graces7

Graces7 wrote: »

as others have said . one issue at a time. There IS a real and terrible issue with greyhounds and t is great it is being fully exposed and publicised so well done to RTE

Grace, with all due respect what was exposed? IGB knew that traceability was an issue so commissioned a report to find out exactly the facts. Yes, 6,000 greyhounds were unaccounted for but to say that they were all illegally killed is wrong. This report has given them a clear picture of what needs doing and this is underway.
There was mention of a million euro greyhound at stud. Who and where?
They also mentioned that an Irish Greyhounds racing was only 7 months. Not so. Many are sold to uk legally.
That greyhound with its ears cut off happened years ago, as did the dumping of greyhounds in a ditch. No up to date videos or photos. DNA testing would have led to identifying owners responsible.
Dogs being cruelly killed in China was shown for the reaction hoped for.
Knackeries will be investigated and measures taken to ensure this no longer happens. Same goes for illegal coursing.

Choc Chip

Deleted User wrote: »

Grace, with all due respect what was exposed? IGB knew that traceability was an issue so commissioned a report to find out exactly the facts. Yes, 6,000 greyhounds were unaccounted for but to say that they were all illegally killed is wrong. This report has given them a clear picture of what needs doing and this is underway.

As far as I understand it, the IGB disputed the findings of the report and so hadn't released it. The IGB seemed to have no intention of releasing it (or doing anything with the findings) until a copy found it's way into RTE's hands.

Also, it's those 6000 missing dogs a year that bother me Maryanne. For argument's sake, let's say that they're not illegally killed - where are they? And what happens if from tomorrow they are put into rescue rather than being killed - that might look better but our rescues are already overwhelmed with dogs people have dumped. I'd really prefer if the IGB stopped breeding so many unnecessary and unwanted dogs in the first place.

Also, the €16.8m per year going into the industry? With 4.75 million people in Ireland, we're each paying €3.54 every year to fund these dogs being overbred. How about putting that money into sorting our Ireland's over-population of dogs rather than funding an industry that pumps out more dogs.

And for anyone who thinks Ireland isn't overpopulated with dogs, ask yourself why we're sending our rescue dogs to Sweden, Italy and the UK. It's a disgrace.