Don’t send our greyhounds to China

I AM writing to express both my concern and opposition to the proposal of the Irish Greyhound Board to send greyhounds to China.

Maurice Neilan spoke on RTÉ News on April 12 and stated that they planned to send over Irish people to China to look after the greyhounds. I am sure Mr Neilan must be aware that once Irish greyhounds are in China they are subject to Chinese animal welfare legalisation, which is non-existent. These animals already suffer enough in Irish racing as they are routinely killed when they are no longer fast enough.

The proposal to send them to a country that allows the skinning alive of animals should surely not merit even a consideration by the Department of Agriculture.

I accept that the greyhound board has — like all industries — seen a decline in their income due to the recession, however nothing justifies sending defenceless greyhounds to a horrendous end.

Shame on the Irish Greyhound Board. We will take a significant regressive step if we allow this to happen.

John Daly

Arklow

Co Wicklow