Cruelty rife in greyhound industry

LIKE many Irish people, I like dogs. I share my home with a Jack Russell cross who can sometimes be hard to handle.

She loves cats and horses, fears chicken and thrushes and generally hates men and children. She has been described as neurotic by some, represents no financial worth and does not have a “job” to do.

I love her dearly and would never willingly part with her.

She has, I feel, the life she deserves, just for being her sweet little self.

However, consider the fate of the Irish greyhound. Bred for one purpose only — to make money, and never for the pet market, only 25% of puppies will make the track. The rest are killed.

A greyhound that cannot run fast enough to bring in huge volumes of cash, or who has reached an age where it can no longer run fast enough to do so, faces a grisly fate.

Some are mutilated by having their ears sliced off, to prevent identification and prosecution; some have bricks tied around their necks before being thrown into the sea, some are poisoned or shot and some are exported to Spain in terrible conditions.

One RSPCA investigation found: “Approximately 900 greyhounds were forced to spend 21 hours in terrible kennels with no air conditioning. Greyhounds were infested with parasites and nursing open sores. [They] were administered substances such as amphetamines, caffeine, anabolic steroids and cocaine.” (See www.greyhoundaction.org.uk)

Once arrived, they face even more horrific cruelties, as dogs who have been run into the ground are routinely hung once the season is over and they are no longer a lucrative commodity. Only a tiny minority ever end up in the care of rescue organisations and shelters.

Recently, a Durham man has been under investigation for “disposing of” unwanted greyhounds. He was accused of having an estimated 10,000 young greyhounds buried on the land surrounding his house, all of whom were killed using a captive bolt gun at a cost of £10 per killing.

No vet was ever present so no account of suffering was ever documented. This was the preferred option of those involved in the industry as to have a dog humanely euthanised by a vet costs more. In this way, a dog who has earned thousands for its owner and breeder is not even given the dignity of a stress-free death.

The 2005 Irish Government book of estimates pledged just over €4 million to the Combat Poverty Agency, €7.8m to the Education and Welfare Board, just over €15m to the National Education Psychological Service and around €69m to the horse and greyhound-racing industries.

This comes from the pockets of parents with children in difficulty, dog lovers and anyone else who pays taxes. We are all funding the torture of these dogs without realising it.

Bord na gCon recently cut its funding of a rescue charity which strives to re-home some of the ex-racing dogs.

“You Bet, They Die” has been the slogan of recent campaigns against dog racing, and it reflects the reality behind the scenes of an industry based on neglect, wanton and deliberate cruelty, and amounts of money so large that our Government refuses to recognise the corruption and cruelty inherent in its activities.

Catherine Keating

Athenry Road

Tuam

Co Galway.