Greyhound breeders should not be exempt from new laws

AS opponents of the dreadful and well-documented cruelty to animals that is an integral part of Ireland’s greyhound industry, we are concerned at some of the speeches delivered by senators in recent weeks who wish this utterly discredited industry to escape the accountability to which all other dog breeding establishments in the state are to be subject under the Dog Breeding Establishments Bill, popularly known as the “puppy farm bill”.

Advocates of an exemption for greyhound breeders, within and outside the Oireachtas, cite the provisions of the existing 1958 Greyhound Industries Act. But this legislation does not focus on animal welfare issues within the industry. It is concerned with the wellbeing of the industry in social and financial terms. The 1958 act is of no use whatsoever to dogs that are neglected or cruelly ill-treated by uncaring greyhound-owners or trainers, of which there are sadly quite a few, as evidenced by the regular dumping of dead, mutilated greyhounds whose racing or coursing days have come to an end.

Injured greyhounds are similarly treated. These meet their demise in a variety of ways if not humanely put down. They are shot, drowned, strangled or beaten to death with spades or shovels.

Animal welfare workers nationwide can attest to the frequency with which unwanted greyhounds are killed and dumped on skips or in ditches after having their ID ear tags hacked off.

Senators, in the course of the debate, have boasted that coursing clubs have done Ireland proud internationally. This is a bogus and irresponsible claim. In fact, hare coursing is outlawed in the majority of the countries that once permitted it.

It impairs Ireland’s reputation abroad instead of enhancing it, projecting a negative image of our country to animal lovers.

We hope senators and Dáil deputies will cease to be swayed by the spurious argument that greyhound-breeding establishments should be exempted under the new law on the basis that their welfare is already catered for by the Irish Greyhound Board and coursing clubs.

These agencies have clearly not been successful in preventing the wholesale abuse of greyhounds and the suggestion that clubs committed to staging horrific festivals of cruelty all over Ireland are “concerned about animal welfare” would be laughable were it not a claim being seriously bandied about in the Seanad.

We suggest that, far from undermining the greyhound industry, Environment Minister John Gormley’s proposed inclusion of all greyhound breeding establishments in the new puppy farm legislation will serve to remove much of what is corrupt, cruel, dehumanising and rotten from within that ailing and disreputable industry.

John Fitzgerald

Campaign for the Abolition of Cruel Sports

Lr Coyne Street

Callan

Co Kilkenny