Export of Irish greyhounds to China raises concerns on dog welfare

We are writing as a concerned group of leading animal welfare organisations including Dogs Trust, Europe’s largest dog welfare charity, and two of Ireland’s oldest and largest animal welfare charities, the Irish SPCA and the Irish Blue Cross.

We are gravely concerned and disappointed about confirmed reports that three Irish greyhounds were recently exported from Ireland to Macau to race in China’s only legal greyhound track, the Yat Yuen Canidrome.

Our three organisations have extensive experience of greyhound welfare and through the auspices of the International Greyhound Forum we have worked with the industry to raise welfare standards in Ireland. We consider such exports to be ill-advised and a massive step backwards in achieving a well regulated and safe environment for greyhounds both in Ireland and elsewhere in the world.