Revelations could sink greyhound industry
I am primarily racing greyhounds because I like dogs (slow and fast). I also keep gundogs.
The trend over the last number of years has been sinister. By that I mean the use of hormones and steroids. These drugs are very dangerous. No dog deserves to have them administered. They are only dogs and will give their best when left alone. This is how the game is, or should be.
The cause of people giving substances to dogs is naked greed.
Prizemoney at greyhound stadiums is excellent at present, so let’s all enjoy the scene while we still have it and people support it.
I race my dogs at Longford and when they are good enough, we travel to Shelbourne Park or elsewhere. I would like to think I am competing on a level playing field.
I recommend the following measures:
1. Test rigorously for banned substances.
2. Test all semi-final qualifiers.
3. Lifetime ban for people using hormones or steroids.
If any dog of mine tested positive, would I get a 60/40 call? Why give EPO to a sickly greyhound? I certainly would not give it to a sickly patient.
Finally, I learned a lot from two wonderful trainers in the 1960s in Millstreet, Co Cork, namely PJ Cashman (‘Tanyard’) and Dan O’Keeffe. All of their dogs ran on merit.
Dr Dermot Cribbin
Main Street
Ballinamore
Co. Leitrim
