Sir, – We are writing as a concerned group of leading animal welfare organisations as we are gravely concerned and disappointed about confirmed reports that three Irish greyhounds were recently exported from Ireland to Macau. They were sent to race in China’s only legal greyhound track, the Yat Yuen Canidrome.
Our 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.
Sending greyhounds to Macau stands in stark contrast to the letter and spirit of the Welfare of Greyhounds Act 2011, which was finalised following extensive consultation with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the greyhound industry and the animal welfare community.
Bord na gCon in May 2011 excluded the export of Irish greyhounds to China from its racing industry development proposal.
We were further reassured that any proposal involving Bord na gCon and the racing industry in China would give due consideration to animal welfare matters.
While we accept no statutory ban on such exports exists, we strongly urge the Department, as Bord na gCon has done, that the export of greyhounds to jurisdictions where equivalent welfare standards to Ireland do not exist should not take place.
As a nation we have in recent years attracted adverse international coverage about the welfare of our horses – let us not go down the same route with the welfare of our greyhounds, a noble dog synonymous with Ireland.
– Yours, etc,
MARK BEAZLEY
Dogs Trust,
DR ANDREW KELLY
ISPCA,
CHRISTINA CONNEELY
The Irish Blue Cross.