Press Release
Cruel and inhumane treatment of Irish greyhounds. Stop exporting them to countries with no concern for animal welfare.
Maureen O’Sullivan T.D. and actor Pauline McLynn will be hosting a press conference in the Georgian Suite of Buswells Hotel at 12.00pm on Tuesday 18th July along with animal welfare groups, The Irish Council Against Bloodsports and CAGED (Campaign Against Greyhound Exploitation and Death).
CAGED are also launching an ad campaign on buses to highlight this cruelty.
ICABS (Irish Council Against Blood Sports) state – “the greyhound racing industry in its entirety, and all commercial exports of live greyhounds, has got to end.
Greyhounds are a sensitive, highly intelligent and affectionate breed of dog that adapt amazingly well to living within a home environment as beloved family pets, just like any other breed.
We are appealing to the public to seek out these wonderful dogs for adoption through our countries’ rescues and pounds and help them to enjoy a long, happy life away from the demands and cruelty of the greyhound racing tracks.
We need the public to understand that to bet on a greyhound is condoning the animal abuse issues this dreadful industry is rife with.
The increasing risks of live exports to anywhere other than established greyhound rescues abroad means it is impossible to safeguard the protection of our Irish greyhounds from further indirect exports to horrific circumstances and certain death in the worst ways imaginable.
In recent years the dog meat trade of China has proven that this unforgivable disregard for exported greyhounds is only getting worse as so many have been sold on to slaughterhouses throughout Asia for human consumption after they’ve been overbred, injured or simply unwanted for not running fast enough to earn their keep.
We need our Irish government to act now to change legislation and completely ban all commercial exports of live greyhounds once and for all.”
Deputy O’Sullivan added…”It is high time this country reversed our appalling record on animal welfare, ensuring that Irish Greyhounds that have finished their domestic racing and coursing careers are not allowed to be shipped out of the state where they face horrible treatment and a painful death. This is a small step yet a vital one for animal welfare. This Government has failed to act on banning live hare coursing, which has been banned almost exclusively in other European countries and shown a lack of desire to tackle puppy farms which has embarrassingly led to Ireland being referred to as the puppy farm capital of Europe”
Maureen and Pauline hope that as many people as possible will come out and support calls to end this practice of the export of these lovely gentle animals.
Also on July 18th, from 11 until 4, there will be a protest outside the Department of Agriculture, Kildare Street.
ENDS
