Greyhound racing is an organized, competitive industry in which greyhound dogs are raced around a track. There are two forms of greyhound racing, track racing (normally around an oval track) and coursing. In many countries, greyhound racing is purely amateur and for enjoyment. In other countries (particularly Australia, Ireland, Macau, Mexico, Spain, the UK and the US), greyhound racing is part of the gambling industry, similar to although far less profitable than horse racing.
Today, the cruelty of the industry is finally being exposed!
- Racing dogs spend 95% of their time in small, barren kennels without social contact. Those that are housed in pairs are kept constantly muzzled which is highly distressing for them.
- Many are neglected and suffer fleas, worms, untreated injuries, malnutrition and dental problems. Industry sanctions against those who treat dogs in this manner are feeble and ineffectual.
- Poorly maintained tracks and racing frequency cause painful, and often lethal, injuries such as broken backs and shattered limbs. Shockingly, the industry is allowed to keep injury records secret.
- At least 10,000 dogs are deemed surplus to requirements every year. 8,000 are retired racers, the rest are young dogs that didn't make the grade.
- British charities rehome many surplus dogs, but thousands are unaccounted for each year. Some are abandoned, some killed crudely, others sold for dissection.
- Exportation for racing in Macau (China) if the dog does not place in the first three it will be destroyed or they are also sold into the illegal meat trade.
*source:
http://www.league.org.uk/our-campaigns/racing-animals/what-is-wrong-with-greyhound-racing
Europe4strays joins its voice and takes part to the International protest to ban this cruel racing industry and to stop the exportation of these gentle souls to a tragic death in China!
Please take action, you will find here below the links to the Petitions to sign and to the events to attend.
The english actor Ricky Gervais speaks on behalf of the Irish Greyhounds sold to race in China.
1. Contact Lufthansa airline who have not stopped flying greyhounds from Ireland to China and ask them to introduce a policy of not sending any racing greyhounds to China ever. The more people at Lufthansa we contact and make them aware of this issue, the more likely they are to take notice.
*Email customer relations: customer.relations@lufthansa.com
*Lufthansa cargo Head office in Germany – 01806 747 200 051
*Comment on https://www.facebook.com/lufthansa/
*Sign the petition to Lufthansa to stop greyhounds being sent.
2. Send an email to the Irish Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed, urging him to introduce a ban on exporting greyhound to China. He is the new Minister appointed on 6th May.
michael.creed@oir.ie
Send a message to Michael's Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/michaelcreedtd/?pnref=story
To phone dial 01 6072000
Follow CAGED Northwest on Facebook for updates on the 24 greyhounds sold to China to race in Macau canidrome. On may 12th UK activists at Manchester airport were able to block the
shipping of the dogs on a Lufthansa cargo flight to Hong Kong via Frankfurt.
https://www.facebook.com/cagednw/?fref=ts
Animals Australia’ information page on greyhounds in Macau
https://secure.animalsaustralia.org/…/greyhound-export-inve…
Anima – Macau animal welfare group trying to shut down the Canindrome
http://animamacau.org/
Bring Jack Home – Australian campaign to save Jack and hopefully other greyhounds from Macau
https://www.facebook.com/bringjackhometoaustralia/?fref=ts
Dr Choi U Fai, who heads the Macau government's animal control division and oversees the import and destruction of every Canidrome dog, describes the plight of the greyhounds as 'terrible