USA - Greyhound racing could end in Florida!

More good news from the USA.

See the links at http://www.grey2kusa.org/action/states/fl.html

Demo at Derby Lane dog track, St Petersburg, Florida

UPDATE on greyhounds being sent to China - please help again

Important message below from Kerry Greyhound Connection
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We have received the e-mail below from Angela Yardley,  and are passing on the information. There is an example letter below for you to use or to use the information in it to write your own letter.  There is also a petition. Please act now.  We all need to work together to try to prevent this appalling situation becoming a death sentence for so many Irish greyhounds.

The Kerry Greyhounds Team


Please write to Simon Coveney - e-mail and letter to use (if you wish) below. Also please forward this to as many people as possible. Things appear to be moving along and it is vital we register our concern yet again. Thank you

Urgent Irish Greyhound Board/China

In light of recent reports that the Irish Greyhound Board (IGB) have had talks with Chinese investors about the establishment of a Greyhound industry in China, I have been informed that an official proposal has now been submitted to the Dept of Agriculture in Ireland. The proposal asks for approval to set up greyhound racing in China including the exportation of Irish dogs.

I am now urging everyone to write to the Dept of Agriculture in Ireland (Simon.coveney@oir.ie) to express your deep concern about this issue (below is a letter template, if required).

Thank you for your support!

Care2 have also launched a petition against this proposal:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/3/say-no-to-greyhound-exports-to-china/

Re: Irish Greyhound Board involvement with Greyhound Racing in China

Dear Simon Coveney

I am writing to you about my concerns in relation to the involvement of the Irish Greyhound Board (IGB) in talks with a Chinese delegation concerning the establishment of a greyhound industry in China. I am particularly worried that this project may include the export of Irish greyhounds.

I consider this initiative by the IGB 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. The idea of sending greyhounds to China stands in stark contrast to the letter and spirit of the recently drafted Welfare of Greyhounds Bill 2010, which was finalised by the Department of Agriculture following extensive consultation with the greyhound industry and the welfare community.

As a concerned individual who believes in the welfare of dogs I want to seem regulation of the greyhound industry with better welfare provision for greyhounds, during breeding, training, kennelling, racing, transportation and retirement. Despite the best intentions of the IGB I believe this will be impossible to monitor in China, a country where there is no legislative protection for greyhounds.

I respectfully ask that you intervene in this matter in order to prevent a situation which will reflect poorly on Ireland, having already received global condemnation with regards to this matter and most importantly which will adversely impact the welfare of Irish greyhounds.

I look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely,

Irish Greyhound Export to China...proposal is moving ahead...URGENT action needed

Please read and act on the important message below from Greyhound Action Ireland
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Many people involved in welfare and who are greyhound "owners" have been sending emails and letters to the Irish government to oppose the idea of sending greyhounds to China, and there have also been demonstrations at Irish embassies in several countries. This has had some affect on the Department of Agriculture, which very recently received a formal proposal from the Irish Greyhound Board to consider the China project.

However, it was learned TODAY that Adrian Neilan, the CEO of the Irish Greyhound Board, was at the government offices in Dublin lobbying for the government to sign off and give approval or commitment for the project. He is under pressure from the Chinese investors to get this underway immediately.

We need an ocean of reasonable and rational letters and emails to be sent to the powers that be in order to have any chance of not letting our beautiful greyhounds be sent to a place where there is no future for them, no comfort, not a chance in hell for them to ever have a good life of any kind.

There is no need to convince you with photos and videos showing unspeakable atrocities being done to dogs there - you can find these yourself on the internet. You will then know what sort of future China holds for our greyhounds, and it is not a place to send a dog.

I urge you to please, tonight or tomorrow, send a letter or email to the following people so that they hear our voices and will not overlook the welfare side of this issue. Ireland has been in the news too many times now for welfare issues, from the New York Times' coverage of the dreadful treatment of horses to Ireland's reputation as "the puppy farm capital of Europe", we don't want to also be known as the place that sent its greyhounds to a country with no animal welfare practice in place, where there is no overarching regulation of the veterinary profession, where even Australia does not choose to deal with the Chinese on this issue. We have only in recent years just managed for the racetracks in Spain to be closed down.....now we have China.

Please don't let our greyhounds be sent there. It will be hell on earth for them.

Please write to all 3 people:

Mr Simon Coveney
Minister for Agriculture
Agriculture House
Kildare St
Dublin 2.
Ireland
minister@agriculture.gov.ie

Shane McEntee
Minister of State at the Dept of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
same postal address as above
shane.mcentee@finegael.ie

Taoiseach Enda Kenny (taoiseach is Irish for Prime Minister)
Department of the Taoiseach
Government Buildings
Upper Merrion Street
Dublin 2
taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie

Call to Action: Dublin SPCA asks supporters to Lobby for Greyhound protection

Urgent Call for Action: Irish Greyhounds need Your Help to prevent exportation to China

See http://www.dspca.ie/cat_news_detail.jsp?itemID=1711 for more information.

No Irish greyhounds to China! - London demo photos needed

If you're going to the Irish Embassy demonstration in London on Saturday (April 9th) and have a digital camera, it would be really helpful if you could take some good quality (high res) photos of the demo and e-mail them to Greyhound Action Ireland's co-ordinator, Bernie Wright, at bigbrownrat@gmail.com as soon as possible afterwards, so she can supply them to the Irish media.

Many thanks.

Irish greyhounds to China - Contact the IGB members - Bring your opposition home!

We have received the message below from a supporter in Ireland.
Please be polite, at all times, in your communications with IGB officials.

GUILTY OF CRUELTY.

THE IGB AND WHO THEY ARE.

These people want to send Irish greyhounds to China.
Let them know you disagree!
The Irish Greyhound Board are willing to trade Greyhound lives for profit,  and they are now trying to export gentle Irish greyhounds to China to be abused and killed when they lose races.

IGB boss Adrian Neilan - wants to send greyhounds to suffer and die

ADRIAN NEILAN,   Curraghchase, Adare, Co Limerick. Phone 061392602
BILLY DWYER,   Kilrush, Thurles, Co Tipperary.  Phone 050421848
TIM GILBERT,  63 Taney Avenue ,Dublin 14 phone 01 2987267
TERESA WALL,  Blackrath, Colbinstown, Co. Kildare.
DANIEL REILLY, Tara house,Tara, Navan, Co Meath.
TONY MC KENNA, Ballyhaden, Borrisokere. Co Tipperary, Phone 067 27221
PAT HERBERT regulations Apt 1. The Belfrey, Model Farm Road. Co Cork.

Contact these people asking them to stop this sick plan.

No Irish greyhounds to China! - Posters and leaflets to download

Posters and leaflets are now available to download and print out for distribution and putting up in vets, sympathetic shops, libraries etc.

Please spread news of this vital campaign as far and wide as possible.

Posters at:-
http://tinyurl.com/IrelandChinaPoster
http://tinyurl.com/IrelandChinaPoster2

Poster advertising next Saturday's London demo:-
http://tinyurl.com/IrelandChinaLondonDemoPoster


Leaflets at:-
http://tinyurl.com/IrelandChinaLeaflet
http://tinyurl.com/IrelandChinaLeaflet2 (poster2 above can be used as front for this one)

No Irish greyhounds to China! - Dublin demo photos and videos on-line

Over 70 people and about 10 dogs, mostly greyhounds, took part in a demonstration in Dublin on Saturday, March 19th against the proposed export of Irish greyhounds to China.

Photos and videos of the demo are at http://tinyurl.com/DublinGreyhoundExportsDemo and http://pix.ie/sensibleken/album/404974

Edinburgh demo against Irish greyhound exports to China

Demonstration outside Irish Consulate
16 Randolph Crescent, Edinburgh EH3 7TT
Saturday April 2nd 12 noon until 2pm

In partnership with Edinburgh Voice for Animals (EVA), there will be a demonstration outside the Irish Embassy in Edinburgh from 12 noonuntil 2pm on Saturday 2nd April against the Irish Greyhound Board's plans to export greyhounds to China, as part of a scheme to set up a greyhound racing industry there.

Please try to attend, if you possibly can, and rescued greyhounds are also more than welcome.

greyhoundactionscotland@btopenworld.com
http://www.greyhoundactionscotland.org.uk

China exports - Help needed for greyhound track demos in Ireland

Greyhound Action Ireland have issued the following appeals for Irish supporters to help with leafleting outside dog tracks there, as part of their campaign to prevent greyhounds being exported to China.

 

THE IGB ARE CRUEL ANIMAL EXPLOITERS AND KILLERS - STOP GREYHOUND EXPORTS TO CHINA                      WE NEED YOUR HELP.  

GREYHOUND ACTION IRELAND are currently getting thousands of flyers printed to distribute at the 16 tracks in Ireland. We are asking people to BOYCOTT GREYHOUND RACING and to contact their TDs expressing their opposition to Greyhound exports to China by the IGB.

NOW WE NEED YOU TO HELP US LEAFLET AT THE TRACKS BELOW. Especially the rural ones.

WHO CAN GIVE AN HOUR BEFORE RACING STARTS {chart below] TO HAND OUT FLYERS???

WE FEEL THIS WILL PUT PRESSURE ON THE IGB, THEY DO NOT WANT TO LOSE BUSINESS DUE TO THEIR SICK NEW MONEY-MAKING SCHEME IN CHINA

Flyers ready hopefully by the weekend.

Contact me if you want to help us-IF THIS VENTURE IS APPROVED BY THE GOVERNMENT IT WILL BE TOO LATE FOR THE GREYHOUNDS….WE CANNOT DO ANYTHING TO SAVE THEM IN CHINA!!!!!

BERNIE WRIGHT.

GREYHOUND ACTION IRELAND.

PHONE 00353 872651720

bigbrownrat@gmail.com

Race Nights & Times

Stadium	M	T	W	T	F	S	S	Gates Open	1st Race
Curraheen Park				l	l	l		6.30pm	8pm
Shelbourne Park			l	l		l		6.30pm	8pm
Harolds Cross	l	l			l			6.45pm	8pm
Clonmel				l			l	7pm	T - 8pm S -7.30pm
Dundalk	l				l	l		6.30pm	7.45pm
Enniscorthy	l			l				7pm	8pm
Galway				l	l	l		6.30pm	8pm
Kilkenny			l		l			7pm	8pm
Lifford						l	l	Sat - 6.30pm Sun - 4.30pm	Sat - 8pm Sun - 6pm
Limerick					l	l		6.30pm	7.45pm
Longford	l				l			7pm	8pm
Mullingar				l		l		7pm	8pm
Newbridge CLOSED					l	l		7pm	7.45pm
Thurles					l	l		7pm	8pm
Tralee		l			l	l		7pm	8pm
Waterford					l	l		7pm	8pm
Youghal	l				l			7pm	8pm We URGENTLY need more people to help stop this happening. Getting Flyers today so I can post to you later. SURELY IF YOU CARE ABOUT STOPPING THIS YOU CAN DONATE AN HOUR TO THE DOGS WHO MAY DIE if we do not succeed. Personally I want to give this the best I can as there will be NO STOPPING THE DOGS BEING LOADED UP AND SENT OFF ONCE IT STARTS. WE ONLY HAVE NOW TO ACT! Please offer to help those of us who cannot get to all the tracks without more people***** From FRIDAY the leaflets will be ready to distribute at GREYHOUND TRACKS NATIONWIDE . IT WAS GREAT TO GET SUCH A TURNOUT AT THE DUBLIN DEMO. THANK YOU. Most of you gave your email addresses to be contacted again. Well we are only just starting. I realise most of you are new to campaigning but one demo wont do it! It rarely does. ONE DEMONSTRATION OR 4 AS IN THIS CASE [Dublin, Boston, Edinburgh,London]WILL NOT BE ENOUGH TO STOP THIS SICK IDEA OF SENDING DOGS TO CHINA, THE IGB ARE BROKE AND WILL STOP AT NOTHING TO MAKE MONEY…THEY DON’T GIVE ONE IOTA ABOUT WHETHER DOGS LIVE OR DIE. THEY HAVE BEEN KILLING DOGS SINCE GREYHOUND RACING BEGAN. IF THIS MATERIALISES THOUSANDS OF DOGS WILL BE CONDEMNED TO DEATH, MOST LIKELY A SLOW TORTUROUS DEATH IN CHINA. AGAIN I ASK…WHO CAN HELP US PRESSURISE THE IGB BY LEAFLETTING RIGHT OUTSIDE THEIR TRACKS.YOU ARE NEEDED FOR JUST A FEW HOURS TO SAVE INNOCENT DOGS LIVES. LOOK AT THE TRACK LIST AND DAYS ON www.igb.ie LET ME KNOW HOW YOU WILL HELP. ·       ALSO KEEP PHONING AND EMAILING THE MINISTERS And THE IGB. ·       The IGB proposal is not with the minister yet. Greyhound action Ireland. Ph 0872651720

Say No to Irish Greyhound Exports to China - London demo

Demonstration outside Embassy of Ireland, London
Saturday April 9th 1pm until 2pm
Please try to be there!

There will be a demonstration outside the Irish Embassy in London from 1pm to 2pm on Saturday, April 9th against the Irish Greyhound Board's plans to export greyhounds to China, as part of a scheme to set up a greyhound racing industry there.

Please try to attend, if you possibly can, and rescued greyhounds are also more than welcome.

Address: Embassy of Ireland, 17 Grosvenor Place, London, SW1X 7HR

Map at http://tinyurl.com/IrishEmbassyLondon

Get directions at http://tinyurl.com/IrishEmbassyLondon2

Nearest Underground stations - Hyde Park Corner and Victoria

Nearest bus stop Wilton Street

Buses from main railway stations - Euston 73, Kings Cross 73, Marylebone 82,
Paddington 36 & 436, St Pancras 73
We recommend you allow at least 45 minutes for you bus journey

Info on buses/undergound from elsewhere in London, call Transport for London on 0843 222 1234 and then press 3 to speak to an advisor.

Say No to Greyhound Exports to China - Petition

Please read and act on the message below from Greyt Exploitations.






Please forward and cross post ~ thank you

Care2 Petition

Say NO to Greyhound Exports to China


A petition targeting the Irish Greyhound Board and the Irish Government has been published on the Care2 website calling for the withdrawal of the IGB’s proposals to export greyhounds to China.

 
Please sign the petition and help place pressure on the Irish authorities to show some care and compassion for this gentle breed.

The petition will be delivered to the Irish Embassy in London – the Irish Greyhound Board and Government offices.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/3/say-no-to-greyhound-exports-to-china/


Website: www.greytexploitations.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/greyt.exploitations
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/Greytexploitations
Forum: www.greytexploitations.com/forum/index.php

Ireland: Conservation group opposes dog track scheme

A representative of An Taisce (The Irish National Trust) has told a planning appeals hearing that the proposed €460m 'Tipperary Venue' (which would include a greyhound track) is ill-conceived and warrants comprehensive refusal.

More at http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0308/tipperaryvenue.html

Irish Times letter - Future of greyhounds in China

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/letters/2011/0304/1224291280746.html

Greyhounds to China - example letters

See http://www.care2.com/c2c/share/detail/2741192 for examples of protest letters that can be sent.

Greyhound exports to China - London protest group set up

A special group has been set up to organise/co-ordinate protests outside the Irish Embassy in London against the proposed export of greyhounds to China.

If you are interested in taking part in such protests, please contact Stop Greyhound Exports London at stopgreyhoundexportslondon@gmail.com or call Greyhound Action on 01562 700 043.

More info about the proposed exports and the campaign against them can be found elsewhere on this blog.

Dublin: Protest against export of Irish greyhounds to China - Saturday, March 19th

Greyhound Action Ireland are organising a demo against the proposed export of Irish greyhounds to China. See their message/press release below.

If anyone is interested in organising/taking part in a protest at the Irish Embassy in London, the Irish Consulate in Edinburgh (or Irish Embassies in your own country, if you live outside the UK) please contact Greyhound Action at saynotochinaexports@greyhoundaction.org.uk or call us on 01562 700 043.

NO TO IRISH GREYHOUND EXPORTS TO CHINA DEMO!

Sat 19th March 1 - 2pm at the Spire, O'Connell Street, Dublin.

GREYHOUND ACTION IRELAND  is sickened and appalled that the Irish Greyhound Board (Bord na gCon) has planned to send Irish greyhounds to China to expand greyhound racing in Asia.

Already much criticized for their overbreeding of greyhound dogs and for their total disregard for the welfare of ex-racing dogs here in Ireland, this latest move is shameful.

This move confirms what we have been saying all along .the IGB couldn't care less about the tens of thousands of Irish dogs they breed to die. Greyhounds in Ireland have been found mutilated, with ears cut off, drugged, hanged, drowned and killed by bolt gun in backstreet slaughterhouses. A minute percentage get homes here as will not be the case in China.

In the aftermath of Chinese officials visiting Dublin earlier this month to see how the Irish greyhound-racing industry is run and regulated. An IGB spokesman said the board informed the Department of Agriculture, which regulates the transport of greyhounds, about its expansion plans.

"As with any country we do not have any influence on the welfare standards adopted in other countries, and these matters are more appropriately dealt with by the country's own legislative system," the spokesman said. The export of greyhounds was a matter for individuals and Bord na gCon, said the Department of Agriculture. "The board has informed us that they are exploring the possibility of assisting with the establishment of greyhound racing in China," it said.

We in GAI say, 'Imagine sending animals to a country where they will be treated even worse than they are here, dogs in China are considered meat, many beaten brutally to tenderise their meat before they are often skinned alive.  Cats and dogs there have absolutely no protection from those who will breed and kill them at will be it for food or fur. Irish dogs are already being sold on to Pakistanis for racing and coursing there. Pakistan, being a Moslem country where dogs are considered unclean, is the last place on earth where anyone would send an animal.'

DOGS IN CHINA:
CAUTION: The photos from this site are distressing and the eye account witness of slaughter is horrifying http://www.aapn.org/xichang.html

GREYHOUND ACTION appeals to the IGB to review its ill-considered plans to make money from dog exports to China. We will be urging the public to shun the tracks here in Ireland and we will expose the hypocrisy of Irish greyhound breeders and trainers.

'This will be the nail in B nag Cons coffin!!!! We are constantly being told when leafleting at dog tracks that  there are many 'good' greyhound men, If this rare breed exists ,they should stand up in opposition to this' last straw' of animal abuse. Any feeling human would. It is blatantly clear, the Irish Greyhound Board do not give a damn about animals!'

Bernie Wright, press officer GAI.
Phone 0872651720

PHOTOSHOOT: We anticipate a large turnout and some ex-raced, now cherished greyhounds.

Henlow demos hit the news

Bedfordshire Greyhound Action's regular demos outside Henlow greyhound stadium have prompted a very positive article in the county's Sunday newspaper (see http://www.bedfordshire-news.co.uk/News/Stadium-protest-highlights-greyhound-deaths.htm).

Demonstrators outside Henlow Stadium

You can find more info about this excellent campaign and how you can support it at http://greyhound-action.blogspot.com/2010/12/campaign-launched-to-close-henlow.html

Proposed Wallyford greyhound track - emails/comments needed please!

Please read and act on the message below from Greyhound Action Scotland.

An article about the track developer's plans being thwarted by the local authority can be found at
http://www.eastlothiancourier.com/news/aroundthecounty/articles/2011/02/24/410606-developer-devastated

Comments can be made in response to this one too.

2002 demo against planning permission being given for the track

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A columnist in the Edinburgh Evening News has today written her column in support of the track at Wallyford. This bint, Helen Martin who writes her column as "Bitching from Bruntsfield", has previously used her column to support greyhound racing and is very friendly with a local trainer. You can read the offending article here: http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/opinion/Helen-Martin-Why-did-they.6725845.jp  
So far there has been pretty good responses from local people who, as far as I'm aware, are completely unrelated to our campaign.

Please can you take some time to add a comment at the bottom of the link and/or email the Evening News at letters_en@edinburghnews.com commenting on the column, mentioning the effect that Wallyford track would have on the local community as well as the reality of the plight of the racing greyhound.

I'd also like to take the opportunity to thank everyone who emailed the local councillors regarding this matter.  We may still have a fight ahead of us!

Thanks again - much appreciated!

greyhoundactionscotland@btopenworld.com
www.greyhoundactionscotland.org.uk

Export of Irish greyhounds to China - please protest!

See http://www.sighthoundwelfaretrust.org.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=19757

The photo mentioned in the appeal (of slaughtered greyhounds in a Chinese meat market) can be found at http://tinyurl.com/China-meat-market but please do not look at it if you are easily distressed.