'Ireland may be the country that loves its greyhounds more than anywhere else. But our perception of them is as working dogs or racing dogs, not as pets.....
Barry Coleman is the man responsible for ensuring Ireland’s former track heroes enjoy their retirement and he is passionate about making sure more greyhounds live out their days here[Ireland]...'
The above quote was from 'Greyhound welfare at the heart of new initiatives', published late 2011(which used to be found here but is now removed).
Since the figure of 680 Greyhounds, the Welfare Manager of Bord na gCon(Irish Greyhound Board)was involved in financially assisting to rehome in 2010, through the Irish Retired Greyhound Trust/Greyhounds As Pets Ireland program, how far has 'changing perceptions' come?
For the years from 2010 to 2013 it is worth noting here that, in Ireland,
at least 81,590 Greyhound pups were born from the 12,689 litters that were registered
(but IGS will cover more on breeding in a future post).
We can see in the Bord na gCon Strategic Business Plan that the emphasis is for Irish Greyhound racing to grow both nationally and internationally: 'to educate non-greyhound customers'. Every business needs to attract new customers to survive and continue to operate. As we saw earlier:
'Ireland may be the country that loves its greyhounds more than anywhere else. But our perception of them is as working dogs or racing dogs, not as pets...'
Imagine if such a business as the Bord na gCon was to invest more time and resources to rehoming Greyhounds in Ireland, a country of such a small population comparative to any real rehoming efforts from its breeding program of Greyhounds, despite the industry's troubled financial time - 'changing perceptions' could be argued to not be in the best interest of the Bord na gCon.
We can see from annual reports that the contributions to the Irish RGT/GAP Ireland and welfare - being the 4% deductions of prize-money which is matched with donations from the Bord na gCon - has declined each year from €218,035 in 2008(scroll to the last page) to €142,648 in 2011.(€194,999 in 2009 - €148,419 in 2010).
2012 and 2013 annual reports are not available yet but we can see from the Bord na gCon Strategic Business Plan that prize monies paid out from 2008 to 2012 has also declined each year - €11.3million 2008 to €7.2million in 2012(see page 18), so we can only assume that prize-money rehoming contributions would have again declined in 2013.
So have the declines in Irish RGT/GAP Ireland industry-contributions reflected
on the figures of industry-assisted Greyhound rehoming?
As we saw in 'Greyhound welfare at the heart of new initiatives' 680 Greyhounds were rehomed in 2010 and 530 to the end of November 2011.
In 2012 'changing perceptions' had not worked as the figure of industry-assisted rehomed Greyhounds declined to 324 and 'over' 420 in 2013, clearly going against the 'substantial rehoming project' claim.
The announced increase in prize-money, and breeders incentive, for 2013 seems to have had no bearing on the 2013 rehoming figure compared to the 2010 and 2011 figures - and with 'capital development on hold for the year[2013]' we can only wait with hope that a higher financial investment is given to the Irish RGT/GAP Ireland, and that a higher figure of Greyhounds are rehomed for 2014.
2010: 680 rehomed and 672 killed in pounds
2011: 530(to the end of November) rehomed and 546 killed in pounds
2012: 324 rehomed and 404 killed in pounds
2013: 'over' 420 rehomed and 427 killed in pounds.
The majority of Greyhounds in the above rehoming figures were rehomed outside of Ireland.
It is worth noting that under the Bord na gCon 'Best Practice Guide' it is sanctioned for Greyhounds to be PTS in Local Authority Dog Pounds under point 7 of the Best Practice Guide - Main Principles: 'where euthanasia is inevitable' .
It is also worth noting the words of Irish Greyhound trainer, John Daniels in 2013 on the subject of Greyhounds being shot. IGS wonders if Barry Coleman can perceive that 'you can't keep them all on your couch'
Please think of the maths
Update(July 2014)
The announced increase in prize-money, and breeders incentive, for 2013 seems to have had no bearing on the 2013 rehoming figure compared to the 2010 and 2011 figures - and with 'capital development on hold for the year[2013]' we can only wait with hope that a higher financial investment is given to the Irish RGT/GAP Ireland, and that a higher figure of Greyhounds are rehomed for 2014.
2010: 680 rehomed and 672 killed in pounds
2011: 530(to the end of November) rehomed and 546 killed in pounds
2012: 324 rehomed and 404 killed in pounds
2013: 'over' 420 rehomed and 427 killed in pounds.
The majority of Greyhounds in the above rehoming figures were rehomed outside of Ireland.
It is worth noting that under the Bord na gCon 'Best Practice Guide' it is sanctioned for Greyhounds to be PTS in Local Authority Dog Pounds under point 7 of the Best Practice Guide - Main Principles: 'where euthanasia is inevitable' .
It is also worth noting the words of Irish Greyhound trainer, John Daniels in 2013 on the subject of Greyhounds being shot. IGS wonders if Barry Coleman can perceive that 'you can't keep them all on your couch'
The perceptions that Greyhounds are 'working dogs or racing dogs' is indeed something that must be changed - creating perceptions that all is good on the industry-funded rehoming
front is PR that fails the industry tool: the beautiful Greyhound.
Please think of the maths
Please do not support the industry
Please adopt.
Greyhounds in Ireland are bred by the tens of thousands
but just very very few are homed
Please adopt.
Greyhounds in Ireland are bred by the tens of thousands
but just very very few are homed
Update(July 2014)
After the publication of the Bord na gCon 2012 annual report we can see that contributions to the Irish RGT/GAP(for 2012)has continued its decline to €131,763.
