Bord na gCon(Irish Greyhound Board)may have changed its name
to Rásaíocht Con Éireann(Greyhound Racing Ireland)
under the new Greyhound Racing Act 2019 - but a leopard doesn't change its spots.
Greyhound Racing Ireland(GRI)and the Irish Retired Greyhound Trust(IRGT)recently published news of the opening of their new Greyhound Care Centre. This has long been awaited by many involved in greyhound rescue and rehabilitation.
In August concerns were raised with IGS about who had been awarded the tender to operate the new GRI/IRGT Greyhound Care Centre.
Those concerns are now confirmed.
The recent PR from GRI/IRGT has failed to tell the public that they awarded the tender to Viara Gentchev of Greyfort Kennels. As well as being a greyhound breeder, Viara is notorious with greyhound exports. GRI Welfare Manager/IRGT Secretary, Barry Coleman and GRI Welfare Officer, Joanne Murray joined Viara to talk about the Greyhound Care Centre on a little-known podcast - but of course, Viara's exports were not spoken about.
Viara was awarded the tender to operate this homing centre, by GRI/IRGT, despite her going against the greyhound industry advice on exports - to countries such as Pakistan - and despite Viara being in breach of the Welfare of Greyhounds Act 2011 - transfer of ownership. Her greyhound Greyfort Scarlot(also named as Greyfort Wicked)is now shown to be in Pakistan but still registered to Viara with GRI and in the greyhound Stud Book as well as being shown to be in the UK(GBGB owned) - last raced in 2017.
In 2019 Viara bred 17 greyhound pups - 17 more greyhounds added to the thousands that need homes every year. Imagine what the public response would be if a rescue/homing centre - taking public donations - was breeding dogs at the same time as looking for adopters.
Funding for the new Greyhound Care Centre comes from the new GRI Greyhound Care Fund. This fund shows that money spent by the public at greyhound tracks goes towards the new homing centre - operated by a greyhound breeder/exporter.
We have seen incompetence before with the IRGT, such as:
- its breach of the Charities Act 2009.
- giving the public false information on retirement.
- advertising a greyhound in Europe despite that same greyhound being already homed in the UK by an independent greyhound rescue organisation.
Any greyhound making it out alive from the industry and finding a home is a good thing.
But greyhounds need sincerity - not PR, secrets and incompetence.
Can the public, financially supporting this new homing centre, really be
expected to trust those running it?
