Breeding

On 17th October 2010 there was an announcement of seven Greyhound puppies being born:

'ninja jamie is a dad again,4 daughters and 3 sons, all blue.

well done to mum, buzz lamars on her third and last litter.'

This litter especially highlights the the frequent questions, raised by Greyhound advocates in Rescues and awareness groups, on the subject of the vast numbers of Greyhounds bred
 in Ireland and the concerns of accountability.

Despite the above announcement of seven Greyhounds being born, five are only listed on the pro-racing forum 'Greyhound Data'. Scroll down the pedigree of 'Another Bruiser' and you will see 5 Greyhounds(2 Female and 3 Male)from the Ninja Jamie/Buzz Lamars litter:

Another Bruiser: last used for racing on 1st Oct 2012 in Ireland.

Buzz Off Idjit: last used for racing on 16th July 2013 in England.

 Filling Station: last used for racing on 17th May 2012 in Ireland.

 Jamie: rehomed at 5months after sustaining an injury in the paddock.

 Lamars Girl: found dead and dumped in England, Feb 2013.

Only four are listed on the Bord na gCon database(Jamie has not been listed).

Buzz Lamars, after giving three litters of Greyhounds to the racing industry, two of those litters in 2010, was rehomed in Italy. Ninja Jamie has(to date of writing)sired 246 Greyhounds(listed). His semen can be supplied fresh or frozen.

The (Irish)Welfare of Greyhounds Act 2011 Restriction on breeding gives Greyhound bitches some protection: by making it an offence if a Greyhound bitch is used for breeding before reaching 15 months of age, and restricts the numbers of litters she can have in her lifetime, although there is allowance for extra litters. Any further litters thereafter shall not be registered in the Irish Greyhound Stud Book, maintained be the Irish Coursing Club.

There is no restriction as to the age a Greyhound bitch can go on being used to produce Greyhounds, as we can see with Pepsi Tops. After being used in six races she was used for breeding for nine years, then sold at the age of ten for further breeding but was saved by the GSPCA. Pepsi Tops began her freedom aged ten and half. There are the breeding bitches who will be used and then simply dumped at a Local Authority Pound, like Diamond: born in 2004, and used for breeding until 2011, Diamond thankfully found the great care of Halfway There Hounds.

The (Irish)Welfare of Greyhounds Act 2011 gives no breeding restrictions to male Greyhounds. Indeed the male Greyhound stud-ness, such as Top Honcho, is celebrated. Retired to stud after breaking a leg in two places, in an 'horrific racing accident', Top Honcho has sired well over 10,000 Greyhounds - despite dying in 2007 he still sired Greyhounds into 2013 - cellebrated as No.1 Irish Sire of the Year 2008 and 2009.
Moes Tavern, born from Fly Mel and Top Honcho(7 months after Top Honcho died), followed his fathers fate, after being used in racing until he did not finish his last race in 2011 after breaking his hock, to be used for breeding.

The Greyhounds mentioned above are just a few examples

 of what Irish Greyhound breeding is - the list could go on and on. 

It is business and Greyhounds are simply the tools.

Registered Irish litters

• 2010:  3,003 
• 2011:  3,272
• 2012:  2,980
• 2013:  2,736

These litter figures show that 11,991 litters were registered,

meaning that at least 71,946 Greyhound puppies were born

 in Ireland between 2010 and 2013 to be used for racing, or coursing.

Three thousand-plus litters of twenty thousand-plus Greyhound puppies each year are either not enough(page 18-19)to please the Bord na gCon or too many for Irish breeders to sell, especially with declines in the UK industry.

Other countries such as Spain, Pakistan, and Australia also buy Irish Greyhounds. Despite the overwhelming breeding problems in Spain and Australia(scroll to end of page for litters registered), and the withdrawal of voluntary welfare/rehoming funds in the UK, the Irish industry is only too willing to export.

 If only the Irish industry was just as willing with the rehoming of Greyhounds in Ireland.

Please think of the maths 

Please do not support the industry
Please adopt.

On IGB Rehoming

'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' 

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

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.

Video Removal For Whose Interest?

IGS recently highlighted, in video clips, the well-being/welfare/fate concerns of two Greyhounds who suffered at the first bend in the Red Mills & TSC(Track Supporters Club)Unraced Stakes at Clonmel Greyhound track, on the 12th Jan 2014.

Sadly, rather than any replies from the Clonmel Track Manager to polite emails from IGS and the concerned public, the IGS video had received a complaint and was removed from IGS YouTube. The video, celebrating the 'competition' as a 'kinder garden for future stars', showing the clear pain of Inslips Fizz and the speeding-crash of Airforce Rebel can be viewed in full: Round 2 Red Mills Unraced Stake at Clonmel.(Inslips Fizz starting from 4m15s/Airforce Rebel starting at 9m35s)

'kinder garden for future stars' or races for survival?

Despite the Bord na gCon(IGB)continued desire to decrease 'the number of negative articles and online commentary' - as seen as a performance indicator in the Bord na gCon relationship with breeders,owners and trainers in their Strategic Business Plan(more on this to come in future IGS posts)but fitting well with the video removal - IGS and GSI believes the new, sought-after, 'non-greyhound customers' of the Bord na gCon and the public has a right to know of the welfare/well-being/fates of Inslips Fizz and Airforce Rebel(let alone the welfare/well-being/fates of the thousands of other Greyhounds bred for the Irish racing industry).
As seen in That Was Irish Greyhound Racing 2013, Bord na gCon is a semi-state body supported with public funding via the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund.

Polite Action:

Please copy and paste the below email and send to Clonmel Track Manager.
Please Cc this email to Bord na gCon Welfare Manager: Barry Coleman and Minister responsible for Greyhounds: Tom Hayes.

To: cmltrack@indigo.ie
Cc: barry.coleman@igb.ie; Tom.hayes@oir.ie

Subject: Red Mills & TSC Unraced Stakes at Clonmel

Email: 'Dear Track Manager,

On the 12th Jan 2014 'Inslips Fizz' pulled up(clearly in pain)on the first bend of race 7 and did not finish, as listed in the race results: DNF
On the 12th Jan 2014 'Airforce Rebel' crashed on the first bend(tho rejoined the end of the race - seemingly after running in the opposite direction after crashing)of race 10 and did not finish, as listed in the race results: DNF

I write to you to inquire after the health and welfare of both Greyhounds mentioned above.

Given that the Greyhound racing industry is a publicly-funded semi-state-body I believe such information should be available to the interested/concerned public.

I look forward to your reply.

Regards'
[your name]

If you wish to add to this email then it is vital to keep your words polite, relative and factual. 
IGS does not endorse abusive and reactionary emails.

Update (15th Feb)

With no response to date from B.Coleman we have since seen that Airforce Rebel is being used for racing again. After his high-speed crash at Clonmel on the 12th Jan he started to be used for racing again on the 31st Jan, and then again on 3rd of Feb - two races in just 4 days for this victim of the Irish racing industry.

Update (6th March)

B.Coleman finally replies to pressed concerns on the 28th February:

'Inslips Fizz was accidently injured in the race that night[12th Jan Red Mills & TSC Unraced Stakes at Clonmel]through a freak incident, which is quite rare in greyhound racing. The injury did necessitate that the greyhound[Inslips Fizz]be humanely euthanised on the night by the attending track veterinary surgeon..'

This reply goes against the Bord na gCon saying 'collisions and injuries were a feature of the sport' on the 19th of February and growing list of Greyhounds who suffer on Saturday nights.

That Was Irish Greyhound Racing 2013

Not a quiet year for the Greyhounds...in the shadow of the bright lights.....deaths.....debts....drugs..

..blatant arrogance...Welfare failures........yet again.

2013 started under that shadow with the 'almost unchanged' €11 million Government support for the debt-burdened Irish Greyhound Industry, from the allocated €55.02 million for the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund.

It was not long into 2013 when the Directors of the troubled Limerick Greyhound Stadium resigned their positions, seemingly tired of being 'undermined by the parent company Bord na gCon(Irish Greyhound Board)' - still under the shadow of a 'delay in the publishing of the annual report and accounts for 2011' which called for a review later in 2013.
The criticisms in the Public Accounts Committee review came amongst articles of concern in regards to Bord na gCon, such as: expenses and meetings with Ministers and Chair appointments(appointment concerns were raised earlier in the year).....
All of which must have just been too much for Bord na gCon CEO, Adrian Neilan, who'quit' but this would not delay the 'dissatisfied' Public Accounts Committee requiring answers to the 'questions[that]are mounting'.

Public Accounts Committee & Bord na gCon

We waited on for Welfare issues to be taken seriously by the Bord na gCon and relative authorities - especially for justice under the Welfare of Greyhounds Act 2011 for the Limerick Greyhounds found shot and dumped in April of 2012.
In April of 2013 the prosecution for the Limerick Greyhounds would show no real regard for the Welfare of Greyhounds despite Barry Coleman, Welfare Manager of Bord na gCon, welcoming it as a 'successful prosecution'. The shooting of Greyhounds only resulted in a combined fine of €800 for John Corkery for the forging of a signature and a failure to notify any transfer of ownership. John Corkery refused to give details of who had shot his Greyhounds, seeing nothing wrong with shooting a dog in the head. This, sadly, against the hugely supported petition to the Director of Public Prosecutions showing the public concern.

John Corkery Report 25th April 2013

Just a few weeks later came news of yet another find of Greyhound bodies, the second time the landowner had such a grim find on his farmland. In a reply to the concerns of Greyhound Safe Ireland, Barry Coleman closed the matter after the Bord's Stipendairy Steward found it 'impossible to say if[the remains of one animal]was a Greyhound or not'.

A further hearing was to come in July in regards to the Limerick Greyhounds, only to result in any charges being dropped.

Welfare concerns carry on daily for the thousands of Greyhounds bred to be used in Ireland, despite the Welfare of Greyhounds Act 2011 written to give protections to Greyhounds kept, traded, transported, bred, reared, trained, raced, or coursed.

Homing Greyhounds in Ireland continues to be a massive educational process, and has been hugely helped with such groups Greyhound Rescue Association of Ireland and Greyhound Safe Ireland who give their personal time in lobbying factually and responsibly, promoting/educating that Greyhounds make wonderful companion animals, and the many combined efforts that rehoming takes - sadly the Bord na gCon still need to work hard on, as they said in 2011, 'changing perceptions' but still their website showcases, and updates rarely, too few Greyhounds looking for homes from the thousands bred and discarded.

The majority of Greyhounds in Ireland will never see a life after the track(if they at all even get there)....the sadly-named 'lucky ones' will be picked up after being abandoned, sometimes in horrific conditions, when they will be cared for and nursed ready to find a home.......many will simply be dumped at Pounds, where the chance of being euthanised is high.

Injuries are always a high risk to Greyhounds racing or training, but as was seen in Septembers Enterprise Targeted Solutions Derby Final(race 9) some injuries mean nothing to such race events, keenly anticipated by the racing community. Greyhounds will be euthanised at the track because of the many, slight or serious, injuries they obtain while racing - sadly they can even be simply forgot.

In 2013 such Welfare atrocities were raised in the European Parliament and America.

In a combined campaign for Greyhounds across Europe there was a huge and constructive response from the Irish MEP's - relationships formed that can have a working future for Irish Greyhounds.

Limerick Animal Welfare Veterinary Nurse highlighted, and raised, Irish Greyhound Welfare issues in her speech at the International Greyhound Update,  organised by Greyhound Friends and American-European Greyhound Alliance.

After the public outcry in 2011 to plans by the Bord na gCon to export Greyhounds to China, international pressure continued to when in 2012 the Irish Government denied the Bord any plans of Greyhound racing in China on welfare grounds. In late 2013 the alarming news came that Irish Greyhounds were again being sold to Spain. Since investigations in 2005 sales of Irish Greyhounds to Spain, and despite Barry Coleman not showing concerns of the overwhelming problems that already exist in Spain(with many animals)but in particular to the plight of the Galgo, welfare is still low on the agenda. Please sign and share No Irish Greyhounds To Spain.

A few announcements by the Bord na gCon pop up now and again in reference to doping/sampling of Greyhounds, Sampling Procedures and ETS Derby Final and May's Regulatory Announcement for example.

Those announcements and concerns contrast greatly to the GBGB Disciplinary Hearings for positive samples or the results of prohibited substances in Australian Greyhound racing being readily available to the public. Such contrasts in regard to the Bord's grip on doping are even clearly of concern to the Irish Greyhound Owners and Breeders Federation. The shadow of 'high-profile' 2010 doping case followed the Bord na gCon through 2013. In June it seemed to close with a ruling that Greyhound Tullymurry Act was was drugged while in the care of the Bord na gCon leaving them to face a bill of €250k in costs, rising further to  €1.5m in October.

Meanwhile former Chairman of Bord na gCon, Paschal Taggert plans to rebuild Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium(UK) which will be of huge benefit to Irish Greyhound Racing

- but not of benefit to the industry tool: the Greyhound.

The Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund/gift from the Exchequer for 2014 has been set lower than 2013 at €54 million - of which the Bord na gCon receive 20%.

Please don't support the Irish Greyhound Industry/Hare Coursing in 2014

 - support instead the rescue/rehoming of Greyhounds - be involved...

..please support Irish Greyhound Spotlight,  Greyhound Safe Ireland and Greyhound Rescue Association of Ireland....

....be a voice for the beautiful hound...