Holly Cairns IN THE SPACE of two days last week, the Government took a somewhat contradictory approach to animal welfare in this country.
In 2021, greyhound racing in Ireland will benefit to the tune of €19.2m from the public purse – an increase of €2.4m. This is despite a significant drop in the numbers attending race meetings and declining advertising revenues.The industry has received approximately €280m in taxpayer funding since 2000. As turnover from racing activities has steadily declined over the last decade , State funding has increased from €11.9m in 2010 to €16.8m in 2020.
This is hardly surprising. In the same year, a harrowing ‘RTÉ Investigates’ programme laid bare the horrific treatment of greyhounds by some of those involved in the sport. This is an industry where 16,000 greyhounds are bred each year – 1,000 per cent more than are needed. There have been cases where dogs had their ears cut off to avoid their registered owners being traced; of exported greyhounds enduring 15-hour journeys to the UK in the most appalling conditions; and blatant breaches of regulations by some unscrupulous operators of knackeries, with healthy dogs shot in the head and disposed of for as little as €20.
Tomorrow, the Social Democrats will bring a Private Members’ Motion on this issue before the Dáil. We are calling on the Government to waive the increased funding of €2.4m due to be given to the greyhound industry.
1.Code of Practice 2.The Welfare of Greyhounds Act, 2011 3. The Animal Health and Welfare Act, 2013 4. Microchipping of dogs Act 2015 5. The Rules of The ICC
headline and poll question were the exact opposite. Absolute joke from the Journal and not the first time.
Can the journal do another poll, this time the caption should match the poll question.
All through the pandemic, The Journal has led the way in fact checking & myth-busting. Yesterday the SocDems held a photo op with a dog which they inaccurately described as an “abandoned greyhound”. The dog in question is a lurcher not a greyhound. Can you fact check this please.
Much more cruelty in the world happening right now. You just won't report it
for a start it supports jobs and the economy,why should the taxpayer fund abortion
We've almost wrapped things up here in NZ. From the news yesterday:
Does this mean she thinks the people in The Greyhound industry are cruel. Do they agree with her view? And what else are they up to that she may also consider cruel?
HollyCairnsTD Why don't you put your energies into the hospital waiting lists and our third world health services and save human lives instead of this nonsense.
HollyCairnsTD It’s great to see this issue highlighted more & more - best of luck tomorrow and keep it up 👍
HollyCairnsTD Flight, 'wastage' from the Greyhound industry says thanks HollyCairnsTD
HollyCairnsTD We shouldn’t fund it 😡🤬
I think like any lifestock industry you have good and not so good, this is true of farming of various kinds and horse racing. Anyone found to be neglecting should be dealt with accordingly rather than taking an industry wide action.
The problem with greyhound racing is not the actual racing it is the GAMBLING ..... all about the money. The tricks that the trainers get up to either to slow a dog down or to make the dog run faster it is downright cruelty full stop.
HollyCairnsTD This wan hops on every bandwagon she can yet doesn’t seem to understand them. Is greyhound racing any more cruel than horse racing? Horses get ridden on, hit and theyn get put down when they are useless but she wouldn’t dare cause there would be uproar. Move on, again, Holly
The abortion industry is also inherently cruel - why should the taxpayer fund it?
As someone with absolutely zero interest in the sport, one thing occurs to me. These dogs are bred to race. If they were not racing, they would not and never would have existed. Is that what anti greyhound racing want? For these dogs to never even exist?
So, this industry gets 16 million euro in funding and the zoo sector will have to do with 1.6 million euro between 61 institutions!
Alot of aspects have creeped into the sport, which has a lot of good owners leaving or becoming disillusioned by what is going on. I think if there was funding from government with conditions attached, it might be better welcomed.
Did they not get the extra money this year seen as they've been made shut their doors to the laying public for near the whole year ? You know like how other industries have been given more help through the budget due to their predicament during the pandemic
Because there's so much money to gain from it,it's beyound cruel poor things it breaks my heart 😢
If you agree, please contact your local TDs here👇 and ask them to support our motion tomorrow. And please sign and share the petition here👇 DefundGreyhoundRacing
Why is she still banging on about this with her false narrative when she’s already shown on multiple occasions that she doesn’t understand the funding aspect of it?
I've lost respect for this industry and would be the last thing I'd like to see my tax go to.
It is only cruel when they use real jockeys. But they should not get government help. Let those involved in it subsidise it. More relevant businesses need support.
Babies left to die after botch abortions is immeasurably more cruel. Yet silence ....
Its not inherently cruel.
So is abortion.