- International
Greyhound Forum Meeting, August 3rd....
- a report from Louise
Coleman
My first obligation this trip
was to attend a meeting of the International Greyhound Forum
held Friday, August 3rd in Dublin. This group has been meeting
since the mid-nineties and is chaired by the National Canine
Defense League - based in London. The other particpants are Battersea
Dogs Home, Blue Cross, Greyhound
Friends, Greyhounds
In Need, Greyhound
Rescue West of England, Society of Greyhound Veterinarians, Greyhound
Rescue Wales, Dublin SPCA, Irish
SPCA, Scottish SPCA,
Royal SPCA.
The World Greyhound Racing
Federation is usually represented as is Scooby - the Spainish
refuge for Galgos and racing Greyhounds. (Neither the WGRF or
Scooby was present this meeting). The Bord na gCon was also not
represented. A new group, Veterinary Ireland, was included this
time.
It is hoped at the next meeting
a representative from the Retired Greyhound Trust will be
present. Australia is important in Greyhound breeding and welfare
and it is unfortunate that there is no representation. Dog Rescue
and PAWS, two grassroots Irish animal shelters were represented.
A synopsis of the meeting
The Forum adopted 'A Charter
for the Racing Greyhound' and 'A Guide to Best Practice'. Both
of these standards were developed with cooperation from the British
Greyhound Racing Board, the National Greyhound Racing Council
and the National Association of Greyhound Owners.
The standards articulate the
care each Greyhound deserves as long as there is racing. The
members expressed no illusions that this best practice scenerio
is what is actually practiced in a wide spread way now. The best
practice statements are as one participant said - a stake in
the ground - a standard - an outline of what each racing Greyhound
should experience - from cradle to grave.
Parliamentary Up-date
On July 10 in the House of
Lords several members voiced their support for increased revenues
for the Retired Greyhound Trust.
In Ireland it did not seem
as though there was even one member of the Dial who would present
a question about Greyhound welfare. Efforts will be made to find
one.
Since the Scottish Parliment
is now independent it is possible that Greyhound welfare can
be addressed there.
Veterinary Matters
The main question which arose
and which comes up again and again is how track vets can have
any real independence when they are in the employ of the tracks.
The Forum agreed to address this issue to the Society of Greyhound
Veterinarians. It would seem that some impetus for changing this
situation has to come from the vets themselves.
Transport Concerns
Marion Fitzgibbon reported
on her efforts to find out why the Irish Department of Agriculture
has not enforced the EU regulations about transport. She has
finally gotten documentation from this department that admits
they are not in compliance. If the Irish did follow the humane
transport regulations, export to Spain would not be economically
feasible. It is also important now that existent markets are
drying up that the Irish have to follow proper transport standards
- otherwise Irish dogs could well end up on a nasty, slow boat
to Vietnam, etc. The Forum voted to write a letter to the Irish
Department of Agriculture asking why the non-compliance is being
allowed. Greyhounds currently are exported with no rabies inoculation
or proof of any vaccinations in dirty, wretched conditions.
PR Initiatives
The Kerrygold Horse Show in
Dublin offers an opportunity to reach many people from all over
Europe. I have worked at a booth concerning Greyhound welfare/adoption
at this show for several years. This time we will have help from
the Battersea Dogs' Home in London. Two Battersea staff members
are offering their expertise and promotional materials. Cynthia
Cash, Maggie McCurry and Steve Dunn are coming over from the
U.S. Since there are hardly any Irish adopters it really helps
to have Greyhound advocates there to talk with people. I am thankful
to the many groups that have contributed money, product and information.
I will be writing up a more detailed description of the Horse
Show efforts and will include specific thanks to all who are
being so supportive.
Pat Kenny's (the host of the Late,
Late Show) Prize Winning Dog
The Bord na gCon is capitalizing
on Pat Kenny's big winning racer named after the show Pat Kenny
hosts - Late Late Show. This dog has done remarkably well and
the prize money is to go to charity. The Forum will write to
Pat Kenny and ask that money go to help the Greyhounds now racing
in Ireland. The contact info is - Katherine Cahill, Late Late
Show, RTE, Donnybrook, Dublin, Ireland.
Scottish Tracks Closing
Two tracks are closing in
September. The Scottish SPCA is waging a media campaign to prevent
owners from destroying their dogs in an inhumane way when the
tracks vacate. Unlike in the U.S. it seems there is no way that
the dogs can stay at the track until they can be moved.
One dog had been thrown from a moving car recently and was thought
to be dead. The dog was found in nearby fields and has been homed.
Greyhound Racing in Asia
Concerns were expressed about
the expansion of racing in Asia - where there is no animal welfare
protection and no oversight - and people eat dogs. For more info
see www.animalpeople.com and we will also be including links
on this site at a page soon to come devoted to the issues surrounding
Greyhounds and Korea.
Etc.
Anne Finch reported on her
efforts to home Greyhounds in Finland, Sweden and Norway and
on the success GIN is having in Belgium. The shelter GIN maintains at Alicante,
Spain continues to
house Galgos and racing Greyhounds.
Fermin Perez in Medina del
Campo, Spain is working in the new Scooby refuge facility and also is sending dogs to Belgium
and the U.S.
Greyhound
Friends in the U.S.
is building a new adoption kennel facility and this will be a
much improved base of operations.
Louise Coleman,
Greyhound
Friends,
AEGA,
Hopkinton, Massachusetts
Currently in the CyberCafe,
Dublin |
