DEMONSTRATION against the exploitation of
greyhounds at the Barcelona greyhound racetrack on Sunday, 18th April at
11am: from La Maquinista to the Meridiana Racetrack
For the enforcement of existing animal protection laws, for the
appropriate retirement of greyhounds that are no longer useful or for
the closure of a business that has no respect for animal rights.
BARCELONA, SPAIN - APRIL 18: 500 animal
rights activists stage a protest in Barcelona, Spain April 18, 2004
condemning the extremely poor treatment and care of racing greyhounds by
Spain's one remaining track, the Canodromo Meridiana. Public and
political attitudes towards industries like greyhound racing and bull
fighting are slowly changing in Spain with the Barcelona Town Hall
officially condemning bull fighting which continues in the city limits
until a final amendment decision is ruled on by the Catalan government.
(Photos by John Mottern/Getty Images)
The model city of Barcelona is home to the last remaining greyhound
racetrack in Spain. This place of exploitation continues to operate to
this day, a place where animals are kept in appalling conditions: 800
greyhounds crammed into cages of 1 square meter (a sixth of the minimum
size required by law) where they spend 23 hours a day, hardly able to
move; where there are no anti-doping checks; where the dogs are exposed
to extremes of heat and cold, where there is no adequate veterinary
care.
The fate of these animals is sealed at birth: Irish breeders, who
receive subsidies from the European Community, control huge breeding
programs for the export of greyhounds at low cost. As soon as the dogs
are ready to travel, they are transported half-way across Europe in
deplorable conditions which violate all existing legislation relating to
the transportation of animals. European and American organizations have
repeatedly reported these violations of the law but the complaints have
been systematically rejected due to the incompetence of the countries
through which these ‘lorries of horror’ travel.
And, as if the greyhounds’ ‘sporting life’ wasn’t cruel enough, when the
time comes for them to ‘retire’ from racing, there is no adoption
program in place to allow them to enjoy a few years of comfort. Instead
they are sent to a place called "El Galgo Senior" in El Campello
(Alicante) where the law of survival of the fittest comes into play as
the dogs are forced to compete for their lives, running free in large
groups, under a poorly implemented policy of ‘protected freedom’ (see
the article published in "La Razón on 1st February 2004).
Questions
After 40 years of business, with an annual
revenue of approximately 8 million euros generating about 1 million
euros profit for its owners, how can it be that the Barcelona greyhound
racetrack consistently violates long established laws with its cages
providing no more than 1 square meter per greyhound and the absence of
an indelible, officially recognized form of identification to track each
dog’s whereabouts. The racetrack also blatantly disregards other laws
such as those recently passed by the Catalan Parliament requiring
obligatory anti-doping checks at races and the owners of racing
greyhounds being responsible for an adoption agreement that ensures a
comfortable retirement for their animals. Is so much suffering
necessary? Is greyhound racing so important to our city? Do the
financial rewards of racing justify so much immorality? Do people who
bet on greyhounds realize that thousands of animals suffer great cruelty
in order for them to win a few euros? Does the end justify the means?
Retirement after exploitation
Despite being basically used as hunter and
racer, the greyhound makes an ideal pet that is able to adapt to many
types of homes, as demonstrated by the adoption programs managed by many
different associations. Unfortunately for the greyhounds of the
Meridiana Racetrack, after being exploited with no consideration for
their well-being for the benefit of a few people placing bets, they are
not even granted a small percentage of the profit they generate.
Financial help could be provided to offer them the chance of a dignified
retirement; instead, they are condemned to spend the rest of their
pitiful existence in an infernal place.
There are many associations fighting for the well-being of greyhounds
and other animals against the blatant injustice they suffer. The local,
provincial and regional authorities who have jurisdiction in these
matters have consistently ignored the situation, denying the evidence or
filing away the reports that are blatant proof of wrongdoing.
Now that Barcelona City Council is leading
an ambitious cultural project, Forum 2004, now that the new Catalan
government has demonstrated sensitivity towards animal rights and now
that Catalonia has a new Animal Protection law that needs to be
enforced, the associations listed at the foot of this document have
decided to take action in order to achieve the following objectives:
The racetrack management must observe
the existing animal protection laws: kennelling and transportation in
adequate cages and conditions, official identification, anti-doping
checks, independent veterinary service;
The greyhounds must enjoy the oportunity of a comfortable retirement
after their exhausting lives on the track, with the participation of
both the owners who import the greyhounds and the racetrack
management, in providing financial help towards their retirement;
If the racetrack management cannot or will not comply with the
aforementioned points, as one of the businesses that most flagrantly
disregards animal rights, it should be closed for good.
With the opening of Forum 2004, Barcelona
wishes to demonstrate that it is one of the most modern and, at the same
time, humanitarian cities in the world. It is time to demonstrate that
this slogan is based on truth and, at least in this case, it is time to
make the facts correspond to the words. It is unacceptable that in the
21st century, places such as these still exist where the practices
carried out are more fitting with the 19th century in terms of the lack
of respect for life and the financial gain of a few individuals obtained
at the cost of the suffering and exploitation of other beings.
Sadly, Spain is already well known for its exploitation of hunting
greyhounds: for the widespread abandonment at the end of every hunting
season and the medieval practice of hanging them when they are no longer
of use. There is a long way to go but Barcelona now has the opportunity
to be part of the solution rather than the problem, one that concerns
many people from Spain and from all around the world.
Anna Clements
www.sosgalgos.com
Tel. 34 -607 216896
Groups and associations in adherence:
Barcelona: SOS Galgos, Coordinadora i Assessora de Protectores
d’Animals, DESA, Animal Help, ADDA, Pro Galgo, Progat BCN, Veu Animal,
Lliga-PAP de Barcelona, APAN de l’Anoia, Fundación Altarriba, APAC,
SPAPM, Animal Help, Ecologistes en Acció, ASOA, CAAD de Castellbisbal;
As. Vecinos Barrio Congres; Valencia: La Sociedad Valenciana-PAP,
A.R.C.A.D.Y.S., FEDENVA, SPAP de Villena, SPAP S.Antonio Abad, Fauna y
Flora SOS, SPA de Godella; Zaragoza: Amnistia Animal; Huesca: APAP de
Huesca; Madrid: Galgos sin Fronteras, ADA-Sierra Norte, IPRA, ANDA,
Ecologistas en Acción; León: SPAP de León; Segovia: ADA de Segovia;
Avila: Protectora de Animales de Ávila; Toledo: APA San Bernardo;
Valladolid: Defensa Felina; Ciudad Real: APAP Qualidice; Euskadi: ATEA;
Badajoz: APAME Merida, ADANA; Guadalajara: APA La Camada; Cádiz: SPAP de
Cadiz, Adoptalo.com; Málaga: The BrightEyes Society; Sevilla: APRENDA,
ASANDA; Canarias: APA Sirius; Portugal: Action Against Poisoning;
Francia: Lévriers en détresse; Bélgica: Greyhounds in Nood; Holanda:
Greyhound Rescue Holland, Greyhounds in Nood; Alemania: Galgos In Not;
Irlanda: ISPCA, Limerick Animal Welfare, Pro Animale Greyhound
Sanctuary; Inglaterra: Houndsavers, Greyhound Compassion; Escocia:
Greyhound Action Scotland; Finlandia: Beevale Greyhounds; USA:
Greyhounds as Companions, American-European Greyhound Alliance,
Greyhound Friends, Greyhound Acres Rescue and Adoption, Retired
Greyhounds as Pets, 501c3 Operation Scooby.
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