End cruel shipping of Irish dogs to China, urges Pauline McLynn
ACTRESS Pauline McLynn has joined a global campaign condemning the export of Irish greyhounds to China.
The Father Ted star attended a protest outside the Department of Agriculture in Dublin on Thursday and said people are ‘incensed’ about the decision to export Irish greyhounds to race in the Macau track in China.
Speaking to the Irish Mail on Sunday McLynn echoed the objection of other stars such as Ricky Gervais saying the dogs sent to China are destined to die.
‘So many people are incensed by the curious lack of compassion to animals in this country,’ she said.
‘This is the tip of the iceberg. We will stop the greyhounds being transported to Macau to certain death. The greyhounds and lurchers are the most abandoned creatures in this country.’
A petition with more than 300,000 signatures was handed in to new Agriculture Minister Michael Creed at the rally.
Leading the fight in China is Albano Martens of charity Anima who has witnessed the treatment of dogs at the track. Mr Martens flew to Dublin to meet representatives including TD Paul Murphy who, with Maureen O’Sullivan, is campaigning to stop the exports.
Mr Martens said that ‘one dog a day’ is killed at the track known as Canidrome and there is no rehoming policy.
‘Since Australia stopped the export to China, Ireland is offering the Canidrome a new breath of life and we have to stop it,’ he said.
In December, Qantas CEO Alan Joyce, who is from Dublin, banned the shipment of Australian greyhounds to China on board the airline.
However, earlier this year the Department of Agriculture rowed back on a 2011 decision and allowed the export of Irish greyhounds to China.
Last month 24 Irish greyhounds were saved when officials at Heathrow Airport refused to allow them to fly.
After the news broke about the 24 greyhounds Ricky Gervais spoke to the MoS condemning the Irish Government for facilitating the trade and warned that Ireland would pay the price in terms of damage to its international reputation.