‘No welfare issue’ over rehoming greyhound for coursing in Pakistan
AN internal investigation into how a greyhound listed as having been rehomed as a pet in Ireland ended up coursing in Pakistan has found there were no animal welfare issues in the case.
The dog, Granard Swift, was listed in official records of Greyhound Racing Ireland as having been rehomed as a pet in Co. Tipperary.
However, it subsequently emerged that the greyhound had been bought by a purchaser with a US address, shipped to the UK, and then transported on to the Rajpur Coursing Club in Pakistan.
The internal report said the error arose because of an online registration system that automatically used Tipperary as the location for animals classed as having been ‘rehomed’ or ‘retired as [a] pet’.
It said this was because the county was the location of the head office of the Irish Coursing Club.
However, the Greyhound Racing Ireland report found that the sale and transportation of the greyhound to Pakistan had not contravened any legislation and were ‘legitimate acts’ by the owner and transporter in Ireland.
The report did warn that the UK was being used as a ‘route through which greyhounds can be exported for onward transportation to destinations unknown’.
They said that while the semistate agency was aware of the issue, it was not within its powers to prevent what were ‘legal exports’ to other destinations.
The report said the only option was ‘impressing’ on the greyhound community not to sell greyhounds to such parties.
Greyhound Racing Ireland had originally refused to release the report under FoI and did so only after an internal review was sought. Written by chief executive Ger Dollard, the report said steps needed to be taken to rectify the classification system for dogs ‘rehomed as pets’.
The report said: ‘The ICC [Irish Coursing Club] is revising its software to remove the default location of Co. Tipperary, for rehomed greyhounds on the ICC registration system.’
It also said an inspection had taken place of the kennels from which Granard Swift had been exported.
‘The kennels… demonstrated a very high level of facilities and an excellent standard of care for greyhounds,’ said the report. ‘No issues accordingly arise under the Welfare of Greyhounds Act 2011.’
However, the report added that the Greyhound Racing Ireland code of practice was clear that greyhounds should not be exported to a country that does not have similar welfare standards to Ireland.
Serious concerns have been raised on numerous occasions in the Dáil about animal welfare standards in Pakistan.
Separately, internal records released reveal concerns within Greyhound Racing Ireland about how the dog had ended up being wrongly tagged as a rehomed pet.
In one email, racing operations manager Barry Coleman said the ‘bottom line’ was that no greyhound that ended up racing or coursing abroad should be classified in this way. ‘They should under no circumstances be categorised by Irish Coursing Club as “rehomed”,’ said an email.
In another email, veterinary director Denis Healy said it was odd that greyhounds should be listed as ‘rehomed’ when ownership had transferred to a named person in a foreign country.
He wrote: ‘I understand that it is not possible to be sure of the bona fides of the “new owner” but I believe we should have a conversation with the Irish Coursing Club to ensure that the term “rehomed” is not the default position.’
Further records said such dogs should be listed as having been ‘exported’ instead.
In a statement, Greyhound Racing Ireland said its investigation had not identified any welfare issues relating to the export of Granard Swift. It said: ‘[We have] no remit whatsoever in relation to the export of greyhounds.
‘Greyhound Racing Ireland would always advise owners that the welfare of the greyhound should be a primary consideration in relation to any export arrangements.’
Asked to comment on the registration system, the Irish Coursing Club said: ‘The ICC were notified that the greyhound was rehomed and its status is recorded on our database. All notified “rehomed” or “retired-as-pet” greyhounds default to a generic code.
‘In all instances where a greyhound is notified as “rehomed” or “retired as pet”, Tipperary is the default county as the ICC head office is based there. This default software issue is not resolved.’
About 1,300 greyhounds were rehomed last year according to the Greyhound Racing Trust. Figures from 2017 show that about 200 greyhounds were exported from Ireland to Pakistan, where many of them are subjected to horrific conditions, opponents of the industry say.
Export was ‘legitimate act’ by the owner
‘Dog’s welfare should be a primary consideration’