The Irish Greyhound Board has confirmed an
increase in financial support to private rehoming agencies for the rehoming of
retired racing greyhounds in Ireland, as well as the extension of
the IGB Scheme for Foster Care of Retired Racing Greyhounds, with the
schemes coming into effect immediately.
A number of private greyhound rehoming organisations
in Ireland currently receive financial support from the Irish Retired Greyhound
Trust (IRGT), which is established and operated by the Board. This support
assists with the veterinary costs involved in preparing a retired greyhound for
rehoming, neutering/spaying, a rabies shot and other vaccinations and
inoculations. Rehoming agencies will now be offered an additional €100 per
retired greyhound rehomed in Ireland to encourage and further facilitate
domestic rehomings.
Furthermore, it is now the intention of
the IGB to identify a wider pool of suitable foster homes to enable
greyhounds to transition from their life on the track to
domestic pets before moving on to their ‘forever homes’.
Persons interested in the fostering of retired
racing greyhounds prior to their rehoming are asked to submit expressions of
interest by post to the Irish Greyhound Board, Welfare Department, Limerick
Greyhound Stadium, Dock Road, Limerick. Alternatively, they can express their
interest at [email protected]
All premises will be assessed for suitability and be
subject to a welfare inspection prior to any decision being made regarding
fostering at a particular premises and if approved, the premises will
be subject to regular welfare inspections.
Welfare Manager with the IGB, Barry Coleman,
commented: “The IGB continues to make significant progress
in the areas of welfare and regulation under its Strategic Plan
2018-2022. The IRGT assisted in the rehoming of over 1,000 retired
greyhounds last year, with the IGB’s Welfare Officers undertaking 491 welfare
inspections and inspections of greyhound establishments. These respective
schemes will allow for a further expansion of this positive work. The intention
of these measures is to ensure that as many Irish families as possible are
aware that greyhounds make for excellent pets and have an uncanny ability to
transition to the family couch with ease, and to provide further opportunities
to increase rehomings in Ireland.”
