Following a special meeting of the Board of the
Irish Greyhound Board today, the Board again condemned the illegal practices
outlined in the Prime Time Investigates programme, broadcast on the 26th of
June, 2019.
In the short term, the Board has immediately approved
the following range of measures:
· Introduction
of a greyhound injury support scheme to provide financial assistance to aid
injured greyhounds to continue with a healthy life.
· Extending
and increasing support under the IGB scheme for foster care of greyhounds to
identify new foster homes within Ireland for greyhounds.
· Revision,
in conjunction with the International Greyhound Welfare Forum, of the Code
of Practice on the Care and Welfare of the Greyhound to address retirement and
transportation of greyhounds.
· Financially
incentivise the rehoming of greyhounds in Ireland through additional supports
though the Irish Retired Greyhound Trust (which assisted in the rehoming of
1,021 greyhounds last year).
· Intensify
its inspection regime of greyhound establishments (491 inspections were
undertaken in 2018).
· Preparation
of a statutory instrument to make it a legal requirement that euthanasia of a
greyhound must be carried out by a veterinary practitioner. (this is already
the standard expected under the IGB Code of Practice for the Care and
Welfare of the Greyhound).
· Provision
of the Code of Practice to all greyhound owners registered with the IGB and
emphasise the requirement to fully comply with the standards expected.
· Progress
the traceability provisions of the Greyhound Act 2019 though the establishing
of a working group with the Irish Coursing Club (as keeper of the Stud Book)
and industry representatives to devise a traceability model and a draft of the
proposed statutory regulations.
· Establish
a confidential Freephone line to enable reports of welfare breaches to be
reported to the IGB for investigation by relevant agencies.
The Board has instructed that the Prime Time
programme be reviewed in depth by the executive of the IGB to identify any
actions that require to be followed up by the IGB. The Board will be seeking
that RTE provides the IGB with all documented evidence gathered while
researching the programme so that any breaches of the law can be pursued. The
Board has also committed its full cooperation to other agencies and will
provide whatever assistance is necessary in relation to any prosecutions.
The Board has also asked that an overall costed five
year plan for the ‘care of the greyhound’ by devised for consideration by the
National Greyhound Consultative Forum and for approval by the Board in the
current year.
Chairman of the Irish Greyhound Board, Frank Nyhan,
commented: “The actions evident by an irresponsible minority within the
greyhound industry have no place in this sport and will not be tolerated. The
IGB will continue to work with all agencies to ensure that such illegal
activity is rooted out and those responsible are subject to prosecution for
breaches of the law. Now that the Greyhound Racing Act 2019 has been finalised
it is the Board’s clear intent to continue on its programme of further
regulation within the sector.”
