Greyhound

We have received a witness report of greyhound racing taking place at Shanghai Wild Animal Park last October. The racing is called a “performance” for the visitors along with horse, camel, ostrich and cheetah “racing”. We do not know the origin of the greyhounds shown in the photographs (courtesy of Animals Asia). The dogs may have come from established racing in Macau or Australia. We do know that the Bord na gCon was looking to export Irish greyhounds to China but the Irish Ministry of Agriculture refused to approve the proposal last May. After the Ministry of Agriculture’s rejection of the plan, the Bord na gCon was looking to modify its idea to exclude the export of greyhounds but to include the provision of Irish expertise in the design, building and management of stadia, considered to be a great business opportunity for the Irish greyhound industry.



An article in The Sunday Business Post, an Irish national publication, on 27 November referred to the Bord na gCon being in advanced talks about running greyhound racing abroad which are expected to progress in 2012. Apparently, there are opportunities in other European countries, China, India and other emerging markets.



Betting is illegal in China but apparently horse racing is springing up and we suppose that illegal betting is only a short step away. Chinese animal protection groups are opposed to the development of greyhound racing in China on a national level. It would help their position if we could register our opposition to greyhound racing (and cheetah, horse, camel and ostrich racing for that matter!) with the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China. Please consider sending a letter along the following lines to the Embassy in your country:



Ø Greyhound racing would not be a viable business prospect for a prosperous emerging market such as the People’s Republic of China. Greyhound racing in Ireland, the home of racing, is reliant on government subsidies to survive.

Ø Greyhound racing is connected with gambling and the ills associated with it, an activity which is already illegal in the People’s Republic of China.

Ø As a middle class develops in an emerging economy, they are more likely to seek alternative and more sophisticated forms of entertainment.

Ø The greyhound industry is responsible for thousands of surplus greyhounds, which presents a significant animal welfare issue.

Ø A respected nation would not want to have its international reputation tarnished by the neglect of vast quantities of discarded racing dogs. Dealing with this inordinate number of unwanted and straying dogs would pose another enormous financial cost for the Republic.



The address to write to for the UK is:

Ambassador

His Excellency Liu Xiaoming

Embassy of the People’s Republic of China

49- 51 Portland Place

London

W1B 1JL
Info von Greyhound Compassion UK

Please do write to the Chinese Ambassador to register your concern about the start of greyhound racing in China.

Ambassador

His Excellency Liu Xiaoming

Embassy of the People’s Republic of China

49- 51 Portland Place

London

W1B 1JL

While betting is illegal in China, greyhound racing seems to be in its infancy and more of a spectacle. The Irish Greyhound Board is keen to get involved in greyhound racing in China in order to help the Chinese develop stadia and the racing infrastructure. If this happens, it will be a short step to ills of greyhound racing we have seen here and in Ireland.


The attached photos (courtesy of Animals Asia) show a recent "performance" in Shanghai.

Please consider sending a letter along the following lines to the Embassy in your country:



Ø Greyhound racing would not be a viable business prospect for a prosperous emerging market such as the People’s Republic of China. Greyhound racing in Ireland, the home of racing, is reliant on government subsidies to survive.

Ø Greyhound racing is connected with gambling and the ills associated with it, an activity which is already illegal in the People’s Republic of China.

Ø As a middle class develops in an emerging economy, they are more likely to seek alternative and more sophisticated forms of entertainment.

Ø The greyhound industry is responsible for thousands of surplus greyhounds, which presents a significant animal welfare issue.

Ø A respected nation would not want to have its international reputation tarnished by the neglect of vast quantities of discarded racing dogs. Dealing with this inordinate number of unwanted and straying dogs would pose another enormous financial cost for the Republic.