Murphy welcomes ban on greyhound racing in New Zealand

This is the last day of greyhound racing in New Zealand as a ban comes into effect from tomorrow.

Hundreds of greyhounds are killed and injured at racing events in Ireland every year.

Many more are abandoned or killed, and almost 2 in every 3 of the racing greyhounds born in 2021 and 2022, that have been retired from the track, are already dead.

People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy said:.

“I welcome the news that New Zealand is the latest country to ban greyhound racing.

“This ban leaves Ireland among a small number of counties that still allow the cruel practice that exists only to serve the gambling industry and others that profit from the racing industry.

“This should finally make the Irish Government introduce a ban here, a ban that People Before Profit have been campaigning for many years.

“In the last 5 years, over 750 greyhounds have been killed and over 1,500 have been injured during racing events in Ireland. Every racetrack has a freezer for the carcases of all the dead dogs.

“This includes the nine State-owned greyhound racetracks.

“Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have privatised vital public services such as childcare and nursing homes but they keep publicly owned greyhound racing tracks and publicly owned freezers full of dead dogs. This is grotesque.

“Almost 2 in every 3 of the racing greyhounds born in 2021 and 2022, who have been retired from the track, are already dead.

“That’s 5,960 greyhounds, the oldest of which would not yet be five and a half, the youngest not yet three and a half.

“The natural life expectancy of a greyhound is 10 to 15 years.

“The NSPCA, The Dogs Trust and the National Animal Rights Association (NARA) are among the animal welfare groups that have called for a ban on greyhound racing.

“An NSPCA commissioned opinion poll undertaken earlier this year found that 67% of the public support an end to greyhound racing in Ireland.

“While most governments ban this cruel industry, our government continues to not only permit it, but gives it €20 million a year of public monies.

“Without that public funding, greyhound racing would cease to exist.

“In future people will look back at these practices in the same light as banned barbaric practices such as badger baiting, dogfighting.

“Public funding of greyhound racing should stop immediately and the industry should be banned as soon as possible.”