On 17th October 2010 there was an announcement of seven Greyhound puppies being born:
'ninja jamie is a dad again,4 daughters and 3 sons, all blue.
well done to mum, buzz lamars on her third and last litter.'
This litter especially highlights the the frequent questions, raised by Greyhound advocates in Rescues and awareness groups, on the subject of the vast numbers of Greyhounds bred
in Ireland and the concerns of accountability.
in Ireland and the concerns of accountability.
Despite the above announcement of seven Greyhounds being born, five are only listed on the pro-racing forum 'Greyhound Data'. Scroll down the pedigree of 'Another Bruiser' and you will see 5 Greyhounds(2 Female and 3 Male)from the Ninja Jamie/Buzz Lamars litter:
Another Bruiser: last used for racing on 1st Oct 2012 in Ireland.
Buzz Off Idjit: last used for racing on 16th July 2013 in England.
Filling Station: last used for racing on 17th May 2012 in Ireland.
Lamars Girl: found dead and dumped in England, Feb 2013.
Only four are listed on the Bord na gCon database(Jamie has not been listed).
Buzz Lamars, after giving three litters of Greyhounds to the racing industry, two of those litters in 2010, was rehomed in Italy. Ninja Jamie has(to date of writing)sired 246 Greyhounds(listed). His semen can be supplied fresh or frozen.
The (Irish)Welfare of Greyhounds Act 2011 Restriction on breeding gives Greyhound bitches some protection: by making it an offence if a Greyhound bitch is used for breeding before reaching 15 months of age, and restricts the numbers of litters she can have in her lifetime, although there is allowance for extra litters. Any further litters thereafter shall not be registered in the Irish Greyhound Stud Book, maintained be the Irish Coursing Club.
There is no restriction as to the age a Greyhound bitch can go on being used to produce Greyhounds, as we can see with Pepsi Tops. After being used in six races she was used for breeding for nine years, then sold at the age of ten for further breeding but was saved by the GSPCA. Pepsi Tops began her freedom aged ten and half. There are the breeding bitches who will be used and then simply dumped at a Local Authority Pound, like Diamond: born in 2004, and used for breeding until 2011, Diamond thankfully found the great care of Halfway There Hounds.
The (Irish)Welfare of Greyhounds Act 2011 gives no breeding restrictions to male Greyhounds. Indeed the male Greyhound stud-ness, such as Top Honcho, is celebrated. Retired to stud after breaking a leg in two places, in an 'horrific racing accident', Top Honcho has sired well over 10,000 Greyhounds - despite dying in 2007 he still sired Greyhounds into 2013 - cellebrated as No.1 Irish Sire of the Year 2008 and 2009.
Moes Tavern, born from Fly Mel and Top Honcho(7 months after Top Honcho died), followed his fathers fate, after being used in racing until he did not finish his last race in 2011 after breaking his hock, to be used for breeding.
The (Irish)Welfare of Greyhounds Act 2011 gives no breeding restrictions to male Greyhounds. Indeed the male Greyhound stud-ness, such as Top Honcho, is celebrated. Retired to stud after breaking a leg in two places, in an 'horrific racing accident', Top Honcho has sired well over 10,000 Greyhounds - despite dying in 2007 he still sired Greyhounds into 2013 - cellebrated as No.1 Irish Sire of the Year 2008 and 2009.
Moes Tavern, born from Fly Mel and Top Honcho(7 months after Top Honcho died), followed his fathers fate, after being used in racing until he did not finish his last race in 2011 after breaking his hock, to be used for breeding.
The Greyhounds mentioned above are just a few examples
of what Irish Greyhound breeding is - the list could go on and on.
It is business and Greyhounds are simply the tools.
Registered Irish litters
- 2010: 3,003
- 2011: 3,272
- 2012: 2,980
- 2013: 2,736
These litter figures show that 11,991 litters were registered,
meaning that at least 71,946 Greyhound puppies were born
in Ireland between 2010 and 2013 to be used for racing, or coursing.
Three thousand-plus litters of twenty thousand-plus Greyhound puppies each year are either not enough(page 18-19)to please the Bord na gCon or too many for Irish breeders to sell, especially with declines in the UK industry.
Other countries such as Spain, Pakistan, and Australia also buy Irish Greyhounds. Despite the overwhelming breeding problems in Spain and Australia(scroll to end of page for litters registered), and the withdrawal of voluntary welfare/rehoming funds in the UK, the Irish industry is only too willing to export.
If only the Irish industry was just as willing with the rehoming of Greyhounds in Ireland.
Please think of the maths
Please do not support the industry
Please adopt.
Please adopt.
