Even by the tawdry standards of the cheap and nasty end of British media, today’s Daily Mirror has reached a new low. In an attempt to sell advertising on its website and in its newspaper, the Mirror have produced a news story of astonishing deceit and misinformation regarding greyhound cruelty in China.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/brit-greyhounds-raced-collapse-boiled-11630624
We do not doubt the authenticity of the barbaric acts being carried out against poor defenseless animals. What we challenge is the insinuation that the British or Irish greyhound racing industries are in any way complicit in this obscenity.
What we do know.
– It is factual that a number of greyhounds were seemingly exported to China by unknown agents earlier this year. We don’t know how many greyhounds are involved, so cannot challenge the claim that we are dealing with “scores of greyhounds”
– We know that the vast majority, we cannot verify all the hounds involved, had been retired by their owners on the understanding that they were to be part of breeding programs in Ireland. Several, were indeed, very valuable greyhounds.
– It has been well known for a decade or so, that wealthy Chinese millionaires have wanted to breed their own greyhounds to race in China. Until the last year, the vast majority have been purchased in Australia. There is virtually no history of British and Irish greyhounds being sold to China.
– We know that the UK and Irish authorities have previous warned their respective industries not to export to Macau, which is generally acknowledged to have an appalling welfare record and destined to be shut down in 2018. In the past, they similarly banned the export of greyhounds to Spain or any other countries with poor welfare records.
– We know that Northern European attitudes to the treatment of animals may differ considerably from those in the Far East, particularly China.
What we dispute
– Export bans cannot be imposed by greyhound racing authorities. They can, and would, penalise any individual registered with them and known to be involved in the trade. This would be covered by GBGB rules 18 and 152. However – only Government can legally prevent its citizens exporting animals or goods to other countries. Greyhound authorities in the UK and Ireland, would without any doubt, support such a ban.
– We absolutely and totally dispute the claim “Thousands of dogs are shipped to the Far East from the UK and Ireland each year” as claimed Rita James, founder of CAGED. That is simply impossible and we directly challenge Ms James to back up that claim. We can verify the whereabout of the majority of retired greyhounds with millions of pounds being spent of re-homing every year. Two tracks have already guaranteed to rehome all their ex-racers, others are expected to follow.
– Why did the Mirror did not seek a response to their accusations from the Greyhound Board of Great Britain – as would appear only reasonable should the objective be to produce a balanced and fair article?
– Why, as a responsible newspaper with so many facts at its disposal, did the Mirror not identify the British or Irish individuals who are engaged in this trade? We challenge them to do so. Until then they are disgracefully smearing the reputations of thousands of innocent people associated with the greyhound industries in Britain and Ireland.
Finally – we ask the following and most blindingly obvious question.
Why would the Chinese want to import greyhounds from Europe for the meat market? It would cost thousands to acquire and transport every dog. Would it not be quicker and considerable less expensive to breed their own or buy them from Australia?
What is occurring in China is abhorrent to any decent minded human being. It is inexcusable.
However, it only becomes a money spinner for the website looking to profit from misery if it they can pitch the blame at an industry closer to home.
