An informative video docu-series profiling the dedicated racing greyhound owners, breeders, families and personalities that represent the majority of the industry was launched this week by the Irish Greyhound Owners and Breeders Federation (IGOBF) to counteract recent, aggressive and unfair criticisms of the sport in Ireland. The industry which supports over 12,500 jobs throughout rural Ireland as well in many urban centres contributes over €300m to the Irish economy and it was felt there was a strong need to correct the distortion of facts about greyhound racing from recent misrepresentative attacks which have greatly hurt the greyhound community, the vast majority of whom care for their dogs with the highest welfare standards. The series highlights the how individuals and businesses within the community have been subject to targeted campaign of attack.
A docu-series of seven videos featuring eight sets of families and racing personalities outline how they care for, feed and train their racing greyhounds and outline the huge care taken in rearing younger puppies as well looking after their retired dogs at home and the lengths that are taken to rehome them after their racing careers. Amongst the personalities featured on film is greyhound owner and legendary Cork GAA sports star Jimmy Barry Murphy as well as well known training figures like Pat Guilfoyle and Denis Fitzgerald along with racing enthusiast John Kenny with his young family, the three Barber sisters and the Timaru Kennels all of whom own, care for, breed, race their greyhounds as well as keep them in retirement. The videos also portray the hurt and dismay caused to genuine greyhound racing folk and families by a sustained and aggressive attack on the industry based on a misrepresentation of the sport in the media allied to historical wrongs caused by a tiny minority of which are in every sport and everyday life such as in business who will endeavour to cheat and take short cuts.
IGOBF Chairman Damian Matthews said “Welfare of our greyhounds is paramount above everything else in our sport amongst our thousands of members from the time the pups are born to when they retire in our homes or are rehomed to new caring owners. This campaign addresses recent high profile misrepresentations portrayed unfairly in the media and shows exactly how the greyhounds we love are reared, fed, trained and cared for during their racing careers and in their retirement. The videos show how greyhounds love to race and are bred to run but they also are amazing pets and give back so much to their owners. We will be releasing one new video a week across all our social media channels using the hashtag #OurGreyhoundsOurLives and we hope that the fair minded people in our society will judge our industry from them.”
