Total of 24 greyhounds killed in Mullingar in 2024
A total of 24 greyhounds were killed in Mullingar last year, new figures show.
Mullingar was also the track with the most injuries in the country, with a total of 59 injuries recorded.
Data acquired by Paul Murphy TD in response to a Dáil question, shows that the 24 greyhounds were euthanised by vets after suffering injuries including: fractured hock, broken hock, broken wrist, fractured wrist, spinal injury, fractured humerus, tendon injury, fractured radius and ulna, compound fracture front leg, dislocated left hock, torn gracilis, and broken neck.
Speaking this week, the People Before Profit TD said: "The natural life expectancy of a greyhound is 10 to 15 years, but one quarter of Irish racing greyhounds are dead before the age of three or four.[There] is an average of 11 dogs killed every month. Dogs are routinely doped up with dangerous drugs to make them run faster."
Nuala Donlon, a spokesperson for Greyhound Action lreland said: "The recently released figures for track deaths and injuries in the lrish greyhound industry are truly sickening. But they are just the tip of the iceberg. Data released via the Minister for Agriculture show that thousands of young greyhounds continue to die and disappear every year in this country simply because they can't run fast enough. The public funding of the greyhound industry is nothing short of state-sponsored cruelty to animals"
The greyhound industry receives about €20 million per annum from the state, with taxpayer money being used to fund the Irish Greyhound Board (IGB), an organisation responsible for the health of greyhounds. A seperate organisation, the Irish Coursing Club (ICC), is responsible for tracking a greyhound’s journey from birth in their stud book. It is estimated that over 16,000 greyhounds are bred per year.
A statement by Racing Ireland read: “Between 1st January 2024 and the 31st December 2024, 389 greyhounds were recorded as having been injured on GRI-licenced tracks during races.
“That represents 0.40% of the total number of greyhounds that raced on GRI licenced tracks during that period (97,621 runners).
“Sixteen greyhounds were injured at trials and sales events. Eight greyhounds died on the track or shortly after a race. 194 were euthanised by track vets, totalling 202 track related deaths. This represents 0.21% of the total number of greyhounds that raced on GRI-licenced tracks during that period. Eleven dogs were euthanised following trials.”
Greyhound Racing Ireland had previously stated: “A veterinary surgeon is not on duty for official trials or unofficial trials, but the contact details of nearby veterinary clinics are posted in the weigh room of each of the Greyhound Racing Ireland-licenced stadia.”