RTE Investigates programme on greyhound racing industry

Igotadose

Igotadose wrote: »

And this will be verified by the hard working employees of the IGB, with each dog's post-track history carefully documented and summarized in reports verified by independent auditors.

There’s nothing stopping these dogs racing at other tracks.

I strongly feel that the Stud Book should be run by a totally independent group. The people who look after it now owe their allegiance to the ICC firstly and secondly to Clonmel racecourse. They don’t seem to grasp that their job is to support greyhounds. They should have the ability to see at a glance what dog hasn’t raced for x amount of time and to chase up owners as to their wellbeing and whereabouts.
Same goes for stipendary and control stewards and drugs unit.

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly wrote: »

Serious issue - please help if you can and let others know:

https://www.chg.gov.ie/deadly-disease-found-in-irish-hares-and-rabbits-public-asked-to-report-any-sightings-irish-coursing-club-licences-suspended-with-immediate-effect/

Coursing licence is suspended for the 2019-2020 season.

Strangely enough, I only commented to family that the multitude of rabbits around our place had suddenly disappeared. I haven’t noticed anything wrong with them but will be more vigilant.

gozunda

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Strangely enough, I only commented to family that the multitude of rabbits around our place had suddenly disappeared. I haven’t noticed anything wrong with them but will be more vigilant.

Any hares I've seen here recently have all been healthy. Very few rabbits hereabouts- large fox population seems to have decimated their numbers over the last decade or so.

Problem is that the above order only effects legal activities. The ones that do so illegally wont be stopped by it. If anything they will benefit. Definitely needs to be a bigger push to tackle rural crime of which this is significant part imo.

anewme

This weekend gone:

A statement issued by the Irish Greyhound Board in relation to a greyhound who suffered a heart attack and died at Shelbourne Park stadium is at odds with an earlier eye-witness account.

In the statement issued to The Times newspaper and quoted in an article today, the IGB “said that the dog, called Ballymac Syd, was treated immediately by a veterinary surgeon on duty at the track but died ‘due to a cardiovascular problem’.”

The 2-year-old greyhound died on Saturday after finishing third in a Boylesports-sponsored derby race.

A report published on Monday on the Greyhound Star website made absolutely no mention of a veterinary surgeon. It detailed how the dog, while suffering the heart attack, was moved to a van where a greyhound trainer - Graham Holland - performed compressions on him.

In his Greyhound Star report, Graham Holland (trainer of Clonbrien Hero - the dog who failed drug tests for a metabolite of cocaine three times in 2017) stated: “I realised that something was the matter when Shane Dowling shouted me. I had seen it before, the poor dog was having a heart attack. We managed to get him to the van and I started compressions but the tongue had already gone blue. He died shortly afterwards. A lovely dog and a sad end to the evening.”

The Irish Greyhound Board clearly didn’t want the public to know about this latest horror. There is no reference on the IGB website to the heart attack or the dog dying. Incredibly, in a notice posted on the IGB website on Tuesday - three days after Ballymac Syd died - the dead dog is listed among three dogs “WITHDRAWN from the second round of the Boylesports Derby”. “In Heat 3, Ballymac Syd

donkeykong5

anewme wrote: »

This weekend gone:

A statement issued by the Irish Greyhound Board in relation to a greyhound who suffered a heart attack and died at Shelbourne Park stadium is at odds with an earlier eye-witness account.

In the statement issued to The Times newspaper and quoted in an article today, the IGB “said that the dog, called Ballymac Syd, was treated immediately by a veterinary surgeon on duty at the track but died ‘due to a cardiovascular problem’.”

The 2-year-old greyhound died on Saturday after finishing third in a Boylesports-sponsored derby race.

A report published on Monday on the Greyhound Star website made absolutely no mention of a veterinary surgeon. It detailed how the dog, while suffering the heart attack, was moved to a van where a greyhound trainer - Graham Holland - performed compressions on him.

In his Greyhound Star report, Graham Holland (trainer of Clonbrien Hero - the dog who failed drug tests for a metabolite of cocaine three times in 2017) stated: “I realised that something was the matter when Shane Dowling shouted me. I had seen it before, the poor dog was having a heart attack. We managed to get him to the van and I started compressions but the tongue had already gone blue. He died shortly afterwards. A lovely dog and a sad end to the evening.”

The Irish Greyhound Board clearly didn’t want the public to know about this latest horror. There is no reference on the IGB website to the heart attack or the dog dying. Incredibly, in a notice posted on the IGB website on Tuesday - three days after Ballymac Syd died - the dead dog is listed among three dogs “WITHDRAWN from the second round of the Boylesports Derby”. “In Heat 3, Ballymac Syd

So it seems Boylesports are still sponsering this so called sport of greyhound racing. I know thanks to rte investigates programme that barrys piss tea have now stopped. Just wondering does anyone know if rose of tralee organisation are still sponsering the horrific sport.

donkeykong5

donkeykong5 wrote: »

So it seems Boylesports are still sponsering this so called sport of greyhound racing. I know thanks to rte investigates programme that barrys piss tea have now stopped. Just wondering does anyone know if rose of tralee organisation are still sponsering the horrific sport.

Rose Of Tralee was sponsored by IGB and Tralee track, but this was suspended this year due to abuse suffered by the Roses and Daithi, presenter.

Regarding vets on duty at tracks, racing cannot take place without one. It’s not unusual for trainers to support each other in circumstances when a dog becomes ill.

anewme

Deleted User wrote: »

donkeykong5 wrote: »

So it seems Boylesports are still sponsering this so called sport of greyhound racing. I know thanks to rte investigates programme that barrys piss tea have now stopped. Just wondering does anyone know if rose of tralee organisation are still sponsering the horrific sport.

Rose Of Tralee was sponsored by IGB and Tralee track, but this was suspended this year due to abuse suffered by the Roses and Daithi, presenter.

Regarding vets on duty at tracks, racing cannot take place without one. It’s not unusual for trainers to support each other in circumstances when a dog becomes ill.

Trainers who train dogs that test positive for cocaine.
Interesting that igb use the word withdrawn instead of dead.

Still trying to hide the truth

Igotadose

anewme wrote: »

Trainers who train dogs that test positive for cocaine.
Interesting that igb use the word withdrawn instead of dead.

Still trying to hide the truth

2 year old dog with a 'heart attack?' Surely can't be from the same causes that humans get heart attacks. And this dog's a trained athlete, too.

Now, all those honest trainers will rally to force the IGB to autopsy the dog and determine the cause of death, as it's casting a cloud on the sport yet again and we know it's just a few bad actors who would say, come up with some new undetectable stimulant that might cause a seizure and the death of the animal.

They only have the animals best interests at heart, we support them via allowing otherwise collectible tax revenue to be ringfenced in support of this popular, growing sport and of course the correct things would be done. Why there were any races allowed at this track without a vet who should've certified all the dogs in every race, well, that too will be rectified by grassroots activity by IGB members as they've done for so many years.

(/sarcasm)

jackboy

Igotadose wrote: »

2 year old dog with a 'heart attack?' Surely can't be from the same causes that humans get heart attacks. And this dog's a trained athlete, too.

(/sarcasm)

Healthy young human adults die of heart attacks too while out running or playing sports. There are underlying physical conditions which cause this. It’s the same with all animals.

If you are indirectly suggesting that dogs that die at tracks in such circumstances should be tested for drugs then I agree with this. It would be a good deterrent.

But it’s not good to suggest that this dog was doped, without evidence.

Igotadose

jackboy wrote: »

Healthy young human adults die of heart attacks too while out running or playing sports. There are underlying physical conditions which cause this. It’s the same with all animals.

If you are indirectly suggesting that dogs that die at tracks in such circumstances should be tested for drugs then I agree with this. It would be a good deterrent.

But it’s not good to suggest that this dog was doped, without evidence.

of course, and given the unusual nature of this death I'm sure the IGB are all over doing the autopsy and investigating the results should they prove to be unusual. After all, they had a vet present to look at the poor animal like their regulations required, right? Oopsies, not. Must've been a small infrequent oversight, that track has a sterling record doesn't it? (/sarcasm)

I'm just echoing the defenses that are sure to come up should this issue go anywhere with the IGB. It's what their defenders routinely trot out. By now I expect the poor animal's been buried or cremated without the IGB looking into this even slightly. I welcome being proven wrong.

jackboy

Igotadose wrote: »

After all, they had a vet present to look at the poor animal like their regulations required, right? Oopsies, not. .

Is this true though? I would be surprised. It would be a scandal.

Igotadose

jackboy wrote: »

Is this true though? I would be surprised. It would be a scandal.

anewme wrote:

A report published on Monday on the Greyhound Star website made absolutely no mention of a veterinary surgeon. It detailed how the dog, while suffering the heart attack, was moved to a van where a greyhound trainer - Graham Holland - performed compressions on him.

So, we don't know. It could be bad reporting by the Greyhound Star, or, it could be that the dog was rushed away from the track before the vet could get to him, or it could be no vet present. The trainer, with previous doping charges against him, certainly hopped right to it to administer 'compressions' to the dog.

As for young humans dying of heart failure, the difference is, this greyhound's genetics should be well known - the breeders do keep records over the years. I'd submit that the problem was congenital, perhaps an anomaly, but if the bulk of its littermates all die due to heart failure before eligible to race, should that be known, and should this dog have been allowed to race? Yet another question. I strongly doubt that its heart problems were due to normal rearing - food, exercise, etc. Heart failure in a young dog should be very rare, the dogs I know who succumb to it are elderly. I'm not a veterinarian though, there may be data to the contrary, maybe racing greyhounds have this problem in general.


<sarcasm>
The investigation by the crack team at the IGB is sure to clear this up asap.
</sarcasm>

CiarraiAbu2

Igotadose wrote: »

So, we don't know. It could be bad reporting by the Greyhound Star, or, it could be that the dog was rushed away from the track before the vet could get to him, or it could be no vet present. The trainer, with previous doping charges against him, certainly hopped right to it to administer 'compressions' to the dog.

There is always a vet present, the dog was not rushed away, all your trying to do is stir **** again. The trainer of the dog never had any doping charges against them, that is some statement you are after making on a public forum.

Igotadose

[quote="CiarraiAbu2;111056842"
There is always a vet present, the dog was not rushed away, all your trying to do is stir **** again. The trainer of the dog never had any doping charges against them, that is some statement you are after making on a public forum.[/quote]
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.independent.ie/irish-news/trainers-greyhounds-have-tested-positive-for-banned-substances-on-eight-occasions-36134259.html

Eight times his dogs tested positive for banned substances. Has this dog been autopsied?

gozunda

anewme wrote: »

This weekend gone:A statement issued by the Irish Greyhound Board in relation to a greyhound who suffered a heart attack and died at Shelbourne Park stadium is at odds with an earlier eye-witness account.In the statement issued to The Times newspaper and quoted in an article today, the IGB “said that the dog, called Ballymac Syd, was treated immediately by a veterinary surgeon on duty at the track but died ‘due to a cardiovascular problem’.”The 2-year-old greyhound died on Saturday after finishing third in a Boylesports-sponsored derby race.A report published on Monday on the Greyhound Star website made absolutely no mention of a veterinary surgeon. It detailed how the dog, while suffering the heart attack, was moved to a van where a greyhound trainer - Graham Holland - performed compressions on him.In his Greyhound Star report, Graham Holland (trainer of Clonbrien Hero - the dog who failed drug tests for a metabolite of cocaine three times in 2017) stated: “I realised that something was the matter when Shane Dowling shouted me. I had seen it before, the poor dog was having a heart attack. We managed to get him to the van and I started compressions but the tongue had already gone blue. He died shortly afterwards. A lovely dog and a sad end to the evening.”The Irish Greyhound Board clearly didn’t want the public to know about this latest horror. There is no reference on the IGB website to the heart attack or the dog dying. Incredibly, in a notice posted on the IGB website on Tuesday - three days after Ballymac Syd died - the dead dog is listed among three dogs “WITHDRAWN from the second round of the Boylesports Derby”. “In Heat 3, Ballymac Syd

A greyhound died of a heart attack and you write a 200 word essay on it decying all and sundry? Are you sure the fekers didnt beat the dog to death with their bare hands or something? Btw that is sarcasm - but you wouldn't know it with the level of screaming going on in that comment tbh.

Brother had a prize winning sheepdog a number of years ago. A lovely dog with good genetics. Keeled over one day when out rounding up sheep. Cause of death was found to be a previously undetected congenital condition related to his heart. And no the brother didnt post the death notice in the newspaper ...

CiarraiAbu2

Igotadose wrote: »

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.independent.ie/irish-news/trainers-greyhounds-have-tested-positive-for-banned-substances-on-eight-occasions-36134259.html

Eight times his dogs tested positive for banned substances. Has this dog been autopsied?

He wasn't training the dog, he came to the assistance of the owners of the dog when he heard them shouting for help.

Igotadose

Igotadose wrote: »

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.independent.ie/irish-news/trainers-greyhounds-have-tested-positive-for-banned-substances-on-eight-occasions-36134259.html

Eight times his dogs tested positive for banned substances. Has this dog been autopsied?

I don't recall the owners ever having an adverse analytical finding.

Then again, facts don't seem to matter.

anewme

gozunda wrote: »

anewme wrote: »

This weekend gone:A statement issued by the Irish Greyhound Board in relation to a greyhound who suffered a heart attack and died at Shelbourne Park stadium is at odds with an earlier eye-witness account.In the statement issued to The Times newspaper and quoted in an article today, the IGB “said that the dog, called Ballymac Syd, was treated immediately by a veterinary surgeon on duty at the track but died ‘due to a cardiovascular problem’.”The 2-year-old greyhound died on Saturday after finishing third in a Boylesports-sponsored derby race.A report published on Monday on the Greyhound Star website made absolutely no mention of a veterinary surgeon. It detailed how the dog, while suffering the heart attack, was moved to a van where a greyhound trainer - Graham Holland - performed compressions on him.In his Greyhound Star report, Graham Holland (trainer of Clonbrien Hero - the dog who failed drug tests for a metabolite of cocaine three times in 2017) stated: “I realised that something was the matter when Shane Dowling shouted me. I had seen it before, the poor dog was having a heart attack. We managed to get him to the van and I started compressions but the tongue had already gone blue. He died shortly afterwards. A lovely dog and a sad end to the evening.”The Irish Greyhound Board clearly didn’t want the public to know about this latest horror. There is no reference on the IGB website to the heart attack or the dog dying. Incredibly, in a notice posted on the IGB website on Tuesday - three days after Ballymac Syd died - the dead dog is listed among three dogs “WITHDRAWN from the second round of the Boylesports Derby”. “In Heat 3, Ballymac Syd

A greyhound died of a heart attack and you write a 200 word essay on it decying all and sundry? Are you sure the fekers didnt beat the dog to death with their bare hands or something? Btw that is sarcasm - but you wouldn't know it with the level of screaming going on in that comment tbh.

Brother had a prize winning sheepdog a number of years ago. A lovely dog with good genetics. Keeled over one day when out rounding up sheep. Cause of death was found to be a previously undetected congenital condition related to his heart. And no the brother didnt post the death notice in the newspaper ...

Ehhh I didnt write any essay.

It was from coverage given on a forum I support , so cant take credit for it. The only bit I can take credit for are the first three words.ie, this weekend gone.

I do agree with the comment in full however and believe the IGB need to be held to answer when dogs die like this in mysterious circumstances.

Yer man with the 8 greyhounds testing positive for banned substances but still allowed in the "sport" shows just how much of a nasty farce the whole thing is.

Complete lack of transparency in the whole thing.

anewme

anewme wrote: »

Ehhh I didnt write any essay.

It was from coverage given on a forum I support , so cant take credit for it. The only bit I can take credit for are the first three words.ie, this weekend gone.

I do agree with the comment in full however and believe the IGB need to be held to answer when dogs die like this in mysterious circumstances.

Yer man with the 8 greyhounds testing positive for banned substances but still allowed in the "sport" shows just how much of a nasty farce the whole thing is.

Complete lack of transparency in the whole thing.

If you didn't write it, then you should have given the source.

Have you corrected your erroneous accusations of wrong doing by the greyhounds owners?

Sarcasm IS the lowest form of wit.

anewme

Deleted User wrote: »

anewme wrote: »

Ehhh I didnt write any essay.

It was from coverage given on a forum I support , so cant take credit for it. The only bit I can take credit for are the first three words.ie, this weekend gone.

I do agree with the comment in full however and believe the IGB need to be held to answer when dogs die like this in mysterious circumstances.

Yer man with the 8 greyhounds testing positive for banned substances but still allowed in the "sport" shows just how much of a nasty farce the whole thing is.

Complete lack of transparency in the whole thing.

If you didn't write it, then you should have given the source.

Have you corrected your erroneous accusations of wrong doing by the greyhounds owners?

Sarcasm IS the lowest form of wit.

I havent made any erroneous accusations.

There are questions to be answered by the IGB.

Let's see what they say.

Somehow, I would not take the word of someone who had 8 of his greyhounds test positive for banned substances.

Why would trainers like this still exist in the "sport" if its transparent?

You are accusing an innocent man of wrong doing. Graham Holland has no connection with the deceased dog. Fact.

anewme

Deleted User wrote: »

You are accusing an innocent man of wrong doing. Graham Holland has no connection with the deceased dog. Fact.

I didnt say he did?

anewme

why are trainers notbbanned not life though if their dogs fail drug tests?

anewme

anewme wrote: »

I didnt say he did?

Then why keep bringing him up?

anewme

Deleted User wrote: »

anewme wrote: »

I didnt say he did?

Then why keep bringing him up?

Because he commented on the dogs death.

And he was there giving compression.

Why are trainers whose dogs test positive not banned for life?

anewme

anewme wrote: »

Because he commented on the dogs death.

And he was there giving compression.

Why are trainers whose dogs test positive not banned for life?

Good for him helping.

Like everything in Law, there's a process that has to gone through.

anewme

Deleted User wrote: »

anewme wrote: »

Because he commented on the dogs death.

And he was there giving compression.

Why are trainers whose dogs test positive not banned for life?

Good for him helping.

Like everything in Law, there's a process that has to gone through.

Ah sure it was probably a misunderstanding.

Maybe the silly dogs did it themselves.

Damien360

anewme wrote: »

why are trainers notbbanned not life though if their dogs fail drug tests?

Because the vast majority are ordinary people just putting stuff like Deep-Heat or similar on the dog. It's not a concerted effort to drug the animal. There is more fixing going on with moving up and down grades at the right time by loosing and winning at the right time. Go to a racetrack and you will see the same people week in- week out. We go to Newbridge track every so often and even I know the same set of owners. It's actually great fun for a night and worth a visit. Euro and 2 Euro bets would be the norm for most people.

anewme

I will never visit any greyhound stadium or support this in any way in my life again. I can also state there will never be a social event to the dogs at my workplace ever again.

Whiie I dont doubt for one minute there are some amazing family owner trainers who do love their dogs and are totally genuine, theres too many questions that have no answers and the IGB have not done enough to deal with wrong doing.

They knew what was going on. It should not have taken that program to elicit action.

anewme

anewme wrote: »

I will never visit any greyhound stadium or support this in any way in my life again. I can also state there will never be a social event to the dogs at my workplace ever again.

Whiie I dont doubt for one minute there are dome amazing family owner trainers who do love their dogs and are totally genuine, theres too many questions that have no answers and the IGB have not done enough to deal with wrong doing.

They knew what was going on. It should not have taken that program to elicit action.

I do agree that IGB have been lax in their response to the RTÉ hatchet job.
They should have called out the Vet on his lies. If he had proof of his accusations, why didn’t he act on them. His claims of numerous dogs having their ears mutilated in order to avoid detection are ludicrous. Especially when we all know that ALL greyhounds are both microchipped and DNA samples kept on file, so detection is possible.
They should have been more outspoken about the use of old footage, taken in another country.
The only facts shown were that a knackery was disposing of greyhounds.
Everything else was incorrect or of a historical nature.