NUMBERS
A summary of statistics on greyhound racing in the UK
According to a report by Preferred Results Ltd, which was commissioned on behalf of the Irish Greyhound Board now rebranded as Greyhound Racing Ireland (the regulatory body for the Irish greyhound racing industry) an average of 16,000 greyhounds are bred each year in Ireland for British and Irish greyhound racing.
From these an average of 6,000 greyhounds are culled in Ireland (destroyed) with another 6,250 exported to Britain each year, resulting in over 80% of British raced greyhounds being Irish bred. According to figures released by the Greyhound Board of Great Britain, 1,100 greyhounds were killed in 2017 with similar numbers thereafter, raising the kill rate to an average of 7,000 greyhounds across Ireland and Great Britain each year.
Conclusion: British greyhound racing is the biggest motivation for breeding and culling of greyhounds each year.
In 2017 the Irish racing pool (active racing greyhounds) only consisted of 3,616 greyhounds according to figures made public by Clare Daly TD following a question to the Dail in Ireland. Whilst in 2016 a British Parliamentary report stated there were 15,000 active racing greyhounds in Great Britain, that's more than four times the number of greyhounds than remained in the Irish racing pool in 2017, with 83% of British raced greyhounds being Irish bred.
Thankfully RTE delivered a remarkable but also damning exposure. RTE Investigates' documentary which was broadcast on prime time TV in 2019, filmed evidence of Irish abattoirs destroying greyhounds by use of the captive bolt gun. In 2010, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons announced that use of captive bolt guns on dogs was inappropriate. The undercover footage also revealed greyhounds shot in the head at numerous 'knackers yards' (abattoirs) in Ireland. RTE said that out of 30 knackers yards it contacted, 15 had offered by kill greyhounds.
RTE Investigates: Greyhounds Running for Their Lives
EXPOSED:
The report by Preferred Results Ltd was only made public by the Irish Greyhound Board after RTE claimed to have a copy in 2019. RTE were originally denied this report/data, although it had been sat in the Irish Greyhound Board's offices since 2017 with failure to act on it.
Devastating News for Greyhounds
In March 2021, Entain and Arena Racing Company announced a significant long-term media rights deal in a joint venture for greyhound racing through to the end of December 2029. The joint venture will hold the long-term exclusive rights to premium greyhound racing content from 12 greyhound stadia owned across Arena Racing. Entain Plc is one of the world's largest sporting and betting groups and is the parent company of Ladbrokes and Coral. Arena racing company is the largest commercial racing company in the UK.
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