Ms Jessica Reid:

We do not have those figures readily available, but the number of greyhounds euthanised in pounds is only a small percentage of the number of greyhounds euthanised every year. The majority are probably being done privately by veterinarians. We mentioned the dog pound figures because those are the only recorded ones for greyhounds euthanised in Ireland officially. We have no way of accessing figures for the number of dogs euthanised through other means, for example, vets. These numbers are low as a result. As to the overall number of dogs in pounds, that probably comes down to general animal welfare legislation, but greyhounds are considered separate and an agricultural commodity owing to the 2011 Act.