Ms Brigid Frank:

A trainer is paid by the owner to train his dog and is paid for the expense of going to Shelbourne yet, for example, his next door neighbour goes with his own dog and it costs him to go and he gets nothing out of it. If he wins he might get some little bit but if he loses he has all the expenses of going there and nothing at the end of it. It is a very unfair situation and it should never have arisen. If one is looking for a reason as to why dog owners go out of business, then this is one. If one watches people going into the track and there is a trainer on one side and an owner on the other side with two dogs, the trainer gets his €8 or €10 back for bringing the dog in. He is paid the expenses of getting to the track but the owner beside him with his two dogs pays his entry fee and his expenses. That does not make sense.