Written answers

Wednesday, 5 October 2016

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Greyhound Industry

Photo of Richard Boyd BarrettRichard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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210. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to reports of the cruel mistreatment in China of greyhounds that have been sent from Ireland, including some dogs being boiled alive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28897/16]

Photo of Richard Boyd BarrettRichard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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211. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will immediately halt the transporting and trading of greyhounds from Ireland to China due to the cruel treatment that these dogs experience in transit to China and once they reach there; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28898/16]

Photo of Michael CreedMichael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 210 and 211 together.

I am aware of recent media reports alleging mistreatment of dogs including greyhounds in China. Nine greyhounds were exported from Ireland to that destination earlier this year. There is no evidence to suggest that any of these greyhounds were mistreated. However, on foot of these exports, officials of my Department met with Bord na gCon, the Irish Greyhound Board (IGB) and the welfare members of the International Greyhound Forum (represented by the ISPCA and the Dogs Trust) to consider all the issues surrounding the export of greyhounds. IGB regulates the greyhound industry in the Republic of Ireland and has advised all persons involved in the export of greyhounds to only export to destinations that provide the expected levels of care and management as defined in the IGB's Code of Practice for the welfare of greyhounds. I strongly endorse this view.

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