Dungarvan Animal Matters and Welfare Information

22/12/2025

Support rescues not greyhound tracks this Christmas.

22/12/2025

Jack Russell X brought in to vets in Dungarvan on Friday 19/12/2025 .Call 0818102020 and ref 17/12 for more info.

21/12/2025

What was Ireland’s response to greyhounds being sold to China? The minister of the day stated that there was no evidence of ‘direct’ sales of Irish dogs to China. That was the get out clause - the use of the word ‘direct’.

Greyhounds are primarily exported to China from countries like Australia, Ireland, the UK, and the US to meet demand for their superior bloodlines in breeding programs that support an underground racing and illegal gambling industry. Wealthy Chinese buyers seek out retired racing greyhounds as stud dogs, with their offspring used in high-stakes illegal races (often in northern provinces like Shandong and Hebei), where millions of yuan are bet per night despite gambling bans. These dogs can fetch prices up to £220,000 each, with breeding rights sold for over £2,000 per session; one documented case involved a dog bred more than 40 times in five months.

The export process often exploits regulatory loopholes. In Australia, for example, dogs are sometimes reclassified as pets or routed through third countries (e.g., the UK, US, or South Africa) with stronger perceived welfare standards before being redirected to China. Agents facilitate confidential transactions, with buyers paying deposits (around £15,000) and specifying age ranges or budgets. Since 2014, at least 109 Australian greyhounds have been exported to China, though industry rules prohibit direct exports by racing participants due to welfare risks. Similar patterns occur with US and Irish dogs, where exports continue despite racing being illegal in China.

Exporters profit significantly; in one 2017 case, Australian owners bought 166 dogs cheaply (about $500 each) from racetracks and resold them for $2,100–$2,700 each, netting around $50,000 total. Those dogs ended up in places like the Shanghai Wild Animal Park, where they were used in spectacles such as racing against cheetahs, or in Macau's Canidrome racetrack (despite a 2013 export ban).

Animal welfare groups highlight risks, including intensive breeding, poor living conditions (e.g., hot, dark concrete cells), and surplus or retired dogs entering the dog meat trade, where they may face brutal treatment like being skinned alive or boiled. This has led to fines for exporters (e.g., $22,000 per person in one case), ongoing calls for federal bans, and rescue efforts by organizations like Candy's Hound Rescue. As of late 2025, exports persist, with activists documenting cases and pushing for restrictions except for legitimate rescues.

20/12/2025

Would it be fair to suggest that the largest political parties have seriously underestimated the opinion of the people on this issue? I would say that they have, and it will ultimately be to their detriment long term.

We simply cannot have Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael claim to be opposed to animal cruelty, and be pro animal welfare, whilst also supporting one of the most heinous crime against wildlife, ie fox hunting in any form with dogs.

Perhaps it could be argued that because these political parties have zero empathy for helpless animals, that they also have zero empathy for our most vulnerable in society? In some instances this might actually be the case. After all, Ireland should not have around 17k known people homeless in the 21st century. Children with debilitating spinal conditions should not be ignored, the elderly should not have to travel to the North for a 15 minute cataract surgery.
Ergo, it might well be the case that there’s truth that when there is no empathy or compassion for helpless animals it follows that there will be no empathy or compassion for humans either.

"What a pathetic spectacle in the Dáil on Wednesday night ... to see grown men and women being whipped into line like errant hounds and voting to allow foxes to be chased across the length and breadth of our fair land" - Read John Fitzgerald's letter to the editor in today's Irish Examiner and please scroll down for action alert...

Hunt an inept way to control fox population
Letter, Irish Examiner, 20 December 2025

The two government parties and Sinn Féin, as expected, voted down Ruth Coppinger’s anti-foxhunting bill.

Sadly, foxes will have to continue being cute and evasive as those who govern us clearly do not have the animals’ best interests at heart!

The term whip, as used in a political context, derives from hunting parlance. The whippers-in are the fellows who seek to control the hounds and keep them from straying.

But what a pathetic spectacle in the Dáil on Wednesday night ... to see grown men and women being whipped into line like errant hounds and voting to allow foxes to be chased across the length and breadth of our fair land.

The bill’s political opponents spoke of the need to prevent foxes from preying on hens, ducks, and sheep ... but using a pack of dogs and dozens of riders, and maybe a hundred or more hunt followers to pursue one fox is a ludicrously inept way to “keep down the fox population”.

A bit like sending 20 gardaí with riot shields and batons, several squad cars, and a garda helicopter after a man suspected of illegal parking.

Apart from that, those who need an excuse to chase the fox for fun grossly overplay its role in predation.

Farm livestock nowadays is so well-protected that it would take an exceptionally cute fox to make off with a hen, duck, or sheep.

Sinn Féin’s stance on the issue was both disappointing and incongruous. The party used to be opposed to foxhunting. As far back as 1919, it organised countrywide protests against the practice.

Now, the former rebels have substituted the once-loathed red hunting jacket for the proverbial green jersey. The party has gone from tiocfaidh ár lá to tally-ho go leór.

The rejection of the anti-foxhunting bill will have devastated people nationwide who care deeply about animal welfare and our wildlife heritage.

But I’d encourage them not to lose heart. The campaign against otter hunting kicked off in 1966. It was banned 24 years later by the Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrats coalition (Charlie Haughey was taoiseach at the time). Success in any campaign doesn’t come overnight.

Ruth Coppinger’s bill was the first Dáil challenge to the legality of foxhunting. It took 11 similar bills over many decades before Britain banned the same blood sport in 2004.

When foxhunting finally passes into the history books, Ms Coppinger’s valiant attempt to afford a measure of protection to this iconic creature will be recorded as a milestone along the path to a more humane and animal-friendly nation.

John Fitzgerald, Callan, Co Kilkenny

Watch the Dail debate
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6OXndumdUc

Watch the Dail vote
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLlQl4NOfSU

SEE ALSO

“Ban Fox Hunting” bill shamefully voted down in Dail Eireann - how did your TDs vote?
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1176363414636259&set=a.603523135253626

ACTION ALERT

Contact the leaders of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Sinn Fein and urge them to update their outdated animal welfare policies and back a ban on cruel fox hunting.

Micheál Martin TD
Leader, Fianna Fail
Email: micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie; info@fiannafail.ie
Telephone: 01 619 4000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michealmartintd/
X: http://www.twitter.com/

Simon Harris TD
Leader, Fine Gael
Telephone: 01 281 3727
Email: simon.harris@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
X: http://www.twitter.com/SimonHarrisTD
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DeputySimonHarris

Mary Lou McDonald TD
Leader, Sinn Fein
Telephone: (01) 727 7102
Email: marylou.mcdonald@oireachtas.ie, admin@sinnfein.ie
X: https://twitter.com/MaryLouMcDonald
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MaryLouMcDonaldTD

Keep hunters off your land

If you are a landowner, make your land off-limits to hunters. Find out more about how to do this at http://www.banbloodsports.com/farmers.htm

Sign and share our “Ban Blood Sports in Ireland” petition
https://www.change.org/petitions/ban-blood-sports-in-ireland

Sign and share the Uplift petition
https://my.uplift.ie/petitions/petition-to-ban-fox-hunting-in-ireland

Watch and share our campaign videos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_5_ixsrg48
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBxQdL6VQiQ

20/12/2025

This is quite incredible.

20/12/2025

Hard Pass for a Christmas Party at the greyhound track.

20/12/2025

19/12/2025

Remember one thing, this vile so called industry exists only due to government subvention ie the tax payer keeping it alive on life support. Also, over 80% of the tax payer money ie 20 million, is used to pay for PRIZE MONEY FOR OWNERS.

Greyhound racing kills, it’s based upon over breeding and killing.

This Christmas, don't end up on the naughty list.
Boycott the greyhound racing industry.
Choose Compassion not Cruelty.

19/12/2025

That fox hunting “could be deemed in any sense a sporting pursuit is repugnant and clearly unacceptable to the majority” - read Christine Linehan’s letter in today’s Irish Times...

Irish Times, 19 December 2025

Sir, – It seems incredible that 124 TDs voted against the Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2025 which aimed to prohibit the use of dogs for hunting foxes. Just 24 TDs voted in favour. Earlier this month, an Ireland Thinks opinion poll of 1,000 individuals reported 72 per cent in favour of banning fox hunting.

That such a harrowing practice could be deemed in any sense a sporting pursuit is repugnant and clearly unacceptable to the majority.

The sheer weight of political protection for this revolting spectacle is shameful. – Yours, etc,

Christine Linehan,
Associate Professor and Deputy Head of School,
UCD School of Psychology.

ACTION ALERT

Contact the leaders of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Sinn Fein and urge them to update their outdated animal welfare policies and back a ban on cruel fox hunting.

Micheál Martin TD
Leader, Fianna Fail
Email: micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie; info@fiannafail.ie
Telephone: 01 619 4000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michealmartintd/
X: http://www.twitter.com/

Simon Harris TD
Leader, Fine Gael
Telephone: 01 281 3727
Email: simon.harris@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
X: http://www.twitter.com/SimonHarrisTD
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DeputySimonHarris

Mary Lou McDonald TD
Leader, Sinn Fein
Telephone: (01) 727 7102
Email: marylou.mcdonald@oireachtas.ie, admin@sinnfein.ie
X: https://twitter.com/MaryLouMcDonald
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MaryLouMcDonaldTD

Keep hunters off your land

If you are a landowner, make your land off-limits to hunters. Find out more about how to do this at http://www.banbloodsports.com/farmers.htm

Sign and share our “Ban Blood Sports in Ireland” petition
https://www.change.org/petitions/ban-blood-sports-in-ireland

Sign and share the Uplift petition
https://my.uplift.ie/petitions/petition-to-ban-fox-hunting-in-ireland

Watch and share our campaign videos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_5_ixsrg48
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBxQdL6VQiQ

19/12/2025

It is totally and completely unacceptable that the government parties ignored the very clear wishes of the majority.

In hunting, the 'whippers-in' are in charge of controlling the hounds and keeping them from straying.

The irony was not lost on us on Wednesday in Dáil Éireann, as the 'Party-whips' refused to allow party members to represent the people.

We are fundraising for a Red C Poll for your view on the Party Whip system in Ireland, particularly when it comes to matters of morality and conscience.

Please support us with this campaign using the link below

https://gofund.me/56a0cce51

19/12/2025

It’s true, judging by the public reaction to what happened with this Bill, there are serious questions being raised.

I’m not aware that those who get their ‘pleasure’ from cruelty to animals, have some sort of protected status in Ireland. Yet, it seems that they have the protection of the Irish government.

There was no reason for Sinn Féin Ireland to vote against this Bill. Not one.
To suggest that fox hunting could ‘go underground’ is both bizarre and ridiculous.

The government has made a huge mistake by not allowing a free vote.
It has shown, without any doubt, that the opinion of the majority is of no consequence to the people who are very well paid, in receipt of obscene expenses, perks and valuable tax payer paid pensions. These politicians have shown an arrogant disregard for the people. Some of the ‘justifications’ spouted by several of them were, frankly, what one might expect from a 5 year old kid. Anyone would think they were talking about something other than a small animal, not much bigger than the average cat. It was, embarrassing to say the least.

They would not have voted to ban fox hunting anyway but the focus of the Bill was hunting and snaring. If any party or TD wasn’t happy with the wording they can amend it at the next stage. Don’t believe their lies. Totally disingenuous.

They are reeling from the public reaction to the vote the other night which is the total antithesis of what the public feels on the issue. Who is pulling the strings of these parties ?