Ireland will not sell greyhounds to China

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2011:

DUBLIN–Irish racing greyhounds will not soon be exported to
China, Irish agriculture minister Shane McEntee told the Dail [Irish
parliament] on May 3, 2011, but the announcement did not end the
efforts of greyhound racing opponents to deter Irish investment in
trying to develop a Chinese greyhound racing industry.
McEntee, a member of the Fine Gael majority, responded to a
question asked from the Dail floor by Labour Party member Joe
Costello. Asking if McEntee would allow the export of greyhounds to
China, Costello noted that China “has no animal welfare legislation
and no regulation, supervision or mechanism for protecting such
animals. There is no ban on killing dogs there,” Costello
emphasized, “and we are all aware that some dogs are eaten.
Obviously there is considerable scope for abuse.”

Responded McEntee, “Today I met the chair and chief
executive of Bord na gCon,” the Irish greyhound board, “and made
clear that I am not in a position to approve the project as
presented. It was agreed,” McEntee said, “that Bord na gCon would
modify its proposal to exclude the export of greyhounds from Ireland,
but would continue to explore developing the proposal to assist in
the management of greyhound racing in China.”
Assessed Bernie Wright of Grey-hound Action Ireland, “Irish
greyhounds could not be exported legally, as no welfare agreement
exists between Ireland and China. Gambling on dogs and horses, it
appears, is still not legal in China, so this ill-conceived cruel
money-grubbing idea was a no-go from that respect also.”
However, e-mailed Greyhound Crusaders/South West Animal
Protection UK, “This vital campaign is far from over, as the Irish
greyhound board are now insisting that they will help to set up five
greyhound stadiums in China. Where will the greyhounds come from?
All countries that export greyhounds please be on the alert!”

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