15 Tracks
There are currently fifteen licensed dog tracks in the Emerald Isle. As of the end of 2015, there were 3,351 greyhounds in the pool of racing dogs.1
From 2015 through 2023, 3,041 greyhounds suffered injuries and 1,125 greyhounds were killed at Irish tracks. 2 And in the first six months of 2024, deaths at Irish dog tracks increased by 60% to 96 hounds.3
On June 26, 2019, RTÉ News aired a program entitled RTÉ Investigates: Greyhounds Running For Their Lives. The exposé revealed that nearly 6,000 Irish greyhounds are killed each year.4 In addition, according to a Greyhound Racing Ireland-commissioned report that was completed in 2017, the Irish greyhound industry breeds 1,000 per cent more puppies than it needs to conduct racing.5 The program also highlighted the merciless killing of unwanted dogs at Irish knackeries, the drugging of greyhounds to fix races, and the terrible injuries and deaths they suffer at tracks each year.6 GRI's own figures reveal that the industry is still overbreeding and killing thousands of hounds five years after the RTÉ investigation first aired.7
A greyhound at an Irish kennel in Donegal. (Burma Kennels)
A greyhound falls while racing at Curraheen Park. (Curraheen Park)
A greyhound with her puppies at a breeding kennel in Ireland. (Jaxx Greyhound Kennel)
Caged dogs at a greyhound kennel in Ireland. (Greyhound-Data)
Puppies bred for racing in Ireland. (Greyhound-Data)
Emily the greyhound was a former racer found abused and abandoned. (The Irish Sun)
Protesters against greyhound racing at the Curraheen track in Ireland. (Ban Blood Sports)
A caged dog from the RTÉ exposé Greyhounds Running for Their Lives. (RTÉ News)
Protests against dog racing following the 2019 RTÉ investigation. (Emma O'Brien)
The majority of greyhounds racing in Ireland are bred in the country. In 2023, there were 1,691 litters registered in the Irish Greyhound Stud Book, a decrease of 44% since 2010.8
Irish greyhound breeders receive government funding through the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund. Between 2001 through 2024 more than €300 million will have been paid out to GRI from this Fund.9 Despite an €18.2 million subsidy for 2023, profits for Greyhound Racing Ireland fell 77% from the year prior.10
Dog racing is regulated and promoted by Greyhound Racing Ireland, a semi-state commercial body. GRI has Racing Regulations that include rules for betting and prize money, doping policies and requirements for racing officials.11 Additionally, the Irish government passed the Welfare of Greyhounds Act in 2011 that sets standards for certain greyhound breeding operations and general welfare requirements for housing, transport and record keeping.12
In 2023 the turnover, or amount bet by gamblers, at GRI-licensed tracks was €22 million.13 Since 2016, the turnover has declined by 22%.14
Irish Report
Rewarding Cruelty: Greyhound Racing in Ireland
(November 2019)
Learn about the cruelty and corruption of dog racing in the Emerald Isle in our groundbreaking report.
You may read this report online or for a donation of $10, we will send an official copy right to you.
Irish News
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Dublin People - ISPCA calls for phased closure of greyhound industry
Irish Examiner - 2,800 greyhounds greyhounds born in 2021 now dead or unaccounted for
Read more >
Featured Irish Videos
CAUTION CONTAINS GRUESOME FOOTAGE!
RTE Investigates: Greyhounds Running for Their Lives
GreyGlobe Conference in Dublin
On November 30, 2019, one hundred greyhound advocates from across the world participated in the Second International Conference on Greyhound Advocacy in Dublin. This event was co-hosted with the Irish Council Against Blood Sports (ICABS). Speakers included Trudy Baker of Greyt Exploitations, Ruth Coppinger TD, Katie Corcoran of Greyhound Awareness Cork, Gill Docherty of Scotland Against Greyhound Exploitation (SAGE), Dr. Samantha Gaines of the RSPCA, Nicole Matthews of ICABS, Paul Murphy TD, Emma O'Brien of Galway SPCA, Maureen O'Sullivan TD and Andrea Pollard of Free the Hounds and Greyhound Adoptions WA.
Dublin Rally for the Greyhounds
On June 2, 2016, hundreds of people opposed to the export of Irish greyhounds came together for a rally for the dogs. Greyhound advocates and adoption leaders from Australia, Italy, Macau, United Kingdom and the United States assembled with John Carmody and ARAN (Animal Rights Action Network) outside the Dept. of Agriculture, where GREY2K USA delivered our petition with over 300,000 signatures to Agriculture Minister Michael Creed. The rally ended with a march to the doors of Parliament and a meeting with lawmakers.
Learn about dog racing internationally
Learn more about dog racing in other countries
Read our International Fact Sheet (PDF)
- IGB Business Model Analysis, September 29, 2017, igb.ie.
- "Greyhound injuries and deaths at Irish greyhound tracks," Irish Council Against Bloodsports, banbloodsports.com, March 27, 2019 (accessed March 22, 2024).
- Cianan Brennan, "Sharp increase in deaths of greyhounds at Irish racing tracks 'very conerning'," Irish Examiner, irishexaminer.com, July 29, 2024 (accessed July 30, 2024).
- Horgan-Jones, Jack, "Attendance at greyhound tracks drops 20% after RTÉ Exposé", The Irish Times, September 19, 2019, irishtimes.com.
- IGB Business Model Analysis, September 29, 2017, igb.ie.
- RTÉ Investigates: Greyhounds Running For Their Lives, RTÉ Player, June 26, 2019, rte.ie.
- Cianan Brennan, "2,800 greyhounds born in 2021 now dead or unaccounted for," Irish Examiner, irishexaminer.com, August 8, 2024 (accessed October 8, 2024).
- Floyd Amphlett, “Tuesday Round Up”, Greyhound Star, greyhoundstar.co.uk, January 9, 2024 (accessed January 10, 2024).
- "Cork Camogie club urged to say NO to greyhound track fundraiser", Irish Council Against Bloodsports, banbloodsports.com, November 15, 2023 (accessed January 10, 2024).
- Gordon Deegan, "Profits at Greyhound Racing Ireland fell 77% last year", RTÉ, July 8, 2024, rte.ie (accessed July 9, 2024).
- Greyhound Industry (Racing) Regulations, 2007, (No. 302 of 2007).
- Welfare of Greyhounds Act, 2011, (No. 29 of 2011).
- "Annual Report 2023", Greyhound Racing Ireland, grireland.ie 2023, (accessed January 10, 2024).
- Data on file with GREY2K USA Worldwide.
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