In March, three Irish racing Greyhounds were identified being trialled and kennelled at Macau’s Canidrome racetrack, where they will face an almost certain death.

Macau, a small peninsula in mainland China, is home to the infamous Canidrome, often referred to as the world’s deadliest dog track. To date it is believed that not a single greyhound has made it out alive, due to there being no possibility of being homed as a companion animal once their racing life ends.

The export of greyhounds from Australia to Macau has already been suspended on welfare grounds, and it is hoped that other countries will follow suit.

However, the Greyhound Rescue Association Ireland (GRAI) has reported that three young Irish greyhounds, Crossfire Leona, Crossfire Simon and Two Stone Tadgh, have already had two trial runs at the Canidrome track. It is uncertain whether these dogs were exported direct from Ireland or arrived in Macau via a different route.

Emily Burns-Sweeney, Director of Welfare for Forever Hounds Trust said: “This is concerning. Greyhounds in Macau are likely to be kept in very poor living conditions with a high chance of injury. Once injured or unable to race they face almost certain death as there is no chance of adoption. The question has to be asked why anyone would knowingly export dogs to a country where welfare concerns are of such little importance and how this can be prevented in the future.”

GRAI, an organisation founded in 2010 to promote greyhound adoption in Ireland and to advocate for improvements in greyhound welfare, is now calling for a meeting with the Irish Greyhound Board and Irish Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to discuss allegations that the dogs were exported direct from Ireland.

Forever Hounds Trust is working closely with GRAI and will issue a further update when available.