Animal welfare expert Frank Weber, editor of the VOX show “Hund Katze Maus”, has often supported my mother's work in Ireland. In the spring of 2017 the time had come: we flew to Ireland together so that Frank Weber could get an on-site impression of the situation in the racing dog industry in Ireland and to help meet two of the greyhounds that live on the farm to convey to Germany. Together with my mother we visited a so-called dog pound, a state kennel where hundreds of dogs were killed and some of them are still being killed, we went to the dog racing track in Limmerick and of course to the farm.
When you hear the word “racing industry” in our country, the first thing that comes to mind is always horses. But there are also a lot of countries where the dog racing scene is still very active. Unfortunately, Ireland is still a pioneer in this regard. The racing dog industry has always kept both my mother and I very busy. It was because of them that my mother went to Ireland. Together with Frank Weber we visited a so-called Dog Pound, a state kennel where animals taken in are often killed, and visited the dog racing track in Limerick. Because the two institutions work hand in hand, so to speak. Greyhound racing and the associated sports betting are a popular leisure activity for the whole family in Ireland. The racing industry is a tough business. If the bred dogs are not suitable for racing or are too old for it, the majority of them end up in killing stations. There is a 24-hour deadline for greyhounds: if they are not rehomed within this time, they are certain to die. Last summer we had two such dogs on the farm that were doomed to die, so to speak, but could still be saved.
Frank Weber's visit was a complete success: the animals left for Germany after just six weeks and were able to be rehomed very well there. Also read the story of Tullja