greyhound 2015

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A Dogs Trust Report FIELD INVESTIGATION APPROACH AND INVESTIGATION METHODOLOGY In order to observe and evaluate conditions in kennels housing racing Greyhounds, our investigators posed as potential buyers of Greyhounds on behalf of a gambling syndicate. Greyhounds and also CIEH guidance on the Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963. This template enabled them to give an opinion on specific suspected breaches of guidelines. In addition any other relevant points relating to the welfare of Greyhounds which came up in conversation with the trainers were also noted. After each visit a video log was completed. This log highlighted the footage which potentially breached GBGB guidelines and noted any ‘interesting’ pieces of conversation which arose. This approach enabled us to question trainers regarding potential welfare issues as well as to carry out a visual inspection of the kennels to see if they abided by GBGB’s own voluntary minimum standards for kennelling of racing Greyhounds. Initial research was undertaken to gain a full understanding of the Greyhound industry which included monitoring Greyhound media such as newspapers, websites and forums and speaking to people who had worked in the industry. Further approaches were made to GBGB, retired Greyhound establishments and Greyhound trainers to get a further understanding on the logistics of buying a racing Greyhound. Greyhound trainers that housed over 30 Greyhounds were then contacted over the phone to arrange meetings at their kennels. It should be noted that a number of trainers were wary of strangers visiting kennels and recommended visiting them initially at race meetings. After each visit with the trainers our investigators completed a standardised template for conditions observed at the kennels which highlighted whether the conditions witnessed complied with GBGB’s own minimum standards (rule 212) for keeping of This log highlighted the footage which potentially breached GBGB guidelines... 4
The Greyhound Industry: don’t bet on fair treatment CASE STUDIES After each visit with the trainers the investigators completed a standardised template for conditions witnessed at the kennels. This template highlighted whether the kennels complied with: • GBGB’s own minimum standards for the keeping of Greyhounds (Rule 212) • CIEH guidance on the Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963* The following summaries of the five worst kennels investigated outlines where both GBGB and CIEH guidance was breached, and also included any other relevant findings uncovered by the investigators. *See appendix for list of GBGB and CIEH comparative guidelines Conditions in at least three of the trainers’ kennels would, in the opinion of the investigators, severely breach both GBGB minimum standards Rule 212 and CIEH Guidance on Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963. Conditions at many other of the trainers’ kennels would, in the opinion of the investigators, breach some GBGB minimum standards and Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963. 5
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greyhound 2015

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