Greyhound Racing Ireland Defends €488k Spent At Two Care Centres In Kilcullen And Croom

Speaking on Kildare Today, Nuala Donlon, spokesperson for Greyhound Action Ireland, said that in comparison, the ISPCA received €1.2 million in Budget 2024 to fund its entire homing and enforcement operations and rehomed 1,382 dogs.

There has been a call for an investigation into why Greyhound Racing Ireland paid almost half a million euro to two regional Greyhound care homes in 2023 and 2024, despite the homes rehoming only 65 dogs in total over that period.

In 2024, the care homes— located in Croom, Co. Limerick, and Kilcullen, - received €291,000 and rehomed 36 dogs, averaging €8,083 per dog.

Speaking on Kildare Today, Nuala Donlon, spokesperson for Greyhound Action Ireland, said that in comparison, the ISPCA received €1.2 million in Budget 2024 to fund its entire homing and enforcement operations and rehomed 1,382 dogs.

She said Deel Sighthound Rescue in Limerick, a small privately-run group, received €15,600 and rehomed 143 dogs, including 23 ex-racing greyhounds.

Greyhound Racing Ireland receives approximately €20 million annually in state funding.

In a statement provided to Kfm by Greyhound Racing Ireland on behalf of Rásaíocht Con Éireann (RCÉ), a spokesperson explained that the first Greyhound Care Centre was established in July 2020 to provide "quality accommodation" for retired greyhounds and to serve as a rehoming centre for domestic adopters.

A second centre was added following a tender process completed in September 2023, and both are now operational. 

Each centre typically houses ten greyhounds at a time to offer variety for potential adopters.

It said the centres include house-training facilities to help greyhounds adjust to home environments, visitor areas for adopters to spend time with the dogs, and facilities for socialising greyhounds with other dogs to assess compatibility. Visitors often bring their own pets and make multiple visits before adopting.

It explained how the nightly care rate for the dogs is  "in line" with comparable boarding kennels and includes VAT, travel, and some veterinary costs.

In addition to housing and training, the care centre operators are required to assess greyhounds, promote adoption, maintain health standards, attend expos, and ensure dogs are “home ready.”

RCÉ said the figure of 36 dogs rehomed in 2024 refers only to domestic adoptions and excludes dogs from the care centres who were among 587 rehomed internationally by the Irish Retired Greyhound Trust.

A spokesperson for the Department Of Agriculture said "government policy in Ireland has been to support the greyhound sector on the basis of its economic and social contribution, and to require at least 10% of public funding to be used to support welfare and integrity."

They added: "Continued Government support contingent on the industry meeting high welfare standards. There is a strong commitment to improved animal welfare in the greyhound racing sector in the Programme for Government, including in respect of providing financial support to the Irish Retired Greyhound Trust and contributing to rehoming greyhounds."

They did not address questions around the allocation of money to the two Greyhound care homes in question.