New laws are needed to prevent Irish greyhounds being exported to ‘cruel and illegal’ practices in other countries, an investigative journalist has warned.
It comes after an investigation found that dogs exported from Ireland are being forced to chase speeding motorbikes in dangerous organised competitions in India.
The investigation uncovered videos showing greyhounds racing to exhaustion in front of hundreds of jeering spectators.
Journalist with the Noteworthy team at The Journal Patricia Devlin told The Pat Kenny Show new regulations haven't stopped the practice.
"We looked at the exports of dogs which, to our surprise, is still to this day continuing despite new regulations and traceability systems being brought in to the industry," she said.
"What we found was, not only were greyhounds continuing to be exported to Pakistan for use in coursing but also that they're being used in these cruel and illegal races which have become popular in India."
'Dogs are run to exhaustion'
The races involve the owner sitting on the motorbike with a rag used as a lure for the greyhound.
The dog then races after the motorbike up an open stretch of road with spectators standing on either side.
"The motorbike then turns; the dog is forcibly handled to turn by crowds and it again chases the motorbike," Ms Devlin explained.
"This is happening on open stretches of road, hot tar, dirt, any type of road - the dogs are run to exhaustion".
Ms Devlin said conditions are very harsh for the dogs involved.
"As we know it's a different climate in India, it's very hot," she said.
"We found in some of these videos that the greyhounds actually had their legs taped and strapped with material put under their paws to make them run as fast as they can."
A greyhound racing on the streets of India. Image: NoteworthyMs Devlin said that, while the races are illegal, enforcement is difficult.
"Apparently they replaced former bloodsports already banned in India such as snake catching and bull cart racing," she said.
"So they are banned but as we know, there's lax animal welfare laws in India and no action has been taken".
'Massive loopholes'
Ms Devlin said a legal loophole is being exploited to get these dogs to India.
"These dogs are actually being exported to the UK so there is no record of direct exports of dogs from Ireland to India," she said.
"They are then shipped on from the UK so there are massive loopholes in the law.
"It is actually not illegal to directly export a greyhound from Ireland to India as long as it abides by transport regulations.
"Sadly, the Irish Greyhound Board, or any Irish regulator, has no jurisdiction in stopping these exports".
Ms Devlin said 'better laws and better deterrents' are needed to tackle the exports.
"It is very, very hard to prove that an owner here knew that the dog was going to India when they were first being exported to the UK," she said.
"Going by the paper records, the dog went from Ireland to the UK and that's the end of the story - but we know it's not," she added.
Ms Devlin said one account on X dedicated to videoing such events has 1.2 million followers.
Greyhounds being moved from Ireland require a veterinary animal health certification.
The Department of Agriculture does not collect information on the breed of dog being certified for movement from Ireland so figures of greyhound movements are not available.
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