“Freedom for Greyhounds – Close the Canidrome and all Race Tracks Worldwide” – Saturday 24th & Sunday 25th September
On Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th September there will be an international awareness event focussing on the closure of the Macau Canidrome, stopping the exports of greyhounds from Europe to China and, more in general, closing down the greyhound racing industry worldwide. The event will coincide with the handing over by Pet Levrieri of 20 rescued Irish greyhounds and lurchers to their adoptive families.
The event is called ‘Freedom for Greyhounds – Close the Canidrome and all Race Tracks Worldwide.‘
The open day will be on Saturday 24th September and will be open to all members of the public, and will take place at the Campo sportivo comunale, Via Dante 72, Cesate (Milan), starting at 9.30am and ending at 5.00pm.
The Macau Canidrome is a place from which no greyhound gets adopted. All the dogs – which are from Australia and now also in small part from Ireland – are killed.
Now, after months of mobilisation, the closure of the Canidrome is in sight, but there is still much to do: it’s necessary for instance to put pressure on the government in Macau so that the dogs are entrusted to ANIMA Macau in order to be saved, rather than being sold to China, Pakistan or Vietnam. At present there are around 700 dogs at the Canidrome.
Key figures in the international antiracing movement will be taking part in the event, such as Albano Martins, President of ANIMA Macau; Christine Dorchak of GREY2K USA Worldwide; Marion Fitzgibbon of Limerick Animal Welfare, member of the National Executive Committee of the Irish Animal Welfare Party (IAWP) and also president of the ISPCA (Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals); Trudy Baker and Aileen Ward of Greyt Exploitations (UK); and Michael James of Caged NorthWest (UK).
So this will also be an opportunity to listen first hand to key players in the fight against the exploitation of greyhounds and lurchers about the current situation and future prospects.
Today the antiracing movement has achieved some important results: the closure of the racetrack in Tucson Arizona, the first greyhound welfare laws in Florida, the closure of the last racetrack in London, the end of greyhound racing in NSW Australia, the imminent closure of the Macau Canidrome, the demonstrations against racing in the UK but also in Ireland, where a new political party has been born, the Animal Welfare Party – of which Marion Fitzgibbon is a member. The antiracing movement is also very active in Argentina, where galgos are also involved, and it is achieving some tangible results.
Everyone is invited to join us on this day to show their solidarity with the campaign to close the Canidrome and to give a voice to the thousands of greyhounds and lurchers who are not lucky enough to have a new life.