A space set aside for Remembrance – The international event ‘the Macau Greyhounds: Happy at Last’
During the international event ‘the Macau Greyhounds: Happy at Last’ there was a time and a space set aside for remembrance. We remembered: – The over 18,000 greyhounds who died during the Canidrome’s 55 years of activity; – The 17 greyhounds who died after the track closed and did not get to experience life in a home; – The greyhounds adopted in Europe who have died in recent months.
The ceremony opened with a minute’s silence, against the notes of Amazing Grace, played on the trombone by our associate and professional musician Ivo Salvi. Then Albano Martins, Christine Dorchak and Stefania Traini read the poem by the Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa ‘A Morte é a Curva da Estrada’ – Albano in Portuguese, Christine in English and Stefania in Italian. The three presidents then announced that in order to honour and remember the Martyrs of the Canidrome, the International Memorial Day for the Martyrs of the Canidrome had been established and would fall on the 26th March, the day on which the Canidrome was finally and completely empty.
This was followed by a moment’s silence as Amazing Grace was played once more.
We then remembered the 17 greyhounds who died in Macau after the closure of the Canidrome: Jolly Cola, Regius Eagle, Chini Burst, Louisville Pride, Pardon Ace, Fear The Beat, Innovator 3, On On, Out Of Sudden, Midnight Terror, Chief Marshal, Pretty Darling, Flash Tears, Spider Minx, Minantdo, Principezinho and Totally Profit. Finally, we remembered the Macau greyhounds who died in Europe: Lucky Forever (Grace), Banciao of King, Goodyear (Rosa), Adventurer (Athena), Genius Fighter (Konrad), Oyster Crown (Bea), Willful BB (Sonia), Oyster Chaine (Arturo), Simply Marc (Enid), Hang Kei Star, Prima Rebel (Prima).
The three presidents then presented a gift in memory of Grace, Banciao, Sonia, Arturo and Athena to their adoptive families, who were present at the event.
The ceremony closed as all those present bid a collective farewell to the departed greyhounds, and the adoptive families placed photographs, objects and flowers by the memorial shrine in memory of their beloved dogs.
We would like to thank the four photographers Andrea Belloni, Alessio Bottiroli, Sara Boveri and Nicola Lazzaroni for having captured in these photographs the extraordinary emotional intensity of the ceremony.
Tags: Anima Macau, Canidrome, Grey2K USA, greyhound, greyhound racing, Macau, Milan, pet levrieri
