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ESSENTIAL DESTINATIONS

MONTH: November 2006

Greyhounds killed at British sanctuary?

 

MANCHESTER--The Leigh Animal Sanctuary in Greater Manchester, Britain, on September 17, 2006 began refusing to accept greyhounds, the same day that Daniel Foggo of the London Sunday Times recounted that "a reporter posing as a trainer who wanted two healthy dogs killed" met "an employee called David [who] accepted £70 in cash to kill two young greyhounds," no questions asked.

"Three greyhound trainers have given interviews, on condition of anonymity, stating that the sanctuary has been the killing ground of choice for the greyhound racing industry in the northwest for many years," wrote Foggo.

In July 2006 Foggo disclosed the activities of a private individual, David Smith of Seaham, County Durham, who had allegedly killed as many as 10,000 retired greyhounds over the years using a captive bolt gun, burying the remains in a large garden.

Opened in 1975, the Leigh Animal Sanctuary kills half the dogs it receives," Foggo said. A 50% euthanasia rate is not unusual in the U.S., but is almost unheard of in Britain, which as a nation kills fewer shelter animals than some large U.S. municipal animal control shelters, and where "American" pit bull terriers, making up more than half the U.S. shelter toll, have been banned since 1991.

The ban exempts "Staffordshire" bull terriers however, who are essentially the same dog breed in white rather than brindle coloration, and are now the dogs most likely to be surrendered to British shelters; greyhounds may be a distant second. Dogs Home Battersea, believed to lead Britain in placing both ex-racing greyhounds and Staffordshires, in mid-October 2006 disclosed that Staffordshires made up 15% of their dog intake in 2005, and 36% in September 2006. Mongrels by contrast were 28% of admissions in 2005, 16% in September 2006.