In Macau, an Historic Moment for the Greyhounds

First International Roundtable on Greyhounds, photo by Heather Neil

After meeting with greyhound advocates in New Zealand and Australia, GREY2K USA Worldwide President Christine Dorchak and I ended our marathon campaign trip in Macau. All over the world dog racing is the subject of controversy, and the center of this debate is the Canidrome greyhound track, where every racing dog is eventually killed.

Christine and I inspected the track, a sad facility that reeks of death. Greyhounds with visible bandages and severed tails race before an empty grandstand. Seeing the worst dog track in the world strengthened my resolve to end this animal cruelty.

The Canidrome sits on government land, and has a lease that expires at the end of this year. Nearly 300,000 citizens from across the globe have already signed a petition to Macau Chief Executive Chui Sai On, asking him to let the track close. While in Macau, we were given a high level meeting with the Macau government, and left encouraged that a victory for the dogs is possible.

Our trip to Macau also made history. For the first time, top level animal protection leaders from all over the world joined together, in person, to address the cruelty of greyhound racing. We were incredibly honored to be joined at this meeting by Lyn White from Animals Australia, Paul Littlefair from the British RSPCA, Heather Neil from RSPCA Australia, Nancy Lai from the Taiwan SPCA, Teresa Lee and Chris Cui from the SPCA Hong Kong, Karina O'Carrol and Irene Feng from Animals Asia, Qin Xiaona from the Capital Animal Welfare Association, Kirsten Mitchell from Kirsten's Zoo and others. This all-star panel of animal protection advocates planned a strategy to close the Canidrome, and discussed other greyhound welfare issues.

This historic event was hosted by non-profit group Anima Macau and its dynamic President, Albano Martins. Albano is a true champion for all dogs, and it's a good sign that he is leading the fight to help the Canidrome greyhounds.

Christine and I are now back in the GREY2K USA Worldwide office, catching up on domestic campaigns in Florida, West Virginia and other states. Although the United States will always be our top priority, I see how intertwined the many fights now underway to help greyhounds truly are. This is a global problem, and deserves a global solution.

Dog Race Revenue at Macau Track Drops by a Staggering 31%

In Macau, the Canidrome racetrack is losing the debate over greyhound racing.

According to new statistics from the Macau Gaming Inspection and Coordinator Bureau (DICJ), in 2012 dog race revenues at the Canidrome declined by a staggering 31%. This revenue drop shows that public opinion is turning against the track, and it is starting to pay a heavy price for its stubbornness.

Over the past year, GREY2K USA has fought for changes in Macau, working with Animals Asia, Animals Australia and ANIMA. The Canidrome has no adoption program, and every greyhound that competes at the facility is eventually killed. More recently, we have reached out to the global animal welfare community to ask for its help, and the response has been overwhelming. Today, there is a global chorus of voices speaking up for the Macau greyhounds.

So far, the Canidrome's owners have tried to simply ignore this wave of criticism. They have pretended as if nothing has happened, and are continuing to kill dogs. This callousness goes against our global humane values, and as a result the track is now in great danger of a total loss. The Canidrome's land lease expires in 2015, and it is quickly running out of second chances.

The Canidrome's owners must now make a choice: they can stop killing greyhounds or be prepared to face future losses and eventually see the track close. Either way, change is on the way for the greyhounds in Macau.

Macau Government: Brooklyn is Still Alive

According to the Macau government, Brooklyn the greyhound is still alive.

Brooklyn is a four-year-old red, white and fawn greyhound who was born in Australia. He has spent the last several years at the Canidrome dog track in Macau, a deeply troubled facility where all greyhounds eventually die.

GREY2K USA Board member Charmaine Settle took Brooklyn's photograph when she inspected the Canidrome in October 2011. Since then his story has been reported by newspapers across the world, and he has become the face of a global campaign to help all of the Macau greyhounds.

More than eight months have passed since Brooklyn last raced, and with each passing day we have become increasingly concerned. On May 5, 2012 he apparently fell during a race, was injured and finished sixth. According to a translation of the tracks' website, his "hind leg" was "cut wounded on web." Six days later, an update was posted which stated that his injury had been "cured."

Last month we sent a letter to the Macau Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau, and asked them to determine Brooklyn's fate. In part, we wrote:

"Seven months have now passed since Brooklyn was reportedly 'cured' of his injury, yet he has never raced again.  Sadly, we fear he may no longer be alive."

Today, we received an official response from the Macau government which claims that Brooklyn is in fact still alive. According to the government:

"Please be notified that Brooklyn, which is now under the ownership of Macau (Yat Yuen) Canidrome Co. Ltd., is still in recess after his injury had been cured."

The government's response also addressed the effort to create an adoption program at the track, a program that has still not been implemented:

"During the past few months, we found that the IACM has already been discussing and co-operating with Macau Canidrome and Macau's Society for the Protection of Animals (ANIMA). Also, they are now still in the process studying and arranging the adoption program for the dogs retired."

Finally, the government said that they will continue to monitor the situation and Brooklyn in particular:

"As being compliance with our competences and obligations, and respecting the willingness of the owner of Brooklyn, we should continue to pay close attention on the development of this issue."

We are relieved to hear that Brooklyn is apparently still alive. At the same time, there is much more work that needs to be done to help the Canidrome dogs. Please visit RescueBrooklyn.org today, and lend your voice to this important fight. I know that together, we can bring about change at this terrible track.

Animal Protection Groups From All Over the World Calling for Change at Macau Dog Track

More than a year has passed since we reached out to the Canidrome dog track in Macau, and asked them to make positive improvements for the greyhounds. Although there have been hopeful signs that change may soon occur, the track has so far used a delay strategy in hopes the greyhound debate would just go away. That is not going to happen.

Two weeks ago, we joined Animals Australia, Animals Asia, and ANIMA and together sent a letter to every major animal protection organization in the world. We urged these humane groups to join together as one unified voice, and intensify the pressure on the Canidrome. In part, we told these organizations:

"Although we feel optimistic that a humane solution may be found for the dogs at the Canidrome in time, this will only come about through sustained international pressure on the governments of Macau and Australia ... We are confident that if the global animal welfare community stands together and speaks up for the greyhounds in Macau, this is one cruelty that can end."

The response to this call to action has been overwhelming. So far, more than two dozen major humane groups have agreed to help, including Humane Society International, the International Fund for Animal Welfare Australia, SPCA Auckland, GreytExploitations, the League Against Cruel Sports, the National Greyhound Adoption Program, Greyhound Rescue Holland and World Animal Net. These compassionate organizations are directly contacting the governments of Macau and Australia, and asking them to close the Canidrome and end the export of greyhounds from Australia to Macau. Many of these groups are also asking their supporters to weigh in.

This incredible wave of support for the greyhounds in Macau is humbling. It also gives me great hope that we are on the verge of a major breakthrough. However, to win this effort we will need the help of everyone who cares about greyhounds. Please assist this effort today by doing two things:

• Send a polite e-mail to Macau Chief Executive Dr. Chui Sai On at gce@raem.gov.mo, and ask that the Canidrome be permanently closed.

• Send a polite e-mail to Australia's Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Joe Ludwig at joe.ludwig@maff.gov.au, and ask him to immediately halt the export of greyhounds to Macau.

Finally, I sent a letter today to the Macau Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau and asked them to determine whether Brooklyn the greyhound is still alive. According to the Canidrome, Brooklyn was injured in his last race, and has not competed in seven months. I hope he is still alive, but fear that he may not be. Once we hear from the government, we will share any news we receive on his current status.

It has been a long road in our fight to help the greyhounds in Macau. But together, I know we can see it through to the end and make life better for these dogs.

An Urgent Request From 11-Year-Old Max Greenberg: Please Help the Greyhounds in Macau

Max Greenberg with a homemade drawing of a Macau greyhound

Over the last year, humane leaders from around the world have called for changes at the Canidrome dog track in Macau.  Thousands of people have written to the government asking them to create an adoption program to help the greyhounds, including Brooklyn.  Additionally, animal protection groups like Animals Australia and Animals Asia have urged that the export of greyhounds from Australia to Macau be stopped.

These efforts have led to an encouraging dialog between the Macau government, Canidrome management and local animal protection group ANIMA.  However, despite these talks no real changes have yet occurred.

Last weekend, this international effort received a boost from a new source: 11-year-old Max Greenberg.  Max learned about the sad fate of greyhounds at the Canidrome and decided to make a difference.  In an open letter he wrote:

Dear Dog Lovers,

I am a dog lover just like you. I love dogs because all they want to be is your friend.

I was very sad when I found out that Greyhounds are being killed in Macau because they are raced at the Canidrome and after they are done racing, the government cannot do anything else with them. A Greyound is “done” if it does not win enough times in the races ...

Anyway, I have a project for school to try to change the world in some way and that’s why I thought of telling people about the Greyounds because I don’t think that Greyhounds are only good for racing. I have read that Greyhounds are very fast but they are also called “couch potatoes.” They are very gentle, rarely bark or shed. They also like to be with their owners and follow them around ...

But the Greyhounds in Macau don’t even have a chance to show what good dogs they are because there is a law that prevents them from being adopted in Macau! And Hong Kong owners have to pay a lot in quarantine fees just to own one!

There have been a lot of people like Grey2K, Global Animal and Animals Asia who have been asking the Macau government to stop since 2003. I heard that the government people said they would shut down the Canidrome in two or three years, but they have made promises before and that’s not soon enough!

Max then asked readers to send an e-mail to the Australian Prime Minister and like the Stop Greyhound Racing in Macau Facebook page.  Finally, he asked readers to join him last Saturday in Hong Kong for a sit-in with his dog Pepe.

We have not yet received an update on Max's event, but I'm hopeful that it was well attended. Above all, his leadership should be applauded.  Max may only be eleven years old, but his compassionate voice is being echoed by people all around the globe.