British and Irish greyhound trainers are cashing in on old racing dogs by exporting them to China, where they face being boiled alive for their meat.
These are the claims of campaigner Kerry Elliman, who has rescued over 758 racing dogs at her two centres—one in Birmingham, the other in Beijing.
Other campaign organisations have made similar findings.
The use of dogs for meat in China, and the cruelty towards the animals is well known to many dog lovers outside of China.
However, there are no UK laws against exporting to China, so once racing dogs can no longer turn a profit in races or breeding, owners are selling them to China, says Elliman.
China's most notorious dog meat festival opened in Yulin on June 21, 2017, with butchers hacking slabs of canines and cooks frying the flesh following rumours that authorities would impose a ban this year. Becky Davis/AFP/Getty Images
“It’s very upsetting but we can’t hide from the reality of what’s happening to these gentle creatures while we turn a blind eye,” she said.
“I’ve seen videos where dogs are being boiled alive. I saw one the other day when a meat wagon was being hosed down with scalding hot water—with the dogs still in it. You could hear them screaming.”
The location of where a dog has been bred can be identified from tattoos on their ears, and, if it still exists, the paperwork.
Sadly, by the time Frankie was rescued by Candy Cane Rescue, her centre in Beijing, four of the puppies were found next to her, dead.
“She was rescued by Candy Cane rescue, as she was for sale for a pitiful amount of money,” she wrote in the post.
“I hope these greedy vile people are happy with what they have done and the problems and suffering they have created for these noble dogs. It’s about time the racing industry is brought down.”
It cost £9,000 ($12,000) to fly the nine dogs to Paris.
Three of the pups she brought home to the UK, where they are now settling in, have British or Irish heritage, said Elliman.
“It upsets me that animals there are treated with so little respect,” she told the Mirror.
“But why do we have to participate in it? Trainers claim they are being exported to countries with welfare.”
She added, “The UK is supposed to be a nation of animal lovers yet dogs are being sent to such a cruel fate.”
They said that after an investigation in May that they had identified 30 greyhounds which have been exported to China from the UK.
“ When no longer fit to race (due to age, injury, etc.) the dogs become surplus to requirements, resulting in many being poisoned, bludgeoned, hung, or even slowly cooked to death as greyhounds are at present being found within the Chinese dog meat trade,” states the text of their petition calling to ban all exports
But whilst some of the dogs can be bought back and rescued for as little as £15, some of the best dogs can command a price of £300,000 said Elliman.
