Compassion News

Barcelona racetrack closed on 20 February 2006

Barcelona racetrack closed on 20 Feb.    The gaming tax increased from 3% to 10% presenting the track with a tax bill of 1  million euros. In short, they have no other option but to close the track. The financial demands were too high.  Between the international greyhound  organisations (Scooby, Greyhound Friends Inc. Greyhounds as Companions, SOS Galgos, Pro Galgo, Greyhounds in Nood Holland, et. al.) we are urging the racing owners to hand the remaining 600 greyhounds over to those rescue groups who are able to take care of the dogs' welfare.   

Fermin Perez of Scooby is our spokesperson with the racing owners in Barcelona and is trying to encourage them to release the dogs to the welfare groups.   The racing owners are meeting this weekend to discuss the fate of the dogs.  As time is of the essence, the greyhound charities have sent a joint letter to the owners urging them to relinquish the dogs to the greyhound/galgo rescues. We are concerned because there is talk of the greyhounds going to the track in Casablanca, Morocco or being reserved for the mooted new tracks in Madrid and Seville.  The other horror we have heard is that "mobile" racetracks already exist in Spain - not to mention the Spanish coursing fraternity. 

(photo above right shows Irish greyhounds being loaded for export from Limerick to Barcelona in May 2005)

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