The Irish Greyhound Board has announced that it is seeking expressions of interest for the provision of greyhound care centres.
The measure was one of a range of proposals discussed at the IGB’s appearance at the Joint Committee for Agriculture, Food and the Marine earlier this month and is intended to help the transition of racing greyhounds from the track to retirement.
The intended model of the care centre will provide high standard accommodation for greyhounds and contain house-training facilities to allow greyhounds to adapt to a range of different home environments.
Visitor facilities will also form part of the care centre where potential adopters can become familiar with greyhounds prior to making the decision to adopt from the care centre.
A designated veterinary practitioner will also be required to provide 24-hour veterinary cover in the care centres.
Welfare Manager of the Irish Greyhound Board, Barry Coleman, commented: “Greyhounds make fantastic pets and the Irish Retired Greyhound Trust, established and operated by the Board, assisted in the rehoming of more than 1,000 retired greyhounds last year. These care centres will ensure that retired greyhounds waiting for their ‘forever’ home will receive the highest standards of care.
“These care centres, along with our newly extended foster scheme and further financial supports for domestic rehomings, will ensure that as many retired Irish greyhounds as possible can find loving, forever homes after their racing careers come to an end.”
The IGB will seek expressions of interest through the E-Tenders platform with the final closing date for tenders on Friday, September 27.
