Greyhound deaths and injuries continue at Irish greyhound racing tracks.

Figures obtained by the Irish Council Against Bloodsports (ICABS) reveal that 138 greyhounds were killed at tracks around Ireland in the first eight months of 2025. 242 greyhounds suffered injuries at races between January and the end of August 2025 and more than half of them (134) were “euthanised” by track vets. The deaths of four other injured greyhounds are listed as racing fatalities.

The information which was obtained via a Parliamentary Question to Martin Heydon, Minister for Agriculture by Paul Murphy TD, revealed that the 134 greyhounds who were killed by vets had suffered injuries including: jugular vein wound, suspected spinal bleed, broken/fractured/dislocated hock, torn tendons, broken calcaneus with bone protruding, broken elbow/wrist/humerus bone, fractured leg/shoulder/wrist/toes/forelimb, dislocated wrist and torn/ruptured Achilles tendon.

The 104 injured greyhounds who were treated had suffered injuries including: broken leg, broken/fractured hock, broken wrist, dislocated hock/toe, fractured shoulder/shoulder blade/toe/leg/wrist, pelvic injury – possible spinal shock, torn ligament/ventral cervical muscle/gracilis muscle/dew claw, elbow injury, muscle injury, hock hyper-extension, hock ligament injury, small wound on left leg, suspected dislocation of right hock joint, wound on toe/metatarsal, abrasion on leg, cut toe, swollen gracilis and sore pelvis.

The four “racing fatalities” involved three greyhounds dying after breaking their necks in races at Thurles, Co. Tipperary, (1st February), Galway (14 February) and Clonmel Co. Tipperary, (16 May 2025) tracks and a greyhound who died with a lacerated artery at Lifford, Co. Donegal track on 28 June 2025.

Greyhound Deaths
Further analysis of the information obtained revealed that two greyhounds were killed by a vet at a race meeting at Youghal, Co. Cork track on 31 March 2025. They had suffered dislocated hock, torn tendons and an open fracture of the left toes. Two greyhounds were also killed at race meetings at Shelbourne Park, Co. Dublin, (25 April 2025), Lifford, Co. Donegal, (17 May 2025), Kilkenny (25 June 2025), Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford, (30 June 2025), Kilcohan Park, Co. Waterford, (17 July 2025) and Youghal, Co. Cork (7 July, 21 July, 26 July 2025). All were killed by track vets after they suffered broken or fractured hocks. Two greyhounds were also killed at Lifford, Co. Donegal, track on 9 August 2025 (both suffered fractured radius & ulna).

High Death Rate
A high greyhound death rate was recorded on the 25th April when a total of six greyhounds were killed at Curraheen Park, Co. Cork, Dundalk, Co. Louth, Limerick, Newbridge, Co. Kildare and Shelbourne Park, Co. Dublin, tracks.

On the 26th July, five greyhounds were killed at Dundalk, Limerick, Thurles, Co. Tipperary and Youghal, Co. Cork tracks. On 9 August, four greyhounds were killed at Galway, Lifford and Curraheen Park tracks.

The latest 2025 figures bring to 3,938 the number of greyhounds injured and 1,534 the number killed in racing at Irish tracks since 2014.

The Greyhound Racing Ireland figures for injuries and deaths at races do not include the greyhounds injured at tracks and later killed elsewhere.

Dáil Question Response
In reply to a previous Dail Question from Paul Murphy TD, GRI admitted that their injury stats only cover greyhounds “seen” to have been injured at tracks and do not include greyhounds who were injured but taken away and not presented to the track vet. Also not included are greyhounds who sustained what they term “minor injuries”.

Between January and the end of August 2025, there was even more suffering and death at trials and sales events at tracks around the country. In its response to Deputy Murphy, Greyhound Racing Ireland revealed that “9 greyhounds were recorded as having been injured in trials and sales events”. Four of these greyhounds were killed – “3 greyhounds were euthanised following trials and 1 greyhound was fatally injured on [Shelbourne Park] track (broke neck)”.

The three trial greyhounds who were euthanised were removed from Galway and Newbridge, Co. Kildare, tracks suffering hock/leg injuries and were later killed by the owners’ vets.

Defund the Irish Greyhound Industry
The Irish Council Against Bloodsports has expressed disgust at the ongoing abuse and death of greyhounds at venues that have become canine death zones. ICABS said they will continue to ask, how many more greyhounds have to suffer and die before the Irish Government stops the funding that is propping up greyhound racing. Since 2001, Greyhound Racing Ireland has received €366,986,146 in funding, including €18.2 million for 2023, €19 million for 2024 and €19.82 million for 2025. This is unacceptable and must be stopped.

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