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03rd Jul 2019

FBD Insurance pulls out of sponsorship of Kilkenny Greyhound Stadium

Alan Loughnane

greyhound racing

“Following the recent RTÉ Investigates programme, FBD has decided not to renew this.”

Another company has announced it is ending sponsorship arrangements with greyhound races.

FBD Insurance have joined Barry’s Tea in withdrawing their sponsorship in the wake of last week’s RTÉ Investigates programme on the greyhound industry.

On Twitter, FBD Insurance said it supports over 100 community events and organisations with “very significant annual funding.”

“Our only sponsorship of greyhound racing was a small sponsorship arrangement with Kilkenny Greyhound Stadium,” it said.

“Following the recent RTÉ Investigates programme, FBD has decided not to renew this. We look forward to the implementation of urgently needed animal welfare measures by the Government.”

The industry was plunged into controversy last week when RTÉ Investigates revealed that as many as 6,000 greyhounds are killed in Ireland each year after they fail to reach qualifying times.

The Irish Greyhound Board responded to the revelations by saying: “Any person who knowingly harms a greyhound brings shame upon our industry. The IGB will continue to investigate any matters brought to its attention.”

Barry’s Tea announced on Tuesday that they would also be ending all sponsorship arrangements with greyhound races.

In a statement posted on their official Twitter account on Tuesday, Barry’s Tea wrote: “We were saddened and horrified by the recent revelations of the RTÉ Investigates programme, which raised concerns over the treatment of dogs within the greyhound industry in Ireland.

“On reflection, we have decided to withdraw our local sponsoship of the annual race in Curraheen Park, Cork.”

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