ANIMAL centre operators fear that North Wales has become a “dumping ground” for unwanted greyhounds that have outlived their usefulness on the racetrack.

Dave Sutton, of Almost Home Dog Rescue Centre, in Nercwys, said a worrying number of the racing dogs are being put through rescue system in the region.

He said: “Since opening in October 2016, greyhounds are the breed we have rehomed the most by a large margin. We are a small home - we only house around six dogs here at a time - but of all the 210 dogs we have rehomed in 18 months, 32 of those have been greyhounds - the most of any breed by far.

“As far as North Wales is concerned, this is a huge issue. The area has become saturated with unwanted greyhounds and we’re now having to rehouse them in places as far as Bristol. Greyhounds are now being dumped more than pit bulls.”

Mr Sutton said this dog-geography issue is due to links with Holyhead and Ireland, the latter being a place where greyhound breeding is unregulated.

Mr Sutton said: “The dogs are mostly bred in Ireland and are transported on the ferry to Holyhead. On the route back, the unwanted ones are dumped in north Wales and Cheshire while the good racers are taken to the racing tracks in Manchester and elsewhere.”

He explained that dogs that prove too slow to become successful racing dogs are often discarded and then often need rehoming or need caring for at animal shelters.

The issue, which is affecting both Flintshire and Cheshire, has the animal centre hot under the collar about breeding greyhounds to race.

Alex Nilan, co-owner of Almost Home Dog Rescue where rescued greyhounds Mickey and Amanda are looking for their forever homes, said she is passionate about tackling the issue.

For Mrs Nilan, the Greyhound Board of Great Britain’s status as self-regulatory is a concern. Under Rule 18 of the board’s code, Mrs Nilan said it is “completely acceptable to euthanise greyhound dogs themselves”.

She said: “Nobody buys a greyhound puppy unless they’re being trained as a racing dog.

“The dogs are born straight into a racing career aren’t treated well after.

She wants to educate people to “see greyhounds in a different light” as many view them as athletic dogs built solely for racing.

Mrs Nilan said the “45mph couch potatoes” are gentle dogs, with big hearts and can be comical.

North Clwyd Animal Rescue (NCAR) are also backing the Nercwys home’s bid to stop racing and illegitimate breeding following an increase over the years in greyhounds coming in. They said a high number of greyhounds have become the norm at their centre in Trelogan, near Holywell, and that breeding the racing dogs “needs to be stopped.”

Nicky Owen, a NCAR spokesman, said: “But this comes as a whole - backstreet breeders need to stop breeding dogs as there are far too many in our country, let alone coming from abroad. Something needs to be done.

“Rescues are seeing an increase of this breed and people need to be responsible and adopt from rescues instead of purchasing dogs online from backstreet breeders, and the likes of Facebook.

A spokesperson for the Greyhound Board of Great Britain said the current number of greyhounds in training is about 13,500 and approximately 7,500 animals retire from British tracks each year.

“While the rehoming centre may say it is ‘terrifying’ that the GBGB self regulates, the Department of the Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) does not share their concerns and have extended our remit under the Welfare of Racing Greyhounds Regulations, part of the Animal Welfare Act 2010, following a five-year review,” the spokespeson said.

“While it is true that Rule 18 of the Rules of Racing allows for owners to arrange for a greyhound to be euthanised, this is only as a last resort or if the greyhound has an untreatable injury.

“Under the Rules, euthanasia can only be carried out by veterinary surgeon.

“In the region of 4,000 greyhounds are rehomed by the Retired Greyhound Trust alone, while a large number are rehomed by other independent charities, greyhound trainers or taken home by their owners to become the family pet.

“The GBGB will be publishing audited, detailed injury and retirement data later this month, as agreed with DEFRA.”

Visit http://greyhoundrescuewales.co.uk or contact rescue centres to learn more about adopting a rescue dog.