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How do the dogs get here? Is there an organisation that does that, or do individuals just get in touch with somebody to purchase them?

All the time? They get out for a little bit of exercise, toileting and so on and that is it?

However, given that that is the case, should we perhaps ask Mr Brignal to invite the Scottish SPCA to come out?

I want to follow up an issue. I am just searching the Official Report for evidence that was given by Paul Brignal, who is the proprietor of Thornton. He said:

“We would more than welcome the SSPCA if it wanted to come. In fact, we have written to Mike Flynn, saying, “You’ve had every opportunity to come and visit our track.” He eventually came to the track with Professor Dwyer. I do not think he was in any way concerned about anything that went on at the track”.—[Official Report, Rural Affairs and Islands Committee, 26 April 2023; c 50.]

Do you know anything about that?

Right.

Have you had any other issues with owners of greyhounds who race them in this amateur fashion at Thornton?

Perhaps there is confusion here rather than our being misled.

I have been itching to get in, because there is something that we have not emphasised in our interrogation. Evidence from the Dogs Trust shows that 85 per cent of greyhounds are

“typically born and raised to a year old in the Republic of Ireland”.

Obviously, UK and Scottish legislation pertains in this jurisdiction, unless there is an arrangement with the Republic of Ireland. However, our committee papers state that, under the Irish legislation,

“A person is permitted to allow a bitch to produce 6 litters, a maximum of 2 extra is allowed with permission. Greyhound Breeding Establishments are kept on a register by the Irish Coursing Club ... and all litters must be registered. However, it states there is no independent verification of the number born in a litter, and there is little available information about levels of enforcement or monitoring.”

The Irish Council Against Blood Sports states:

“Greyhound racing is inherently cruel, based as it is on”—

I emphasise this point—

“over-breeding greyhounds, choosing the fastest and getting rid of those who don’t make the grade. Many of those too slow to win races are mercilessly killed. Most greyhounds used in the UK are bred in the Republic of Ireland.”

We have focused, quite rightly, on the track and the conditions that the dogs live in at home, but let us go right back to the beginning and consider the condition that the pups are in when they are imported. I would like the witnesses to comment on that, because we are digging deeper into the issue of the welfare of the animals. It might be appropriate to contrast the situation with greyhounds with that of horses. I do not know whether we are able to track the breeding of horses that come over from Ireland and do a comparison; that might not be relevant. In any case, I would like you to comment on what I have said, because I did not appreciate that about 80 per cent of the dogs that are raced in the UK come from Ireland.

Does the RSPCA have contact with its equivalent in the Republic of Ireland?

Thank you very much. I will plug my proposed welfare of dogs bill, which I will introduce in June. It would help to prevent some of that.

What are those? I do not know what the basic standards are.