The last 10 greyhounds adopted overseas left the kennels of the now defunct dog racetrack in Fai Chi Kei yesterday, Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) President José Maria da Fonseca Tavares said.
According to Tavares, the last 10 greyhounds left the racetrack formerly run by the Macau (Yat Yuen) Canidrome Co. Ltd. in Fai Chi Kei yesterday and were sent to their overseas adopters via Hong Kong.
Taves made the remarks during a press briefing at the racetrack, which closed in July last year.
The 10 greyhounds were placed in separate flight cases and loaded onto five different vans. They were first taken to the airport in Hong Kong for flights to their overseas destinations where they will be collected by rescue centres before being adopted, according to local animal protection society ANIMA.
Tavares pointed out that 307 of the adopted greyhounds went to the US, 70 to the UK, 60 to Italy, 26 to Hong Kong, 15 to France, and five to Germany.
ANIMA President Albano Martins told Portuguese reporters during the joint press briefing that the process of sending the adopted greyhounds overseas had taken about six months.
According to Martin’s Facebook page, six greyhounds were temporarily moved from the old racetrack to ANIMA’s shelter in Coloane yesterday. The six dogs would first have to recover from various illnesses before they could be sent to their overseas adopters, sources close to ANIMA told The Macau Post Daily last night.
According to Tavares, another 34 greyhounds were earlier adopted by locals, 23 of which by ANIMA. A total of 19 greyhounds were still staying with local fosters until they can go to their adoptive homes in Australia afterwards, Tavares added.
With ANIMA’s planning and help, the greyhounds’ adoption programme was completed successfully, said Tavares, who expressed his sincere gratitude to all the volunteers who assisted in taking care of the greyhounds at the Yat Yuen kennels.
As all the greyhounds have left the Yat Yuen kennels, the Municipal Affairs Bureau will return the former racetrack and its facilities to the Finance Services Bureau (DFS) today, Tavares said.
Tavares said that from October 7 last year, all the costs of taking care of the greyhounds, such as sending them abroad and feeding them as well as the veterinary services, were to be borne by Yat Yuen.
One of the last greyhounds leaving the now defunct Canidrome awaits its transport yesterday to Hong Kong en route to adoption overseas.
IAM President José Maria da Fonseca Tavares (right) speaks to reporters yesterday as ANIMA President Albano Martins looks on. Photos: Rachel Lei
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