Race to save 650 Macau dogs ‘at risk of being sold for their blood’ goes global
People from around the world offer to take in greyhounds, soon to be rendered homeless by racetrack’s closure, whose blood is sought after for transfusions
A campaign on behalf of hundreds of racing dogs facing an uncertain future with the impending closure of the Macau canidrome went global on Wednesday, as track bosses received a formal list of potential adopters from around the world.
The plight of the dogs currently kennelled at Asia’s only dog track – which will effectively become homeless when the last race is run there on July 24 – has brought in offers to adopt from people, charities and rescue organisations in Hong Kong, Europe and the United States, as well as Macau residents.
However, it was far from certain on Wednesday that the mass offer of sanctuary would work. According to animal rights campaigners, the government officials ultimately responsible for the animals’ fate were sticking to their earlier rejection of a plea to let Macau’s only animal rights group take over the kennels and look after the dogs.
Alabano Martins, president of the Society for the Protection of Animals (Anima), delivered a letter, along with the adoption applications, to the executive director of the Macau (Yat Yuen) Canidrome, Stanley Lei Chi-man.
The letter and applications were accepted by staff from the canidrome, which is owned and controlled by Angela Leong On-kei, a lawmaker in Macau’s Legislative Assembly and the fourth wife of retired casino tycoon Stanley Ho Hung-sun.
Leong has yet to comment publicly on the latest controversy surrounding the track.