ANOTHER YOUNG racing greyhound has been brutally mutilated by its former owners prior to being dumped as it was no use for racing.

The dog was found in Tramore, near Waterford, Ireland by members of the Waterford SPCA.
Aoife - the name given to her by the rescue team - had both her ears cut off to prevent her owners being traced via her official ear tattoos and was wandering around Tramore since the evening of Friday April 7th, "absolutely terrified" according to witnesses.

She was finally rescued on the following Saturday afternoon and brought to safety.

According to Inspector Andrew Quinn of Waterford SPCA, it took officers a number of hours to catch the dog because she was so shaken from her experience.

"We started off in the Church Road area of Tramore she then ran to the Golf Course and we finally caught her on Cliff Road. By the time she was rescued she was very dehydrated and she is malnourished," said Inspector Quinn.

Aoife was cared for over the weekend and went for a full check - up to the vets on Monday, where it was decided to send her to a specialised unit where she can be rehabilitated. Once she is back to full strength she will need re-constructive surgery on her ear canals to ensure her ears can be drained properly.

Aoife’s case is yet another in a growing number of similar cases in Ireland and England where racing greyhounds that are ‘surplus to requirement’ have their ears cut off in order to prevent identification of their owners via the dogs’ official ear tattoos.

l Police and the Waterford SPCA re appealing for information that may lead to the conviction of Aoife’s tormentors.