Macau (MNA) – At around 4:30 pm this Tuesday the last 10 of the original 532 greyhounds remaining at the canidrome were taken from the premises to be sent to their respective new homes, putting an end to a rehoming effort that lasted for almost eight months.

Of the 532 initial greyhounds left at the canidrome when the Macau (Yat Yuen) Canidrome Co. Ltd. concession agreement finished in July last year and the area fell to control of the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM), 517 were either adopted, temporarily fostered or re-homed, with about 15 dying due to different health issues.

Local animal protection association Anima-Society for the Protection of Animals helped coordinate the re-homing process with expenses covered by Yat Yuen since October 7, 2018.

“It’s a happy and fast ending. We managed to do this in about six months. It was not easy but we had an international network set up that helped immensely. We just had to lead the process locally with our IAM and Yat Yuen partners to solve some of the problems that arose,” the President of Anima, Albano Martins, said today after the last dogs left the racetrack.

Mr.Martins estimated that the total medical and transport expenses incurred by Yat Yuen amounted to about MOP70 million (US$8.6 million).

The company also had to pay a MOP25 million fine to the IAM for animal abandonment, for failing to re-locate the greyhounds before the end of its concession agreement.

“This was the best outcome possible for [this situation]. Since the beginning Anima has made a large effort and in some months it managed to solve it. It’s impressive, they were about 500 dogs who were adopted in almost half a year. I want to thank all volunteers and associations that have helped since the beginning,” the IAM President, José Tavares, said today.

Some 307 greyhounds were sent to several different centers and houses in the United States – almost half to a “luxury” centre in Philadelphia – 60 to Italy, 70 to the UK, 15 to France, five to Germany and 26 to Hong Kong residents.

About 11 were adopted by local residents, with 19 of 23 greyhounds adopted by Anima to be sent to local foster families and later sent to new owners in Australia.

On Wednesday the IAM will transfer the control of the canidrome area to the Financial Services Bureau (DSF), which will proceed with the government re-development plans for the area.

Some of the former canidrome workers were employed temporarily by a cleaning and security company hired to manage the dogs during the rehoming process, with the company now responsible for their future employment, the IAM President stated.

Inquired if Anima will now focus its efforts towards the horses used by the Macau Jockey Club (MJC) Mr. Martins responded that the animals re-homing “is a matter of time” since the space will likely be re-developed for commercial and residential purposes.

“That situation will reach an end. I think it will be an economic decision […] Considering the new concession agreement, one day the area will be turned into a real estate project,” he added.

The company responsible for the MJC was granted a concession extension of 24 years and six months based on the conditions that the club fulfills its investment plan.

“We are only concerned with animal welfare. If the animals are well treated it is very hard to convince someone to close a race track unless the rules are not followed. In this case there’s a feeling they never followed regulations […] Previous animals removed from there were not being well treated an some died in miserable conditions”.