Michael Eberand and three others accused of facilitating the export of Wandering Mija to Dubai without the required greyhound passport

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

The New South Wales greyhound regulator has charged its own board member with breaching export rules, and the state government has given him a week to answer questions over “serious misconduct allegations”.

The charges have been laid against Michael Eberand, who was appointed to the board last year as Greyhound Racing NSW was in the midst of overhauling its animal welfare policies and repairing its tarnished image.

Eberand is a breeder and trainer of champion dogs, and the vice president of the Australian Federation of Greyhound Breeders, Owners and Trainers Associations.

It has been alleged that Eberand aided or abetted and facilitated the export of registered greyhound Wandering Mija to Dubai without a greyhound passport. Greyhounds cannot be exported without a proper passport, issued by industry body Greyhounds Australasia, a requirement designed to stop them being sent to places with poor animal welfare standards.

Peter Lagogiane, James Cortis and Bradley Eberand, Michael’s son, were also charged with facilitating the export of the same greyhound without a greyhound passport.

The charges are part of Greyhound Racing NSW’s ongoing inquiry into the unauthorised exports of greyhounds to areas with poor animal welfare standards, such as China, Macau and Dubai.

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Guardian Australia has been questioning the fate of Wandering Mija for months. The dog had a largely unsuccessful career in Australia.

The Greens MP Mehreen Faruqi raised the matter in NSW parliament last month after earlier confirming through freedom of information laws that the dog had been exported.

Wandering Mija was the subject of previous charges against Stephen, Mark and Donna Farrugia in November 2016 after it was discovered the greyhound had been exported to China or Macau, Greyhound Racing NSW said in a statement on Friday. The Farrugias were last year found to be buying up unwanted greyhounds from tracks across the state, and exporting them for profit to Shanghai and Macau. They bought dogs for $500 and sold them for between $2,100 and $2,700, with total profits of about $50,000 from 166 exported greyhounds.

New evidence, which found Wandering Mija was allegedly exported by the trio to Dubai, led Greyhound Racint NSW to make the latest charges.

Greyhound Racing NSW said Eberand joined the board in July last year but didn’t disclose any conflict in relation to the inquiry, his alleged involvement with the greyhound or the Farrugia family.

The four men will have an opportunity to respond to the charges at a hearing later this month.

NSW Racing Minister Paul Toole says Eberand has until May 9 to respond to the “serious misconduct allegations” before deciding whether he should be removed from his board position.

“The NSW government is strongly committed to ensuring the greyhound industry operates with the highest possible ethical standards and animal welfare controls,” Toole said in a statement late on Friday night.

“To meet these standards and ensure public confidence, people in senior leadership positions in the industry need to act with the utmost integrity.”

Toole said the government was committed to taking “strong and swift” action if Eberand was found guilty by Greyhound Racing NSW.