Australian breeders and trainers have sold unwanted greyhounds to a Chinese wild animal "theme park". Credit:Yuyang Liu "There are approximately 40 dogs. Some are old but others are really young, no older than two," said Ms Elliman, who operates Birmingham Greyhound Protection in England. "Staff told us, verbally, the dogs were all Australian. Their own brochure states they are Australian. I got close enough to a lot of the younger ones to see they are all tattooed," she added, referring to ear brandings that link the animals back to Australian trainers. Confirmation that young dogs are being channelled into the zoo raises questions about the greyhound industry's ability to control the export of dogs to Asia, despite official figures indicating the practice has stopped. "As well as wanting to rescue those dogs, I want to have access to their ear tattoos so I can expose every single trainer that sent them there. We need to show people this is still happening."

The Shanghai Wild Animal Park promotes a "one-hundred-metre race show between African Cheetah and Australian greyhound". Credit:Yuyang Liu The Shanghai Wildlife Animal Park is no stranger to controversy. It is infamous for its staging of "animal olympics" featuring up to 40 "sports" such as bear bicycle races, dog hurdling, a gorilla on a balance beam and basketball between elephants. In 2012, it was reported that a press officer for the park deflected criticism by stating it was pleasant for the animals because all games were "based on their nature". However, a year later an Olympic bicycle race between a bear and two monkeys ended in horror after the bear collided with one of the primates and proceeded to eat it in front of a packed arena. In shocking footage that went viral online, costumed zoo staff eventually stopped the bear from devouring the monkey by beating it with sticks. In 2015, the park came to the attention of the Australian public when an Animals Australia investigation discovered that unwanted, domestic greyhounds were being exported to the zoo. Concrete prison: Once the dogs can no longer entertain, their days are numbered. Credit:Yuyang Liu Footage showed distressed greyhounds peering out of elevated, squalid cells where they were housed in solitary confinement. Elsewhere, short runs, where the dogs go to the toilet and supposedly get exercise, offered no water and practically no shade from the searing sun. Their only respite, a daily dash around a track deemed completely unfit for dog racing. During the investigation, Animals Australia aired claims from locals that once the dogs were injured and of no further use, they were fed live to the park's predators, such as big cats.

The Animals Australia probe, which exposed similar atrocities in Macau and Vietnam, triggered a massive public outcry and led to an announcement from Qantas that it would cease all racing greyhound freight services to Asia. A long way from home: An Australian greyhound is led to the track in Shanghai zoo. Credit:Yuyang Liu National racing rules imposed by the industry body, Greyhounds Australasia (GA), prohibits the export of greyhounds unless they have a "passport". Those permits are only granted if overseas jurisdictions meet Australian animal welfare standards. However, the federal government has so far refused to toughen legislation and make their export illegal while GA's powers, in issuing passports, only extend to people who are registered with the organisation. Fast forward 18 months and it is business as usual at the Shanghai theme park, where last weekend, Fairfax Media witnessed a show that featured greyhounds being pitted against cheetahs in time trials. Day trippers: Crowds flock to watch the cheetahs and greyhounds in action. Credit:Yuyang Liu

"It is heartbreaking," said Ms Elliman. "A lot of these dogs have completely shut down. There was one in particular, she stood looking back at the kennel and just wanted to return into the darkness. She could not even cope being out there." Having successfully rescued 12 Irish greyhounds from the Chinese meat trade last year and then had them rehomed in England, Ms Elliman is still hoping to strike a similar deal with park management. Kerry Elliman cries as she recounts the plight of the dogs that came from Australia. Credit:Andrew Darby "It's not a lost cause just yet," she said. "The park has mentioned money and said they would be willing to work with us in letting us have the dogs but we have to go through the Shanghai government. So far, it's been impossible to get anyone there to talk to me." Lyn White, from Animals Australia, said: "We had hoped that the greyhound industry would seek to negotiate the release of these Australian greyhounds.

Tourist attraction: The park promotes the "race show" between cheetah and greyhound in its brochure. "That they have been left to live out their lives in the most miserable of circumstances is incredibly sad." Fairfax Media contacted the wildlife park for comment but they did not respond. Twitter: @eamonnduff