Greyhounds dumped in mass grave appear to have been shot, police say

Source: Associated Press

Greyhounds dumped in mass grave appear to have been shot, police say

Carcasses of at least 55 dogs were found at a site near Bundaberg in what police called disturbing and horrific circumstances

Australian Associated Press
Wednesday 1 April 2015 20.16 EDT

Some of the dead greyhounds dumped in Queensland bushland appear to have been shot, police have said. Detective Superintendent Mark Ainsworth said .22-calibre shells were found at the mass grave near Bundaberg. He told Fairfax radio a member of the public had tipped off police, leading a joint RSPCA and police taskforce to at least 55 dead dogs.

Ainsworth said the area seemed to be a local dumping ground and might have been known by people in the industry as a safe place to dump greyhounds. The dogs appeared to have been left to rot in the open – a “horrific” act, he said. The dumping of the 55 carcasses was “quite disturbing” he said.

Ainsworth supported RSPCA Queensland spokesman Michael Beatty’s suggestion the dogs appeared to have been killed before an exposé about live baiting went to air on ABC TV’s Four Corners program.

The program was broadcast in mid-February and sparked widespread outrage after revealing the use of live piglets, possums and other small animals to train competitive race dogs.





Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/apr/02/greyhounds-dumped-in-mass-grave-appear-to-have-been-shot-police-say