About a dozen greyhound protection campaigners, accompanied by rescued greyhounds, held a demonstration on Sunday evening outside York's Grand Opera House, where comedian Dara O'Briain was giving a performance as part of his UK tour.

Protesters are focusing on Mr O'Briain after Snip Nua, a greyhound part-owned by the popular comedian, was "put down" after being seriously injured in a race that featured in the BBC's Three Men in a Boat programme.

They want Dara to speak out against the greyhound racing industry and the BBC to cease screening programmes that promote dog racing.

(For full information, please see:-
 http://www.greytexploitations.com/resources-and-reports/did-the-bbc-callously-dismiss-the-deaths-of-two-greyhounds and  http://joecassels.blogspot.com/2010/01/snip-nua_30.html)

Tony Peter UK Co-ordinator of international greyhound protection group Greyhound Action said: "The demo wasn't against Dara, but against the cruelty of the greyhound racing industry.

"We're quite sure Mr O'Briain is a very kind man, who wouldn't knowingly want animals to suffer.

"Like most people, he was probably totally unaware of the slaughter and suffering of greyhounds involved in racing, but now that one of his own dogs has been fatally injured, we're urging him to support the campaign to get rid of these death-tracks."

"We also want the BBC to let the public know about the death of Snip Nua and to stop promoting greyhound racing.

"Sadly, Snip Nua was just one of hundreds of greyhounds seriously injured in races last year and subsequently "put down".

"The shape of a greyhound track, with fast straights leading into tight bends, creates a very dangerous environment for dogs to run in, which is why so many of these terrible injuries occur.

Sadly, however, it isn't just injured dogs that lose their lives, as an estimated 25,000 greyhounds are put to death annually in the UK and Ireland, after they fail to make the grade as racers or when their careers on the tracks come to an end.

"An RSPCA report on greyhound racing has stated that 'at least 20 greyhounds a day - either puppies which do not make the track, or retired dogs aged three or four - simply disappear, presumed killed'.

"We believe the government should take action to ban the dog racing industry, as has happened already in many parts of the United States.

"Members of the public can help by not attending dog tracks or betting on greyhound racing, so this appalling death-industry fades away through lack of financial support."

For more information, please visit Greyhound Action's website at www.greyhoundaction.org.uk

Anyone interested in taking part in similar demos in other parts of the country should contact  freddiefazey@yahoo.co.uk or 07778 757806.