A greyhound belonging to trainer Jill Llewellin - a major player at Belle Vue stadium - was recently put to sleep after being viciously attacked by another greyhound at Llewellin’s kennels.
The black male called Emerson Brock and affectionately known as Ben was resting in a pen when another male new to the kennels entered the enclosure. What followed Llewellin described as a “challenge between the two as if to (see) who was going to be top dog.”
Ben was not wearing a muzzle and during the fracas that took place pulled free a muzzle being worn by the other greyhound that, according to Llewellin, got Ben round the throat and “literally asphyxiated him.”
Llewellin said it took several minutes to remove the animal’s jaws from Ben, and further added: “Being a nurse I thought I could treat him myself… I walked him back to his kennel but he sort of went downhill overnight and he gradually lost consciousness. In the morning I took him to the vets and we said the best thing was to have him put down which was sad.”
The incident is all the more tragic as Ben was recuperating from injury at the time. In January he was recorded ‘DNF’ at Belle Vue but according to the trainer was “absolutely fine.” However, in a subsequent trial it is thought Ben had torn a shoulder muscle and was since been rested.
Why Ben was not afforded greater protection and, more importantly, why Ben was not seen by a vet immediately after the attack is not clear. Perhaps the beautiful black male would still be alive today if he had previously won the Derby.
It is understood no action is being taken against Llewellin by the Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
