I feel obligated to reply to Susan Smith’s letter (January 3) on behalf of every greyhound trainer, owner, veterinary surgeon, patron, the Greyhound Racing Board of Great Britain (GRBGB), and, of course, the millions of supporters of greyhound racing and the sport.

Firstly, the writer is obviously not aware that greyhound racing, and all who are involved within the sport, have to adhere to the stringent rules and welfare of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Trading Standards, and the GRBGB.

We can ascertain, then, that all the writer’s comments are incorrect.

They show her ignorance of everyone who loves and is involved in the sport.

Her comments deeply offend me and the whole of the greyhound fraternity so much so that I challenge her to produce evidence of any of her claims published.

I invite her or any person who believes any of her absurd and deranged lies to spend a day in the life of a racing greyhound from start of the day to the finish, with the confidence that no animal is more cared for than the racing greyhound by all concerned.

Her comments are a combination of lies, ignorance and obvious hatred of the greyhound fraternity.

I will, on behalf of all of us who love these animals, ask the GRBGB to challenge Ms Smith’s comments and to produce any evidence of her accusations that might remotely be true.

She has slandered us all without a shred of evidence to back her claims and, if she has evidence, this letter issues the challenge for her to produce it.

MICHAEL JOHN WHEBLE

Promotions manager

Oxford Greyhound Stadium

Bagley Close

Kennington