Greyhound racing shutdown: Animal welfare group praise ban as ‘historic day in Australia’
THE animal welfare group which prompted the probe into allegations of live-baiting in the greyhound industry has praised today’s announcement as “a historic day in Australia”.
NSW
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- NSW greyhound racing industry to be shut down from 2017
- Dog racing ban could see up to 10,000 NSW jobs in jeopardy
- Live piglets, rabbits and native wildlife used to ‘blood’ dogs
- ‘Greyhound racing can have bright future’: state boss
ANIMAL welfare group Animals Australia, whose investigation into live-baiting within the greyhound racing industry put the government on the path to today’s announcement, described the decision as “a historic day in Australia”.
“Bringing the horrific cruelty of live baiting to light took extraordinary courage by Animals Australia’s investigators,” spokeswoman Lisa Chalk said.
“But what our investigations also did was lift the lid on other cruelties inherent to this industry, including the killing of thousands of healthy dogs every year simply because they don’t run fast enough.”
“To suggest the findings in NSW are only relevant to that state would be wrong. It is clear that this is an industry-wide problem and had there been similar commissions set up in other states they would have reached the same conclusion.”
“This brave but right decision by the Baird government will hopefully be the beginning of the end of greyhound racing in Australia.’
NSW Premier Mike Baird today announced greyhound racing will be shut down in the state from July 2017 after a state parliamentary inquiry found overwhelming evidence of animal cruelty.
The inquiry’s report, released Thursday, found between 48,000 and 68,000 greyhounds were killed in the state in the past 12 years because they were deemed uncompetitive.
It also found up to 20 per cent of trainers had engaged in “live baiting” — feeding live animals to the dogs — and that on average 180 greyhounds a year suffered critical injuries during races. The inquiry was launched last year following an ABC 4 Corners report into live baiting and mass killings in the greyhound industry.
Footage obtained by Animals Australia showed dogs being “blooded” by attacking live animals, including piglets, rabbits and possums.
“Governments around the world have banned greyhound racing, and tracks are closing their doors, as more and more people learn that this industry sentences highly social and sensitive dogs to life in a cramped cage or kennel, deprived of even a kind word or a gentle touch,” PETA Australia special projects co-ordinator Desmond Bellamy said.
“The greyhound racing industry treats dogs like machines.”
Many are “discarded” as puppies in the name of “selective breeding”, Mr Bellamy said, while others were shot, bludgeoned to death or simply abandoned to fend for themselves when they’re deemed too old, injured, slow or exhausted to continue racing.
Both the Victorian and Queensland government have vowed to continue dog racing.
“Queensland was the first state to act in response to greyhound live baiting cases last year,” Queensland Racing Minister Grace Grace said.
“I want to want any racing industry participants that do the wrong thing, you will be caught and you will be dealt with.”
She said the Queensland government had established a special racing integrity commission to oversee animal welfare.
On Twitter, Victorian Racing Minister Martin Pakula said he was backing Greyhound Racing Victoria to continue the reforms.
“None of the Perna, Milne or Bittar reports recommended the shut down of Victorian greyhound racing. It is an industry that employs thousands,” he tweeted.
“But since live baiting the industry’s been on notice. Every participant should know its future depends on ongoing commitment to reform.” NSW has declared it will shut down greyhound racing after a damning inquiry found evidence of systemic animal cruelty within the industry
The Queensland Greens have savaged Ms Grace’s announcement, urging the government to follow NSW.
“Animal cruelty is inappropriate entertainment and should be phased out as soon as possible,” Queensland Greens spokesman Andrew Bartlett said.
“As the state government has allowed this industry to exist, the state government should financially assist the re-employment of workers involved in the industry.”
Mr Bartlett said Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk had access to the same information as the NSW government and accused her of a “failure of leadership”.
“She needs to explain why she thinks greyhound racing is any different here, or why dogs and other animals should suffer in Queensland but not NSW.” The Queensland government has been contacted for comment.
Greyhound racing is banned in 38 US states, and in South Africa and Italy.
The full inquiry can be viewed here.
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