Thought greyhound racing was bad, ‘check out kids’ sport’

An injury report from the latest Casino greyhound report sparked furious debate among our readers.

The fields for the Ladbrokes Rising Challenger Series are so tight at the Grafton Greyhound Racing Club tonight it is giving punters an early indication of the excitement ahead of July Carnival time.

The injury report from the latest greyhound race meet at Casino sparked furious debate among readers about the sport, with some asking whether it should continue.

Our story earlier in the week said one greyhound was put down and eleven injured at last week's meet.

Some comments on social media called for the sport to be banned, while others pointed out the injuries were often as minor as an abrasion on a paw.

Karen Lee said: "Why the hell isn't this 'sport' banned already! It sickens me".

Mark Watson replied: "If you don't like it don't watch".

Hayley Carter said: "Every day of the week. Pointless, barbaric industry. Ban it".

Stephen Bland said: "Track injuries could be a bruised shoulder or a dislocated toe".

Jamie Hancock said: "The 11 injuries … majority of them were little abrasions, the same as what they get running around the backyard because greyhounds have very thin skin".

One reader said horse racing saw higher injury rates, while another suggested taking a look at injury rates sustained during children's sport activities.

Steve Mcdiarmid said: "Love to see the facts on how many kids' sport injuries there were last weekend, seriously".

Sharon Maxwell said it wasn't a fault with the sport, but perhaps the track needed to be made safer.

She said: "If there is this many injuries and deaths on one track in one night then the track needs shutting down, and track needs to fix so dogs don't hurt themselves".

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In 2018, the Greyhound Welfare and Integrity Commission was established to control and regulate the greyhound racing industry.

In response to a report by the Coalition for the Protection of Greyhounds, a spokesman for the commission said measures it had recommended to improve greyhound safety were having an impact.

The spokesman said injury rates had halved in recent years, saying the commission was "focused on working with Greyhound Racing NSW and the industry on reducing the rates and severity of racing injuries".

It conceded curved tracks were more likely to result in dogs colliding, when most injuries to dogs occurred.