Battler trainers vow to challenge greyhound ban

GRAPPLING with what a ban on greyhound racing in NSW will cost her, Noeline Holloway rose at 5.30am today and did one thing that still made sense.

A way of life under threat: Noelene Holloway has been involved in greyhound racing since she was a child. Picture: Mark Scott

GRAPPLING with a ban on greyhound racing that will mean the loss of something that has formed the fabric of her family for more than 60 years, Noeline Holloway rose at 5.30am and did one thing that still made sense: prepared toast and honey for her 10 greyhounds.

Ms Holloway, 58, a greyhound trainer from the NSW Central Coast does it every morning for her team of dogs — some racing, others pups waiting in the wings, and Fascinate Marina, now a 10-year-old “Mum” who was the first dog she raced.

As dawn breaks, she dispenses toast and honey to her charges, lets the dogs out, walks them, then heads inside for a bite of her own.

Ms Holloway is one of 3800 NSW trainers sideswiped on Thursday by Premier Mike Baird’s announcement greyhound racing will be banned in NSW from July 1 next year.

It came after a special commission of inquiry into greyhound racing found “overwhelming evidence of animal cruelty, including mass greyhound killings and live baiting”.

Announcing the ban, Mr Baird said “widespread and systemic mistreatment of animals” cannot be tolerated.

In February 2015 ABC’s Four Corners shocked Australia, exposing sickening cases of animal cruelty, using live baiting to train greyhounds for racing.

Mr Baird acted on four key findings of the 800-page report: the “mass killing” of greyhounds unsuited for racing (the report estimated between 48,000 and 68,000); the widespread practice of live baiting; the systematic deception over the number of deaths and injuries of greyhounds; and the belief that the industry is not capable, in the short or medium term, or reforming”.

The NSW Greyhound Breeders, Owners Trainers Association (GBOTA) was blindsided by the ban, but has now come out swinging to fight it.

GBOTA NSW Executive Officer Brenton Scott said the report was based on what had happened in the lead-up to the explosive Four Corners program, and didn’t take into account efforts since to clean up the industry.

“Nobody, absolutely nobody would condone any of the animal cruelty revelations exposed by Four Corners in early 2015,” he said.

“But we are staggered that the Government has chosen the shut down option as opposed to recognising the industry’s progress during the past 18 months and its willingness to support change.

“And it’s impossible to suggest that the NSW Greyhound industry has not committed itself to reform.”

He said the ban will affect about 15,000 people in the industry and rip out a vital piece of community fabric.

Ms Holloway is one of them. She may not lose her livelihood. But she will lose a lifestyle and 60 years of family tradition.

“It’s a hobby for me, but my parents had greyhounds from when I was three,” she said.

“Dad’s now 93. Mum’s 89, My four sisters are involved, and we have 14 children who are now grown and involved in some way as well.

“It’s held our family together as a common interest for more than 60 years.”

“Mum and Dad still have involvement in the dogs.”

Ms Holloway took on training seriously about a decade ago. “Every dog gets honey on toast before breakfast,” she said.

The recipe seems to work. Ms Holloway is a regular visitor to Sydney’s Wentworth Park meetings — she notched up her 100th runner there last year — and is no stranger to the winner’s circle.

It’s held our family together as a common interest for more than 60 years’: A young Noelene Holloway (in white dress) as a child with her mother, Joan, and sister, Carole.

She watched the Four Corners expose with horror, but believes the industry should not be sacrificed because if it.

“It was horrific. It was absolutely horrific,” she said.

“But they charged maybe 10 people in NSW after that. There are a lot more dog trainers doing the right thing.”

GBOTA NSW and Ms Holloway dispute some of the figures in the report and believe the industry’s moves to clean itself up since then haven’t been recognised.

“We are not talking about an industry that wants to dodge account,” Mr Scott said.

“We are not an industry who wants people who blatantly indulge in unacceptable practices.

“But there must be some willingness on the government’s part to say that at its heart the vast majority people in this industry are decent, caring and put their animals first and we can put a framework in place that ensure that absolutely becomes the norm. Why wouldn’t we be given an opportunity to do that?”

Ms Holloway said Mike Baird’s vital ‘four points’ were partly based on hearsay, not established fact: “A trainer admitted to engaging in live baiting and testified ‘10 to 20 per cent of trainers engaged in live baiting’. Stand that up. Is it 10 or 20 per cent. Who are these people? Name them and get rid of them. Show us the evidence,” she said.

Greyhound racing has been suspended for a week across NSW as a result of the ban announcement. Picture: Craig Golding

She said correct policing should be tried first.

“They were taking millions of dollars a year to police this. But is it our fault if the policemen aren’t out on the road?” she said.

“Send people around every two weeks for random checks of kennels and conditions. We’d welcome that.

“Mr Baird has said it appears unlikely that the issue of the large scale killing of healthy greyhounds by the industry can be addressed successfully in the future.

“Did you know it’s impossible to put down a healthy greyhound — that’s been brought in since the live baiting report? I can’t go to a vet and get a dog put down.

“I believe that we will beat them, because they are basing their findings on figures that aren't true and statements that haven’t been tested,” she said.

“If it was true, I would say the industry should be shut down, that’s not something I want to be involved in. But it’s not.”

But as industry stakeholders marshall their forces, animal welfare groups are calling for the ban to be extended Australia-wide, with plenty of support from the general public.

Greyhound racing has been suspended in NSW for a week by Greyhound Racing NSW.

And the ACT government has announced it wants a ban as well.

Meanwhile, Ms Holloway will prepare honey on toast, and hope for another start at Wentworth Park.

Originally published as Battler trainers vow to challenge greyhound ban