Plans for Moonee Valley to have dedicated greyhound park

As racing fans gear up for a major greyhound meet, there are calls for Moonee Valley to be home to the state’s first greyhound off-leash park.

Moonee Valley City Councillor Cam Nation wants more support for post-racing greyhounds. Picture: Supplied

Some of the best greyhound talent is set to hit the track in the coming weeks, and a Moonee Valley councillor says now is the time to demand better care for the dogs.

The spring time racing is starting to speed up with the greyhound industry getting ready for the Metro Festival of Racing at Sandown Park and The Meadows with more than $4m of prize money up for grabs.

The state government helps support events like Sandown Park through the Victorian Racing Industry Fund, which provides financial support to the thoroughbred, harness and greyhound racing industry.

Cr Cam Nation believes the state government needed to provide better support to former racing greyhounds given their financial support of the industry.

“Over the next few weeks at Sandown Park and The Meadows there will be $4.1 million of prizemoney on offer, with a lot of that money bankrolled by the state government,” he said.

“That’s a lot of money for owners and trainers, and what do the dogs get, euthanasia or a retirement where they are stuck on a lead whenever they leave the house, a retirement where they can never run free.”

The council supported his motion to write to the state government’s Racing Minister Anthony Carbines as well as Labor MPs Ben Carroll and Danny Pearson to highlight “some serious issues regarding the welfare of racing greyhounds” as well as conduct a report into a potential sites for an off-leash park for greyhounds.

In 2019, the state government changed the law to allow all greyhounds to be walked without a muzzle, however, they are still required to be on a leash — including at the new Cliff Whitworth Reserve Dog Park in Essendon West.

Cr Nation is pushing for Moonee Valley to have the first off-leash park dedicated to greyhounds in the state after Launceston opened the first one in Australia in 2021.

“This is something that could well and truly put Moonee Valley on the map, while also showing our love and affection to our canine friends,” Cr Nation said.

The state government has been approached for comment.