Grace Grace, Racing Qld reject claims of greyhound ‘carnage’ at Bundaberg

The state government has reaffirmed its commitment to animal welfare following the death of a greyhound and multiple injuries at the upgraded Bundaberg Greyhound Racing Track.

​The Bundaberg track was reopened in February following a $1.4m upgrade. The state government has reaffirmed its commitment to animal welfare following the death of a greyhound at Bundaberg Greyhound Racing Track in February 2023.

The state government has reaffirmed its commitment to animal welfare following the death of a greyhound at Bundaberg Greyhound Racing Track in February 2023.

According to the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission stewards’ report, a greyhound named Audrey Zola was euthanised after suffering a “catastrophic off-side leg injury” during Race 6 on Monday, February 27.

Audrey Zola is the third greyhound to be euthanised at Queensland racing meetings in 2023, an increase from one for the same period in 2022.

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The incident occurred at the second race meeting at the Bundaberg Greyhound Racing Track since it was reopened in February 2023 following a $1.4million upgrade.

Racing Minister Grace Grace. Picture: John Gass

Racing Minister Grace Grace said the government took animal welfare seriously and was committed to ensuring racing animals were afforded high standards of care.

“The recent $1.4m investment at the Bundaberg Greyhound Racing Club underlines the industry’s commitment to delivering improved animal care outcomes,” she said.

Ms Grace’s statement comes in response to claims of “carnage” at the Bundaberg Greyhound Racing Track from Annie Hendley, Queensland director of the Coalition for the Protection of Greyhounds,

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“Racing Queensland has praised the Bundaberg project for ‘prioritising animal care’, yet the death of Audrey Zola and more than a dozen injured dogs has shown these are just empty words,” Ms Hendley said.

“The suffering seen at Bundaberg shows that new tracks are just as lethal as old tracks. There is no such thing as a safe racetrack.

“Greyhound welfare is rapidly deteriorating in Queensland ... The Racing Minister has to stop believing the racing industry’s spin and spend taxpayers’ money where the community actually needs it.”

The Bundaberg Greyhound Racing Club has come under fire after a greyhound death following a $1.4m track upgrade.

Racing Queensland has appealed to enhancements in injury analysis and track design as evidence of its commitment to animal welfare, including recent consultations with global experts.

“In recent times, Racing Queensland has engaged with some of the world‘s most authoritative voices in track design and injury prevention to further inform its decision making, providing new and improved ways to deliver safer racing surfaces,” a Racing Queensland spokesperson said.

While acknowledging an increase in euthanisations at Queensland race meetings in 2023, Racing Queensland said the overall fatality rate remained low at less than 0.1 per cent per 1000 starters, and overall euthanisations had declined since the introduction of the Race Meeting Injury Scheme.

The RMIS was introduced under the state government in 2020, with the intention of reducing greyhound euthanisations by funding veterinary treatment and rehabilitation costs for injuries that met given criteria.

According to Racing Queensland reports, there was a 60 per cent decrease in the number of greyhounds euthanised from 2020 to 2021, with a further 19 per cent reduction in 2022.

$330,000 was paid to greyhound owners under the Scheme in the 2020/2021 financial year.

Originally published as Grace Grace, Racing Qld reject claims of greyhound ‘carnage’ at Bundaberg