Greyhound racing trainer Anthony Bullock cleared of animal cruelty in wake of drone footage

Controversial greyhound trainer Anthony Bullock has been cleared of animal cruelty allegations after drone footage of his Exeter kennel was published on social media.

Controversial greyhound trainer Anthony Bullock has been cleared of animal cruelty allegations after drone footage of his property was released on social media.

Controversial greyhound trainer Anthony Bullock has been cleared of animal cruelty allegations after drone footage of his Exeter kennel was published on social media.

On Friday, the Office of Racing Integrity published an investigation report after investigating part of the footage – finding those conditions at Mr Bullock’s property were “broadly compliant” with the rules of racing and animal welfare laws.

The section of the July 2023 footage in question contained images of greyhounds in exercise yards without thermal coats in cold conditions, dogs without bedding or insulation from the ground, and shots of an assembled cage on top of a kennel and a number of stored cages.

But following a regulatory vet visit last month that found Mr Bullock’s dogs and horses were in a “generally acceptable condition”, no charges will be laid.

Drone footage captured at an Exeter property owned by controversial greyhound trainer Anthony Bullock. Picture: Facebook

The footage also showed animal carcasses, including bones, a horse’s head and wallaby on the tray of a ute, and animal carcasses on the ground at the rear of Mr Bullock’s property.

That set of issues will be addressed in a separate report by stipendiary stewards.

Mr Bullock’s licence, which was suspended last month when the video came to light, remains suspended while the secondary part of the investigation takes place.

Following the inspection, the trainer – who keeps 96 dogs at his kennels – has been ordered to take action regarding “internal parasites in several animals” and must also have dental calculus removed from one of his dog’s teeth.

Justin Hemlich, Director of Racing, said the Office of Racing Integrity conducted the review of Mr Bullock’s property with RSPCA Tasmania.

The agencies became aware of the footage, from Animal Liberation Tasmania, when it was uploaded to social media on August 3.

According to the report, a regulatory veterinarian attended Mr Bullock’s property on August 8, finding all dogs in an acceptable body condition.

The vet found all racing dogs were kept indoors and were wearing rugs, but some dogs housed in outdoor runs were not rugged when inspected.

Shredded paper was used in some hutches in outdoor pens, which had become “somewhat damp”, and some pens had less than optimal bedding material.

Drone footage captured at an Exeter property owned by controversial greyhound trainer Anthony Bullock. Picture: Facebook

The vet found the dogs had food and fresh water, but some of the pens were substandard due to sharp tin edges – which Mr Bullock was directed to fix.

Light flea infestations were detected in five dogs, with two of those dogs suffering anaemia.

Faecal samples confirmed the presence of hookworms and whipworm, and one dog had a muzzle injury under her left eye.

The vet also found one dog had a raw area on one leg, but the lesion was clean and healthy.

One dog had a raw and bleeding tail tip lesion, while 13 dogs had gingivitis and some had some dental calculus build-up – which Mr Bullock was ordered to address.

An inspection was also conducted on another of Mr Bullock’s property, on Valley Road at Sidmouth.

Fourteen horses were inspected at the property, and all were found in an acceptable condition.

A horse seen in poor condition on the footage had been euthanised, with inspectors saying they were given a plausible explanation.

In the investigation report, the RSPCA said while there was no apparent breach of legislation, this was likely due to deficiencies in legislation rather than “appropriate and adequate care” provided by Mr Bullock.

The RSPCA also said the public reaction to the drone footage made it clear the conditions on Mr Bullock’s property “do not meet community expectations”.

As a result, the report made several recommendations about greyhound welfare in the wider industry.

These included that Tasracing develop an enforceable Canine Welfare Code of Practice, stipulating offences for non-compliance.

The recommendations also include a “robust life-cycle traceability program” for the Tasmanian greyhound industry, and that a review be conducted of existing legislation.

The Mercury has sought comment from Mr Bullock.

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