Animal charities call for end to dangerous greyhound racing on eve of big event
Charities calling on an end to unnecessary deaths and injuries.
A coalition of leading animal welfare charities is calling for support for its campaign to bring greyhound racing to an end, ahead of the UK’s biggest greyhound racing event this weekend, which will see dogs again put at risk of death and painful injuries all in the name of entertainment.
The Cut the Chase coalition – made up of the RSPCA, Blue Cross, Dogs Trust, Greyhound Rescue Wales and Hope Rescue – is calling for end to greyhound racing as the as dogs prepare to race at the final of the English Greyhound Derby at Towcester Racecourse on Saturday (1 July).
Greyhound racing is inherently dangerous for the dogs involved. Running at speed around oval tracks causes significant injury to many dogs, and in some cases, the injuries are so severe that it is necessary for dogs to be put to sleep.
New figures released by GBGB, the organisation responsible for licencing greyhound tracks in the UK, show that 244 dogs died or were put to sleep due to their participation in greyhound racing over the last year, and there were 4,354 injuries. This is on top of the almost 2,000 dogs that have died or have been put to sleep over the previous four years.
Concerns associated with the industry include disjointed and ineffective oversight within the greyhound sector, a lack of transparency regarding industry practices, and concerns around the enforcement of regulatory standards.
Reviews carried out by members of the coalition also found that some dogs used in UK racing are kept in poor, barren conditions, with little if any enrichment and fed a poor diet, and highlighted concerns around the general health of the dogs. There are also serious issues around the number of puppies that are unaccounted for between birth and racing registrations, so often referred to by the sector as the "wastage”.
The Cut the Chase coalition also has concerns around the racing of greyhounds in extreme weather. In recent days, dogs have taken part in racing at Towcester Racecourse in temperatures well above those recommended for exercising dogs.
Emma Slawinski, director of campaigns at the RSPCA, said: “Greyhound racing puts dogs at risk of painful injuries and even death which are unnecessary and completely preventable. The statistics from GBGB are a wake-up call. The number of greyhounds dying or injured because of racing is not acceptable, especially when you consider that greyhound racing is a leisure activity, in which 91% of the UK population do not follow or participate in.
“The Cut the Chase coalition believes that all dogs deserve a good life, however, the current approach to greyhound racing is incompatible with this. The only way to protect greyhound welfare is to phase out greyhound racing across the UK.”
Chris Burghes, chief executive of Blue Cross, said: “Thousands of racing greyhounds are suffering. Many dogs face a range of welfare concerns before they even set a paw on the track, including issues with breeding, kennelling and a lack of socialisation. Each time they step on a track these dogs are exposed to a risk of injury or death that is just not acceptable. Britain's dog-loving population would never put their own pets at risk on a racing track like this so why, in 2023, do some still view this as an acceptable form of entertainment? We repeat our call to UK governments to protect these dogs and bring in a phased end to greyhound racing and make events like these a thing of the past”.
Owen Sharp, chief executive of Dogs Trust says: “Just last week, the greyhound industry revealed that over 200 dogs had lost their lives in the last 12 months because of greyhound racing. This is simply not acceptable, and greyhound racing must come to an end as quickly as possible to prevent these unnecessary deaths and injuries.
“While GBGB will argue that the number of deaths and injuries have been reduced, it is not enough; one death or serious injury is one too many. The fact that greyhounds were raced at Towcester on Saturday, in temperatures completely unsuitable for exercising dogs, shows that the industry does not put the welfare of racing greyhounds first.”
At its peak, there were 250 licensed tracks in the UK. Today, only 20 remain with a further two that are unlicensed in Great Britain.
There is just one independent track in Wales - and earlier this year the Welsh Parliament / Senedd Cymru’s Petitions Committee backed the phasing out of greyhound racing in Wales, with the Welsh Government expected to soon consult on the future of racing.
The Committee's decision to launch an inquiry followed more than 35,000 signing a petition calling for a ban - demonstrating the levels of public support which exist against the sport, and a growing sense that the sport is considered socially unacceptable.
The Cut the Chase coalition has called for greyhound racing to be phased out over the next five years, and remains committed to the welfare of the dogs involved in the industry during this time.