We’ve all seen media reports of appalling cruelty in the greyhound racing industry, and now there is more reported by an ex-industry vet in NSW. Previously:
Livebaiting. Undercover operations in 2015 by animal advocacy groups in three states produced horrific footage shown on ABC TV (1). Live animals, such as rabbits, possums and piglets were tied to lures to be chased and mauled by greyhounds during training. It is impossible to imagine the terror and pain experienced by these victims . A Special Commission of Inquiry was set up in response to this publicity in NSW. A summary of findings (2) makes it clear that these were not isolated incidents:
“Evidence of live baiting extends as far back of 2009 and with around 10 to 20 per trainers engaged in the practice, the Commission concluded that there is endemic support for the practice and that GRNSW knew about the practice and did nothing about it.”
So has live baiting been stamped out? No. Evidence of live baiting was found as recently as 2023 in SA north of Adelaide (3) and in Victoria near Geelong (4).
Mass graves and mistreatment. A number of mass graves have been uncovered where unwanted greyhounds were dumped, including 9 near Sydney (5,6), 55 in Bundaberg (7), and 100 in the Hunter Valley (8). All these cases were also associated with gross cruelty. Some of the 55 and 100 dogs had caved-in heads, so were most likely beaten to death. On the Sydney property, 12 severely emaciated live greyhounds with dental disease were seized. In Bundaberg, the property owner was issued infringement notices by the RSPCA regarding 19 live greyhounds, as well as horses and poultry.
In 2023, TV footage showed an employee punching and kicking greyhounds in Murray Bridge SA (9). In response to this cruelty, the Premier set up an independent inquiry into the industry (10), headed by Graham Ashton, who issued his report in December 2023.
The Ashton Report
The report identified a number of major problems in the industry (11).
Overbreeding. According to the report, the purpose of the greyhound industry is to generate gambling revenue, and to do this, the industry breeds more dogs to run more races. Putting a limit on breeding conflicts with the purpose of the industry, so it breeds more dogs than it can find homes for. The report notes that there should be an annual cap on breeding, but does not make a recommendation to this effect. There is already a backlog of greyhounds awaiting adoption, which will only get worse with time.
Injuries and lack of treatment. The report notes that at some point all racing greyhounds will suffer injures of varying severity, but adds that euthanasia is often preferred to treatment (p.7):
“… there is a practice of greyhounds being euthanased within 48 hours of an on track serious injury that might otherwise be considered amenable to treatment through surgery or other means. This was confirmed by veterinary experts who spoke of experiencing pressure from some race day participants to euthanase their greyhounds on the track.”
Recommendation 25 includes track changes designed to reduce injuries, but does not include any obligation to treat injuries when they occur.
Inadequate living conditions. The report is critical of the barren, often darkened sheds in which greyhounds are housed. In SA there is no requirement for daily exercise or enrichment. Recommendations 39, 42, and 45 include increased minimum space requirements, at least 30 minutes of free exercise per day and access to toys, and making exercise, socialisation and enrichment requirements mandatory.
The report concludes that public trust in the industry has been severely eroded and that practices in the industry do not meet community standards for animal welfare. Without urgent reform, “government should consider ceasing the industry in its current form.”
Government response. The government has appointed a Greyhound Industry Reform Inspector to oversee the implementation of recommended reforms over the next 2 years and to determine if they have been achieved (12). Do we really believe the government would have the moral courage to “cease the industry” if the industry still fails to meet community standards?
The Brittan Report
In July 2024, a report by former chief vet at Greyhound Racing NSW appeared in the media. Dr Alex Brittan described the treatment of greyhounds as barbaric and the industry as unsustainable (13). He described several major problems.
Injuries. There has been a sharp rise in injuries because greyhounds are raced too frequently. Regulations state only that dogs should not be raced on consecutive days, so they could legally be raced every second day, not leaving enough time for recovery. The situation is made worse by the government paying a race allowance each time a dog is raced. This is an incentive, especially in the case of slow dogs, to race as often as possible to get some sort of income.
Deaths. Dr Brittan claims that the number of greyhound deaths in 3 times higher than reported by the regulator. There are loop holes that allow unwanted dogs to be killed and the reason for their deaths to be concealed.
Overbreeding. There is a large and growing backlog of greyhounds awaiting rehoming because the number of dogs bred each year far exceeds the number of homes available. As Dr Brittan stated:
“Until the existing backlog of un-homed greyhounds is acknowledged and addressed, it is utterly immoral to allow yet more greyhounds to enter this unsustainable morass of expolitation and suffering.”
Appalling living conditions. Unhomed greyhounds are boarded at “commercial/industrial caged facilities”, presumably until they die and cease to be a problem. Dr Brittan describes these facilities as follows (14):
“There are cases of extreme distress, deep claw marks gouged all over the inside of metal cages and recent pools of blood from toe nails that had been ripped off from clawing at the cage door in distress.”
Government response. The NSW government paid some lip service to the horror of these revelations, but quickly affirmed their support for the greyhound racing industry.
Premier Chris Minns: “Look we’re not going to shut down the industry but we do take this report seriously.” (15)
Racing Minister Harris: “As Minister for gaming and racing I am committed to supporting a competitive, responsible and sustainable greyhound racing industry, with the highest standards of animal welfare and integrity.” (13)
Lea Harris has been appointed as Acting Chair of the Greyhound Welfare Integrity Commission (GIWC) to conduct an inquiry (16). The GIWC was set up as a supposedly independent regulator to clear up the industry after the livebaiting scandal and the McHugh report in 2016. It is under their watch that the most recent scandal has emerged, so how much faith can we have in an inquiry conducted under its auspices? Especially since the terms of reference do not include the option of ending an industry that is many think is beyond reform.
References
1. Meldrum-Hanna, C. (2015). Greyhound racing: Piglets, possums and rabbits used as live bait in secret training sessions, Four Corners reveals. February 16, at https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-16/live-baiting-expose-to-rock-greyhound-industry/6109878
2. Factsheet. The Special Commission of Inquiry into the greyhound racing industry and the Government’s response. NSW Government at https://greyhoundcoalition.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/nsw-fact-sheet-greyhound-racing-industry-nsw-special-commission-of-inquiry.pdf
3. Rix, E. (2023). Greyhound trainer bans for live baiting leaves SA Premier ‘shocked’ after industry assurances. June 20 at https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06-20/premier-on-greyhound-live-baiting-inquiries-after-trainer-bans/102500534
4. McLennan, R. (2023). Greyhound trainer suspended amid Lara live baiting scandal. September 6 at https://www.bay939.com.au/local-news/greyhound-trainer-suspended-amid-lara-live-baiting-scandal/
5. Zhou, N. (2018). Heartbreaking: nine greyhounds found in mass grave in Sydney. July 12 at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jul/12/heartbreaking-nine-greyhounds-found-in-mass-grave-in-sydney
6. Wylie, B. & McKinnell, J. (2018). Mass greyhound grace found at Sydney property, a dozen emaciated dogs seized. July 12 at https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-12/greyhound-grave-uncovered-on-sydney-property/9986408
7. Donaghey, K & Guppy D. (2015). Some of the 55 greyhounds in mass grave may have been beaten to death. April 3 at https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/some-of-the-55-greyhounds-in-mass-grave-may-have-been-beaten-to-death/news-story/240bad5d19ec5bdbb786d02ee44a0ac5
8. Marchese, D. (2016). Greyhound ban: Report on Hunter Valley mass grave details ‘slaughter’, Troy Grant says. July 20 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-20/nsw-greyhound-racing-killings-hunter-valley-mass-grave/7644012
9. MacLennan, L. (2023). Greyhound Racing SA charges two people with greyhound mistreatment after ABC report. July 28 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-28/greyhound-racing-sa-charges-two-people/102660974
10. Former Victorian police commissioner Graham Ashton to lead SA greyhound racing inquiry. August 14, 2023 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08-14/graham-ashton-sa-greyhound-racing-industry-inquiry/102726500
11. Ashton, G. (2023) Independent Inquiry into the Governance of the Greyhound Racing Industry at https://www.orsr.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/972010/Greyhound-Racing-Inquiry-Report.pdf
12. Greyhound industry reforms to be overseen by former racing integrity commissioner Sal Perna. 2024 May 8 at https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-05-08/sal-perna-named-sa-greyhound-industry-reform-inspector/103817328
13. Baker J. (2024) Explosive report alleges ‘morass of exploitation and suffering’ in NSW greyhound racing. July 9 Sydney Morning Herald
14. Coalition for the Protection of Greyhounds. Industrial-scale death and suffering. At https://greyhoundcoalition.com/nsw-the-state-of-shame-and-sorrow/
15. Harris, C. (2024). Premier rules out shutting down greyhound racing in NSW after explosive report. July 10 Sydney Morning Herald.
16. Nichols, S. (2024). Independent inquiry into Greyhound Racing NSW confirmed after animal welfare conditions raised. July 11 at https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-07-11/independent-inquiry-greyhound-racing-nsw-confirmed/104085928
Yes, it is a very brutal industry… money making at its worst.