Three-year old Sako Outlaw, who suffered a horrible death on the Capalaba track, has been named Queensland Greyhound of the Year for 2022.
In a poll of Queensland members of the Coalition for the Protection of Greyhounds, Sako Outlaw earned the award for symbolising the appalling cruelty inflicted on greyhounds.
He fell on the supposedly safe straight track at Capalaba in August 2022. The stewards’ report drily described how he “fell and took no further competitive in the event”, because he suffered a “fractured lumbar vertebrae”. He was eventually euthanased by the on-track industry vet.
A CPG spokesperson said even though Racing Queensland tried to hide the video, distressing footage had been obtained.
“Anyone who saw Sako Outlaw struggling to move with a broken back would be vehemently against greyhound racing,” she said.
“I presume Racing Minister Grace Grace hasn’t seen the video. In fact, I presume she hasn’t seen any race video. No normal, compassionate person would support this industry after seeing the violence suffered by greyhounds on a daily basis,” she said.
Minister Grace praised the industry’s own awards, held recently at the Greek Club in Brisbane. She said it’s “fantastic to see the code going from strength to strength in Queensland”, and was proud to have waved a shovel at her $39m gift of a new track near Ipswich.
“It’s immoral for the government to use taxpayer money to build new tracks where there’ll be more Sako Outlaws. All greyhounds killed and injured by the racing industry deserve awards, but that would let reality intrude on the racing industry’s propaganda campaign,” said the CPG spokesperson.