April 2023: a dozen greyhounds killed on Australia’s lethal tracks

Two pups die on their first day of racing. Two veterans raced to death. Seven greyhounds killed in six days. One track killed three greyhounds in 10 days. Twelve greyhounds in total died. These are the horrendous and heartbreaking statistics for racing greyhounds on Australian tracks in April 2023.

North Or South was severely checked going into the back straight turn at Ipswich track, Queensland, on April 4. The race video shows her flailing helplessly as she flips over and over on the track. She “failed to finish” having fractured her foreleg. It was her 19^th race. North Or South was killed by the on-track vet. She was 2 years old.

On April 7, veteran Sleepy George fell after a collision on the first turn at Cannington track, Western Australia. He too “failed to finish”. How could he with an agonising broken femur? Despite his long career of 74 starts and winnings of over $62,000, he wasn’t worth saving. The on-track vet killed him. Sleepy George was 4 ½.

Richmond track in NSW was the deadliest track for greyhounds in April. Mighty Sting’s career lasted mere seconds on April12. His heels were galloped on by another greyhound and he fell at the first turn, fracturing his radius and ulna. He was killed by the on-track vet. Mighty Sting was not even two years old. It was his first and last race.

The following week 20-month old Jack Nelson was found dead in the kennels following his very first race at Richmond track. He had raced in the “Gotcha4life” maiden race where he came last. A young life cut tragically short.

And the very next week at Richmond again, veteran greyhound Almost Blue, 5 years old, was killed by the on-track vet after she broke her radius and ulna. She fell after a collision on the first turn. It was her 58^th start but she wasn’t worth rehabilitating.

Rawhide Hand, not yet three, was killed by the on-course vet following his 32^nd race at Gawler, South Australia on April 19. He lost ground on the back straight turn and was found to have “left and right hock injuries”.

Call Me Thor shattered his hock at Traralgon track, Victoria on 24^th April. He faltered at the back straight turn in his 27^th and final, tragic race. He was 2 ½.

Victa Lisa broke her radius and ulna in her 18^th race at Angle Park, South Australia, also on April 24. She failed to finish her race after falling at the back straight turn. She was killed not long after her race. Victa Lisa was about to turn 2 years old.

Gosford track in NSW saw the death of 2 ½ year old Full Of It on April 25. She fell heavily on the first turn and failed to finish. Full Of It had fractured her hock. She was “humanely euthanised” by the on track vet. It was her 8th race.

Gawler track in SA on April 26 proved lethal for Flash Lightning who had just turned 2. He was part of a multi-dog pile-up at the first turn and broke his radius and ulna. It was only his seventh race. He was killed by the on-course vet.

Still in SA at Murray Bridge track the next day saw the death of veteran Spring Vinnie, who at 61 months was no spring chicken and surely deserved a safe retirement after being forced to race 75 times. Spring Vinnie was checked on the first turn, then lost ground turning into the home straight. He had suffered excruciating bilateral comminuted hock fractures. He had been raced to death, but not before winning his connections over $61,000.

Andante, just two years old, was killed following his 5^th start at Dubbo track in NSW on April 29. He fell on the first turn and suffered a compound fracture of his offside foreleg. Andante was “subsequently euthanised”. He had won exactly $0 in his career.