Attached is a pdf of Grey2K USA – Worldwide’s factsheet for Greyhound racing around the world.
This article gives an up-to-date summary of the industry around the world.
GREY2K-USA-WORLDWIDE-DOG-RACING-FACT-SHEET-MAY-2017.pdf
“Australia, reported 3,006 litters in 2015. Using the conservative estimate of six pups per litter, the industry bred approximately 18,036 greyhounds that year. In 2015, only 11,732 were registered to race, a discrepancy of 6,304 dogs.”
“Australia regularly exports greyhounds to New Zealand, having exported 813 greyhounds between 2009 and 2012.11 In addition, it is estimated that since 2011, Australian trainers have also exported over 1,700 dogs to mainland China, Macau, and Vietnam, jurisdictions with no animal welfare laws in place.”
Mike Baird truly was a conviction politician and for doing the right thing, in the current political climate that is heavily influenced by corporate interests and career politicians, Baird paid the price of being forced out of the political system.
Despite the extremely unfortunate reversal of the NSW ban, Australians are now informed about the reality of greyhound racing and they have a heavy distaste for it.
As with everything in modern politics, the market will ultimately decide the fate of greyhound racing since what is moral and what is right is playing a secondary role.
The most recent IBIS world report also indicates that racing generally, including greyhound racing is a dying industry. In its executive summary, the report states”
“Horseraces and greyhound races are fixtures of Australia’s sporting culture….However, ticket sales and revenue from non-event based thoroughbred, harness and greyhound races have declined.”
“The increasing popularity of sports betting sites that are accessible on a range of different online platforms has also reduced the share of gambling expenditure on racing and restricted a key revenue source for racing authorities and race clubs over the past five years. These effects have caused industry revenue to decline at compound annual rate of 2.3% over the five years through 2015-16 to reach $1.5 billion. As gamblers continue to shift to online sports betting platforms, revenue is set to fall by 1.8% in 2015-16. A recent performance-enhancing drug scandal surrounding the banned substance cobalt has also brought many industry players under scrutiny and tarnished the industry’s reputation.”
“These challenges are set to remain prevalent over the next five years and the industry is therefore expected to continue declining. Revenue is forecast to decrease….. This trend, coupled with falling thoroughbred, harness and greyhound racing attendances, is expected to contribute to the industry’s decline over the next five years. Projected consolidation is also expected to force smaller and less profitable participants out of the industry over this period.”
It is only a matter of time. We will see the end of greyhound racing sooner rather than later!