by Sue Osborne, Coalition for the Protection of Greyhounds
Shifting the responsibility for animal welfare from industries that benefit from exploiting them to independent, properly funded bodies would be a huge step in the right direction.
The Australian Alliance for Animals’ (AAA) Fair Go for Animals campaign is endorsed by Coalition for the Protection of Greyhounds (CPG) and many other organisations, including RSPCA Queensland. CPG believes changes to government policy will ultimately result in an end to greyhound racing.
The AAA campaign Fair Go for Animals calls for significant government reform in animal welfare.
At the moment, Australia’s political landscape and the public’s expectations on animal welfare standards do not align. Agricultural ministers are often given responsibility for animal welfare, but their primary motivation is growing the industry.
AAA undertook a survey in 2023 which found nine out of 10 people agree that the law should require all sentient animals to be provided with good animal welfare standards.
Politicians often receive large donations from animal industries, and in the case of greyhound racing, benefit from gambling taxes, therefore animal welfare reform is a low priority.
A six-point reform framework
While AAA mainly focuses on farm animals, its reforms would also benefit greyhounds. They are:
- Ministerial recognition
Create ministers for animal welfare to remove conflicts of interest. - National animal welfare commission
Establish a national animal welfare commission to make the system truly independent. - Animal welfare authorities
Create state animal welfare authorities to ensure the interests of animals are upheld under law. - Decision-making principles and sentience recognition
Introduce guiding decision-making principles into animal welfare legislation and recognise animals as sentient beings with intrinsic value. - Fair and accountable animal welfare standards processes
Create fair and accountable animal welfare standards and decision-making processes. - Adequate funding
Allocate proper funding for animal welfare services in line with community expectations.
A failure of welfare standards
The daily horrific death and injury of greyhounds on and off tracks (something the industry systematically tries to cover up) is evidence that the current industry oversight is failing.
The inability, or unwillingness, of industry to limit greyhound overbreeding, causing a rehoming crisis, is more evidence of a failure of welfare standards. There is no official mechanism in Australia to monitor the fate of greyhounds that are not raced.
A proper, well-funded animal welfare system in Australia could see an end to these issues. AAA has produced report cards on political parties and their stance on animal welfare that is pertinent for the upcoming federal election.
CPG has also put together an election scorecard, summarising party positions on policies crucial to greyhound welfare. There is also a CPG email template to make it easy to write to Federal MPs calling for an end to greyhound racing and the exporting of greyhounds.
You can also learn more about the importance of an Independent Office of Animal Welfare from Animal Liberation here.
Tax deductible donating
Another important reform called for by AAA is to expand the deductible gift recipient (DGR) status to include all animal advocacy charities to encourage more giving.
At the moment, if you donate to CPG, an advocacy group, you cannot receive a tax deduction. However, if you donate to Greyhound Rescue for example, an organisation focused on the care and rescue of greyhounds, you can receive a deduction.
To be endorsed for tax deductible status, an organisation must primarily focus on providing short-term direct care or rehabilitation to animals that are lost, mistreated, or without owners.
The Productivity Commission Inquiry into Philanthropy, which handed down its final report in 2024, found that the DGR system is not fit for purpose and recommended the expansion of DGR status to include all animal advocacy charities.
This reform would benefit organisations like CPG and provide them with more funding to campaign on behalf of greyhounds.