Official figures show 33 greyhounds died and 567 were injured on Queensland tracks for the period January to June 2019, announced the Coalition for the Protection of Greyhounds (CPG) today.
CPG spokesperson, Matthew Stephen, said collated injury data is not made available in Queensland, as occurs in other parts of Australia. Individual Racing Qld stewards’ reports were used – www.racingqueensland.com.au/racing-and-results/race-day-stewards-reports
“We’ve compiled this data from stewards’ reports. Neither government nor industry release any data on deaths or injuries for greyhounds in this state,” said Mr Stephen.
“Thirty-three dogs were killed in their prime. Some were not even two years old when they suffered death in the pursuit of profit and winnings for their owners and trainers. A normal greyhound life expectancy is 12 years.”
He said the dismal reality of greyhound welfare in Queensland showed how wrong the Government is to use taxpayer dollars for a new track.
“It’s appalling that the Queensland Government has just announced $39M in funding for a new greyhound track outside Ipswich. This is unimaginably upsetting for any animal lover to think about,” said Mr Stephen, who today called on all Queensland parliamentarians to cancel the new track – drive.google.com/file/d/1PDuKEFarCjgYfuALJkqaZrczxUbkreyQ/view?usp=sharing
Mr Stephen said underlying the animal cruelty of greyhound racing was the human misery caused by gambling, with Australia having the largest problem of this type in the Western world.
“Australia has one of the world’s highest rates of gambling. It’s a huge public health issue. Between 80,000 and 160,000Australian adults experience significant problems from gambling,” he said.
A further 250,000 to 350,000 adults experience moderate risks making them vulnerable to problem gambling – Productivity Commission Inquiry Report –www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/gambling-2010/report
Alliance for Gambling Reform Executive Director Tony Mohr said for every person directly experiencing gambling issues, there were family, friends and colleagues affected by gambling harm.
“There are established links between gambling harm and family violence, mental ill-health and even deaths by suicide, and it is well past time that gambling harm was addressed as a serious public health issue, akin to the harms caused by tobacco,” Mr Mohr said.
“Too many families have been harmed by gambling for this to continue to be effectively ignored by governments of all persuasions.”
CPG’s Mr Stephen said more gambling on animals, means more animal cruelty: “Greyhounds don’t choose to be professional athletes, don’t bank their winnings and when no longer wanted, they mostly ‘disappear’.” (See background for info on mass graves and illegal export.)
The Coalition for the Protection of Greyhounds (CPG) is a dedicated group of people across Australia who work together to educate and inform the public about the cruelties of greyhound racing.
www.facebook.com/CoalitionForTheProtectionOfGreyhounds
Backgrounder
Q: What causes the worst accidents?
A: This occurs when greyhounds ‘bump’ at speed, especially at the corners of the track where they are attempting to turn. Of the 33 deaths during Jan-June 2019, 28 deaths were caused by injuries to the front leg or the hock (the back ankle). These injuries are not fatal if treated well, yet these greyhounds were put down.
Vision – Qld greyhound racing death/injury –
- See 18 seconds in – www.racingqueensland.com.au/racing-and-results/full-calendar/greyhound/meeting/ipsw/20190209/race/1 In this video, greyhound Entanglement (the black and white dog wearing no.8) dies as a result of a collision with another dog that injured her front leg. Entanglement had not even turned two years old when she died here, in her very first race.
- Still image – greyhound racing injury – i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/10/11/04/394BAB6900000578-3831822-image-m-23_1476156397089.jpg
Generic image of a greyhound for media use –
drive.google.com/open?id=1b6r1ecqQ1UaMTKu5u21yO9lbSh6pwWHu
UTS studies –
The study said tracks should be redesigned to be straight not curved. Also, the report said the number of racing dogs should be reduced to six, to limit injuries. The proposed Ipswich track will have two curved tracks and only one straight track. There has been no information provided about how many dogs will race at any one time –
- www.grnsw.com.au/uploads/GRNSW%20Phase%20I%20Report%20FINAL%2020170605.pdf
- www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-10/nsw-greyhound-officials-call-for-straight-track-trials/9033514http://www.gbota.com.au/NewsArticle/809/6-dog-field-trial-at-Lismore
Mass graves in Qld – evidence
Illegal exports – evidence
(ends)