The RSPCA has long specified wide-ranging regulatory standards for the greyhound racing industry which state governments have failed to implement.
- comprehensive regulation of greyhound racing by an independent body with a formal and complete separation of the integrity and regulatory functions from the commercial functions,
- adoption of compulsory and enforced animal welfare standards for greyhounds at all life stages to eliminate practices that cause injury, pain, suffering or distress and ensure all greyhounds have a good quality of life,
- adoption of formal processes to address over-supply and wastage rates – there should be an expectation and formal processes in place within the industry that greyhounds will be rehomed as a companion animal on retirement and provisions made to ensure their welfare,
- mandatory collection and publication of comprehensive lifecycle (birth to death records) and injury statistics and the development of a national identification and traceability system for all greyhounds to ensure each greyhound born is accounted for.
Governments want to avoid anything that might reduce the betting tax they get from racing or alienate conservative voters in regional electorates with tracks or anger the powerful racing and gambling industries.
CPG’s series of regulatory reports about the failings of each state’s regulation of the greyhound racing industry are available here (scroll down). Also, you can read about the regulatory structure in each state here.
Related media coverage:
November 28, 2023 – ABC Radio Melbourne – Calls to end all taxpayer spending on greyhound racing, Emile Pavlich
This three-minute radio item covers CPG’s new regulatory report which says that the Victorian Government’s response to date on greyhound welfare has failed to stop greyhounds suffering pain and harm.
November 27, 2023 – ABC TV news bulletin (Victoria), CPG Victorian regulatory report
This news item highlights CPG’s call to stop funding greyhound racing in Victoria with public money.
April 28, 2023 – ABC News Adelaide (SA) Greyhound welfare watchdog calls for out-of-competition drug testing to counter doping in racing industry Leah MacLennan
An anti-greyhound racing organisation has called for better regulation of doping in the industry, labelling current controls as “antiquated”, “predictable” and “easily circumvented”, in its new report on SA greyhound industry regulation.