In 2015, following the live baiting scandal, the Victorian government launched two separate enquiries into this exposure of ongoing animal cruelty.
One was led by Victoria’s chief vet Dr Charles Milne and one was an own motion inquiry by Sal Perna, Victoria’s Racing Integrity Commissioner.
Following the release of an interim report, the entire board of Greyhound Racing Victoria resigned despite the report finding there was no evidence that the GRV board knew about live baiting or covered up the scandal. However, Perna said it would be “naïve” to believe that live baiting has been eradicated. He went on to say, “The weight of information from industry participants indicates that the practice continues to occur as a clandestine method of educating, breaking in and training of greyhounds for racing.”
The review by Dr Charles Milne made 50 recommendations in relation to the industry’s approach to animal welfare. As with the NSW and Queensland State Government reports, a key recommendation was related to whole of life tracking: “5.2 That Greyhounds Australasia coordinate the collection and dissemination of greyhound lifecycle information.” Currently, there is no centralised whole of life tracking maintained by the Victorian racing industry.
Sources
- 2015 Own Motion Inquiry into Live Baiting in Greyhound Racing in Victoria, Sal Perna, Racing Integrity Commissioner
- Investigation into animal welfare and cruelty in the Victorian greyhound industry, Final Report 30 April 2015, Dr Charles Milne, Chief Veterinary Officer
- The Guardian, 11 March 2015: Entire Greyhound Racing Victoria Board Resigns in Wake of Live Baiting Scandal