Greyhound Racing – Is it Time for a Ban?

 

Rescued ex-racing greyhound Peggy

Despite legislative attempts in the UK to improve the lives of greyhounds, their welfare remains a problem. The 2017 Release Injury and Retirement Data released by the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB, 2018) is particularly worrying to animal rescue charities. So should the UK be looking towards an outright ban?

Arguably, those with the greatest stake in racing are the dogs. GBGB’s statistics demonstrate there were 4,837 racetrack injuries and 1,013 fatalities. GBGB compare this to horse racing, saying that greyhound racing’s fatality rate is, at ‘0.06% versus 0.18% (…) one third of (that of) horse racing’ (Amphlett, 2018), but does this make it right? In Dogs Trust’s Annual Report for 2016, they claim the problem is even greater, and that 3,500 of the dogs retired annually from racing ‘remain unaccounted for’ (Dogs Trust, 2017), due to a lack of rigidity of statistics recording.

The League Against Cruel Sports (LACS) say that of GBGB’s 1,013 fatalities, around ‘250 are euthanized at the racetrack’ (LACS, 2018), stating this means 11 are dying at each official racetrack per annum. One track set up a voluntary three-month pilot to analyse the outcomes of track injuries and found that only 15% of their track’s euthanasia cases were ‘destroyed for legitimate/humane reasons’ (Greyhound Star, 2018), explaining a key reason for euthanasia is the cost of veterinary treatment.

The UK government’s work, alongside charities and other interested parties, culminated in 2010 with a greyhound-specific piece of legislation:

Legislation to Protect Greyhounds

The Welfare of Racing Greyhound Regulations 2010 introduced a framework for track-related greyhound welfare. In 2015, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) stated the Regulations do not properly protect greyhounds for their whole life, or when off the track. The statistics are self-regulated by GBGB, however the RSPCA go on to explain that part of their concern is that there is a ‘two-tier system of regulation’ (RSPCA, 2014) between local authority-approved tracks and those being self-regulated, and that much of what happens is not being reported.

In 2017 Angela Smith MP organised a single-issue drop-in at the House of Commons. She stated that the Regulations ‘should be extended to cover trainers’ kennels’ (The Veterinary Record, 2017), where it is estimated dogs spend 95% of their time. The UK Government’s analysis of the 2010 Act (UK Government, 2016) outlined ‘areas of concern’, such as the dogs’ prolonged incarceration in trainers’ kennels, poor traceability of greyhounds, and ‘anecdotal evidence (…) of inconsistency in the standards of welfare.’ Indeed, the British Veterinary Association would favour an amendment to ‘the current Welfare of Racing Greyhounds Regulations 2010 to include trainers’ kennels’ (BVA, 2015). They also highlight the number of dogs being euthanized as being a significant ethical issue.

The Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006, and in England and Wales the Animal Welfare Act 2006, offer some protection to all vertebrates in the care of people, in that they impose a duty of care on individuals in charge of animals. They also outline the consequences of not abiding by such duty of care. There also exists Codes of Practice for the Welfare of Dogs (Scottish Government, 2006 & DEFRA, 2018). Codes are not law, however they can be used to aid in a prosecution. Encompassing the five freedoms, the Codes detail the welfare needs of dogs, but many people are unaware they exist. Welfare and greyhound-specific legislation, along with the Codes, could form sturdy prosecutions for anyone abusing greyhounds, but as with all animal cruelty offences, the authorities need to be aware that such abuse is happening.

Conclusion

With the UK government preoccupied with Brexit and intraparty politics, greyhounds are low on the political agenda. Worldwide, however, there is hope for greyhounds, with the state of Florida having voted this week to ban greyhound racing (Grey2K USA, 2018). It will be phased out by 2020.

While UK legislation is in place, it is considered to be inadequate by many in government, the veterinary world, and dog-related charities. This is in no way aided by GBGB’s statistics, which are regarded as unacceptable outcomes. Concerns are exacerbated by the data relating only to racing dogs, not those who do not make it to the track, or those at unregulated tracks.

Perhaps NOW is the time for us to follow Florida in banning this sport – regulating it is clearly not enough.

Peggy and her lurcher companion Ralph

References

Amphlett, F. (2018). ‘Greyhound Board of Great Britain: Retirement and Injury Data 2017’. The Greyhound Star: March 14^th Available at: http://greyhoundstar.co.uk/gbgb-releases-injury-retirement-data/ (Accessed 17/10/18).

British Veterinary Association (2015). ‘BVA and BSAVA Response to DEFRA Consultation on the Welfare of Racing Greyhound Regulations 2010.’  Consultation Response. (pp 4&6) [Online]. Available at: https://www.bva.co.uk/uploadedFiles/Content/News,_campaigns_and_policies/Get_involved/Consultation_archive/BVA%20and%20BSAVA%20response%20to%20Defra%20Greyhound%20consultation%20Dec%202015.pdf (Accessed 05/11/18).

Dogs Trust (2017). ‘Annual Review 2016’. [Online]. Available at: https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/about-us/audited-accounts-annual-reviews/annual-review/21178_dt_annual_review_2017__170524.pdf (Accessed 17/10/18).

DEFRA (2017). ‘Code of Practice for the Welfare of Dogs.’ The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 2018 version. [Online]. Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/697953/pb13333-cop-dogs-091204.pdf (Accessed 09/11/18).

Greyhound Star (2018). ‘Kinsley Study Concludes Economic Euthanasia is Unnecessary.’ October 17^th. [Online] Available at: http://greyhoundstar.co.uk/kinsley-study-concludes-economic-euthanasia-unnecessary/ (Accessed 17/10/18).

Grey2K USA (2018).  ‘Biggest Greyhound Victory Ever.’ [Online]. Available at:  https://www.grey2kusa.org/about/states/fl.php (Accessed 7/1//18).

League Against Cruel Sports (The), (2018). ‘1,000 Racing Greyhounds Die Last Year.’ In Protect Magazine Issue 20: June 2018 (p12) Surrey, UK.

RSPCA (2014). ‘Greyhound Welfare: Position Statement.’ [Online]. Available at: http://politicalanimal.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/GreyhoundsJuly2014.pdf (Accessed 17/10/18) (pp1-2).

Scottish Government (2010). ‘Code of Practice for the Welfare of Dogs.’ The Scottish Government, Edinburgh.

UK Government (2016). ‘Greyhound Welfare’, House of Commons Second Report of 2015-16, 10^th February.’ [Online]. Available at: https://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-committees/environment-food-rural-affairs/2nd-report-greyhound-welfare.pdf (Accessed 17/10/18).

UK Government (2016). ‘Areas of Concern.’ in House of Commons Second Report of 2015-16, 10^th February (p9). [Online]. Available at: https://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-committees/environment-food-rural-affairs/2nd-report-greyhound-welfare.pdf (Accessed 17/10/18).

Veterinary Record (2017).  ‘MPs Support Calls to Improve the Welfare of Racing Greyhounds.’ In News and Reports: Greyhound Welfare, Veterinary Record.10.11.36vrj380 27^th January 2017 [Online]. Available at: file:///C:/Users/Julie/Downloads/Greyhound%20welfare%20veterinary%20record%20document%20volume%20180%20issue%204%20(1).pdf (Accessed 23/10/18).

 

Copyright Images: Author’s Own