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The SPCA has joined calls to ban greyhound racing following the death of five dogs in five weeks.
It comes as the Greyhound Protection League, along with the animal rights charity Save Animals From Exploitation (SAFE), has created a petition to ban the sport.
The petition calls for all dogs that have been bred for racing to be rehabilitated and relocated.
Things
The Greyhound Protection League has created a petition, together with the animal rights charity SAFE, to ban the sport. (File photo)
One dog was euthanized at Waikato’s Cambridge Raceway, while two others were euthanized at Addington Raceway in Christchurch. All three animals suffered a radius and ulna fracture and were euthanized as a result of their injuries.
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Two more dogs were euthanized at Auckland’s Manukau Stadium on Sunday and six were injured, SAFE said.
An SPCA spokeswoman said the charity opposes greyhound racing because of “significant animal welfare concerns regarding current practices” within the industry.
He said the industry has “taken some steps” to improve the welfare of greyhounds, but needs to go above and beyond to meet the needs of dogs throughout their lives.
Warwick Smith / Stuff
The Hansen report analyzes and reports on welfare issues affecting greyhound racing in New Zealand. (File photo)
“The greyhound racing industry must take responsibility for all the dogs they breed and make sure they have a good quality of life and find suitable homes, whether they run or not,” he said.
Glenda Hughes, CEO of Greyhound Racing New Zealand, said that significant improvements have been made to the industry since the first Hansen Report in 2017.
Commissioned by the New Zealand Racing Board and conducted by former Supreme Court Justice Rodney Hansen QC, the report found that more than 1,440 dogs had been euthanized in the previous four years, with 1,271 dogs missing.
Twenty measures to be implemented were outlined, with respect to standards of governance and welfare, management of the dog population, euthanasia, rehousing and safety on the racetracks.
Hughes said one of the key concerns he identified was problems related to data collection, which had since seen massive improvements.
“Our database is now up to date and can track greyhounds from birth to retirement,” he said.
SAFE
Vinnie, Abbey and Finn have been rescued by the Greyhound Protection League.
“Our primary focus for the 2019/20 season was to reduce euthanasia numbers and expand our adoption program. In that short time, we believe we have made a significant difference and will continue to do so. “
Greyhound Racing NZ has hired an international track expert to monitor all racetracks and address any issues that lead to injuries to the dogs, he said.
The group’s 2019 annual report showed that 293 dogs were euthanized that year due to the industry being unable to rehouse them, while another 54 were euthanized on the track due to racing injuries.
The 2020 report showed that 34 dogs were euthanized on the tracks and 165 euthanized for undisclosed reasons.
“We are implementing more measures this season to ensure that the euthanasia numbers continue to decline,” Hughes said.
But Greyhound Protection League spokeswoman Emily Robertson said the industry had not done enough to remedy the situation.
Among other measures, you should move to straight tracks, as the sharp curves on the track are one of the main reasons for falls, he said.
Hagen Hopkins / Getty Images
New Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson assumed the title of Minister for Racing earlier this year.
SAFE Campaigns Manager Marianne Macdonald said she wants independent quarterly animal welfare audits of the industry and ultimately a ban to go into effect.
“It is disgraceful that a country with so-called ‘world class’ animal welfare legislation is one of only eight countries in the world that still has a commercial greyhound racing industry. It’s time for him to go, ”he said.
“Greyhounds belong on someone’s couch, not on the race track.”
Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson took over as Racing Minister earlier this year.
He has “no direct jurisdiction over the greyhound racing code,” he said, and operational matters, including animal welfare, are the responsibility of Greyhound Racing New Zealand.
That group is expected to “take a firm line against cruelty and neglect of animals,” he said.
“Everyone involved in the racing industry must make the protection of animal welfare a priority.”
Robertson said he will meet with Deputy Minister of Agriculture Meka Whaitiri before Christmas as she is responsible for animal welfare. Currently, he is “taking the time to understand all aspects of the portfolio before making new decisions,” he said.
