The Australian racing industry is in shock today following a decision by the NSW State Government to ban greyhound racing from 1 July 2017.
NSW Premier Mike Baird made the announcement yesterday, outlining the findings of a Special Commission of Inquiry into the greyhound racing industry following a disturbing 2015 investigation by current affairs program Four Corners that revealed widespread incidence of animal cruelty.
The industry had expected heavy sanctions but was caught off-guard by news it would be completely shut down within the next 12 months.
Nevertheless, the findings of the Special Commission of Inquiry were nothing short of damning. It reported the mass killing of greyhounds with between 48,891 and 68,448 dogs killed in the last 12 years for being “too slow”, that up to 20 percent of trainers engaged in “live baiting” to train their dogs and the systemic deception of the public concerning the numbers of deaths and injuries of dogs.
In announcing his decision, Mr Baird acknowledged that the greyhound racing industry employed 1,000 people directly but said ultimately the benefits did not outweigh the shortcomings. He also noted a key finding of the report in which it stated, “it appears unlikely that the issue of the large scale killing of healthy greyhounds by the industry can be addressed successfully in the future.
“Such is the culture of the industry and some of its leaders that it is no longer, if it ever was, entitled to the trust of the community,” the report added.
The NSW Government has promised to do whatever it can to ensure all current dogs are re-homed and cared for sufficiently. The decision could potentially have ramification for Macau’s greyhound racing industry too given that the majority of Macau dogs arrive from Australia.
The ACT Government was quick to follow suit, however other states have yet to make any formal announcement in regards to their intentions.
