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As reported by Michael Morrah for the New Zealand Herald, Greyhound racing is set to be outlawed in New Zealand in a decision announced by Racing Minister Winston Peters dubbed a “devastating blow” by an industry leader.
A proposal to ban the sport follows three critical reviews of the industry and a persistently high number of dogs being injured in races that Peters says is “unacceptable”.
“This is not a decision that is taken lightly but is ultimately driven by protecting the welfare of racing dogs,” he said.
The sport won’t stop immediately but will be phased out gradually over the next 20 months to allow time to rehome the estimated 2900 racing dogs in the industry.
This would mean the last official greyhound racing event in New Zealand would be in July 2026 if not sooner.
Urgent laws are also being passed to prevent racing dogs being killed amid moves to end the sport.
Concerns about poor animal welfare standards have been an issue for years.
There have been allegations a top trainer used live animals to train his dogs, multiple racing dogs have tested positive for methamphetamine and dozens of dogs have been put down after suffering catastrophic injuries while racing.
To read the full story, click here.
by Michael Morrah, republished from the New Zealand Herald
