The Call for Greyhound Racing to be Banned

By John Isaac,
Editor at online-gambling.com

John Isaac Editor at online-gambling.com

John Isaac is an editor with many years of experience in the gambling industry. He writes expert articles on card games like blackjack and poker. In addition, he is also well aware of the US gambling laws and the Indian and Dutch gambling markets. You can rely on verified information and insightful details.

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Last updated: September 28, 2022

The RSPCA, Dogs Trust, and Blue Cross, three prominent animal welfare charities in the UK, have demanded a permanent ban on greyhound racing. The GBGB (Greyhound Board of Great Britain) has condemned this call. In their joint statement, the three charities cited GBGB data that showed that more than 2,000 greyhounds died and almost 18,000 were injured between the years 2018 and 2021. Also, further injuries happened at independent tracks outside the body’s supervision.

The groups acknowledged that while they have been collaborating with dog racing stakeholders to enhance welfare conditions for some time, there are still issues they’ve not been able to resolve, necessitating a complete ban on the sport. Chris Sherwood, RSPCA Chief Executive, said, “We’ve tried to work with the industry over the years to bring in better protection and improve welfare for the dogs, but we’re not satisfied that enough progress has been made.”

He said that they believe that calling for the sport to be banned permanently is the only way they can ensure the dogs have good lives. Additionally, he said they want to see greyhound racing become a thing of the past. Dogs Trust CEO Owen Sharp and Blue Cross CEO Chris Burghes both mentioned that their charities are still dedicated to collaborating with the industry to uphold welfare standards and implement a phased-out of the sport. The US has already banned commercial greyhound racing, which is a win for the dogs across the pond. However, the writing was already on the wall for the sport before the ban and the sport had already seen a decline in the US.

The GBGB Responds to the Call

However, in their own response, the CEO of GBGB, Mark Bird, and Chairman, Jeremy Cooper, condemned the proposals and described the call of the charities as both “ill-conceived” and “ludicrous.”

Bird remarked that it was absurd that these charities were promoting the agenda of animal rights extremists. He pointed to the commitment of the GBGB toward greyhounds, which has decreased track fatalities from 0.06% to 0.03% between 2018 and 2021.

He further said that the report fails to make a case for reform that is based on evidence because standards for welfare in licensed greyhound racing have significantly improved over the last four years. Additionally, he mentioned that they are aware that there is no room for complacency when it comes to welfare and that they have built on this via their long-term strategy, which is “A Good Life for Every Greyhound.”

Concerns Raised by the Charities

The charities listed several issues, including greyhounds racing in “extreme weather conditions,” subpar standards in living conditions and kennelling, and inadequate transportation to and from fixtures. The trio has also alleged that the sport’s regulations are ineffective. They mentioned that it lacks transparency regarding industry practices and standard enforcement.

However, the GBGB has defended its record. They reiterated their efforts to enhance welfare standards. Professor Madeleine Campbell, a veterinary specialist, and GBGB Non-Executive Independent Director, also defended the views that GBGB presented.

According to Prof. Campbell, the GBGB’s approach to animal welfare is “world-class, having received support from across the political spectrum and being based on input from specialists, academics, veterinarians, and animal welfare experts.