The Greyhound Racing Act 2017 is failing to meet its stated aim of “high standards of animal welfare”. Too many young, healthy greyhounds are still being put down instead of being rehomed.
UPDATE 7 SEPTEMBER: The NSW Government responded to our query as to why their website stopped accepting submissions a number of hours before the deadline on 2 September. They apologised and said it was a technical error. They have stated that they are happy to accept submissions via email until 9 September 2020.
Below are links to the short and detailed surveys provided by the NSW Government as pdfs which can be used to guide your submission.
We have also included a word document that allows you to enter your personal details and includes CPG’s suggested responses to the short survey questions. You can then either copy and paste the document content into an email or save the document and attach it to an email. Please email the submission to [email protected]
NSW Government guidelines for detailed survey
NSW Government guidelines for short survey
CPG template for submitting short survey via email (this contains CPG’s suggested responses to the short survey questions).
Please note that the suggested responses are for guidance only and if appropriate please replace or amend with your own words or experiences. Please contact us at [email protected] if you have any questions.
CPG’s detailed submission is available as a .pdf here: https://greyhoundcoalition.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/gra-submission-by-cpg-final.pdf
CPG suggested responses
The survey headings are followed by a suggested response in a grey shaded box. The responses are for guidance only and if appropriate please replace or amend with your own words or experiences.
Question 1a. Since the introduction of the Greyhound Racing Act in 2017, to what extent do you think the greyhound racing reforms have improved the industry?
Select Some improvement
Question 1b. Please tell us why:
Racing still occurs on oval tracks and six dog racing hasn’t been introduced despite it reducing greyhound deaths and injuries. Thousands of greyhounds ‘disappear’ each year and healthy, trainable dogs are put down instead of being rehomed.
2a. Aim 1 – Introducing a new Commission to oversee and enforce animal welfare and integrity standards for the industry:
The Greyhound Welfare and Integrity Commission (GWIC) must be retained and guaranteed full funding by the NSW Government (via PoC taxes on gambling), which then recoups funds from the industry. GWIC’s powers should be expanded.
2b. Aim 2 – Improving animal welfare in the greyhound racing industry:
The NSW Government has not shown enough commitment to achieving this aim. The euthanasia of healthy greyhounds must be banned. GRNSW’s Greyhound Adoption Program (GAP) rejects greyhounds without giving them time to adjust. Two rejections permit euthanasia.
2c. Aim 3 – Improving registration for greyhounds, owners, clubs and trial tracks:
GWIC moved registration online which is far more efficient than GRNSW’s paper-based system.
2d. Aim 4 – Strengthening investigatory and enforcement powers and the tools that help regulate the industry (such as offences, fines, penalties and disciplinary measures):
Over the last 12 years, 97,783 greyhounds were whelped in NSW. Based on their average life expectancy, 90,974 greyhounds should still be alive. Where are they? GWIC’s investigatory powers must be increased so it can address this.
About 13,000 greyhounds are currently registered with GWIC which only has eight inspectors to monitor them, so the regulator must be given more of these officers.
GWIC must also be able to monitor and inspect all greyhounds, as slower greyhounds can be removed from the racing register and euthanised. Authorise GWIC to inspect greyhounds retired to non-industry participants by widening the definition of ‘greyhound’ in the Act.
Penalties for doping, cruelty and other infractions must be higher.
2e. Aim 5 – Focusing Greyhound Racing NSW’s role on the industry’s commercial viability, supporting greyhound welfare and promoting the industry:
GWIC, not GRNSW (given its commercial focus), should have the power to:
1. set minimum standards for racecourse design and construction and training facilities,
2. licence racecourses and training facilities,
3. set greyhound breeding limits in NSW to stop over-breeding,
4. set the standards for GAP’s behavioural assessment.
Greyhound clubs should not promote racing as ‘family friendly’ when greyhounds die every week on Australian tracks. Greyhound sanctuaries in regional areas could provide jobs and save retired greyhounds.
3. Do you have any other feedback on the Act or how greyhound racing is regulated in NSW?
The NSW Government must:
1. give the RSPCA and AWL the funding to investigate and prosecute matters linked to greyhound welfare as they don’t have the resources to cover all racers across NSW,
2. require an annual ‘proof of life’ check for each greyhound whelped in NSW and this would be possible if one vet in each local government area had a GWIC microchip reader,
3. widen the definition of ‘industry participant’ in the Act, so it’s consistent with the Greyhound Racing Regulations and covers a broader range of service providers.
Thank you so much for having your say on behalf of greyhounds and their welfare. Please comment on the CPG facebook site facebook.com/CoalitionForTheProtectionOfGreyhounds/ or email [email protected] if you have any questions or suggestions.
