Greyhound trainers, veterinarians and racing officials are holding out hope for a last minute reprieve from the Government as the sport enters what is likely its final season.
Racing Minister Winston Peters announced earlier this year that the Government would ban the sport from July 31, 2026, saying too many dogs were being killed and injured.
“As difficult as it was, you’ve got to what’s right and we do not believe in cruelty to animals,” he said.
Last season, 17 greyhounds were euthanised after being injured during races, with 800 injured and 200 seriously injured.
Rangiora-based trainer Gary Cleeve told 1News he had been working in the industry for 45 years after following his parents and getting involved with greyhounds, which he referred to as “the poor man’s racehorse”.
He thinks the industry is being hard done by the Governent, saying other codes like horse racing suffer deaths and injuries on the track too.
“I think we’ve been totally unfairly judged by Winston and a lack of knowledge from a lot of MP’s involved.”
With the ban now just nine months away, he said he was unsure what the future held.
“Who wants to employ a 62-year-old broken down dog trainer at that age? I’ll probably be alright but I sort of feel for my children though, I’ve got two children and one of them has got a partner himself and she works for us, so three young ones will be out there looking for a job with skills that are hard to relate to any other occupation.”
Greyhound racers say livelihoods will be ‘ripped away’ with sport’s ban – Watch on TVNZ+
A veterinarian on duty at the Palmerston North Greyhound Racing Club this week said she also felt the Government had made the wrong decision.
“The welfare of these dogs is actually significantly better than what the general population understands and believes…they haven’t seen the love and care that goes into the race dogs, everything from their food and their bedding to how often they’re exercised,” Kelly McDermott told 1News.
“We’re upset about the injuries and the deaths as well, we don’t want them to happen and we’re actively working to reduce that in every step that we can.”
McDermott said in her regular veterinary role, she dealt with injured dogs daily.
“Dogs that have been out doing zoomies around the backyard will break a toe, or break a foot or a hock, you know it happens everyday.”
Greyhound Racing NZ chief executive Edward Rennell said the industry had made “significant improvements” in terms of animal welfare in the last five years.
He said greyhound racing now had the lowest number of race day deaths of any animal code.
Rennell told 1News Peters would not engage with the industry body and that Greyhound Racing NZ had not met with the Minister since his appointment in November 2023.
“We would like the opportunity to present to the Government our position and highlight the changes that have been made and continues to be made.”
And in what Rennell called a clear double standard, the Government would continue to allow the TAB to broadcast foreign greyhound races after the domestic ban went into force — a move that generates levies and taxes from gambling.
In Australia, 88 greyhounds have been killed racing so far this year, with more than 8000 injured.
A spokesperson for the Racing Minister said the proposed ban was focused solely on New Zealand animal welfare.
“Matters pertaining to betting on offshore racing are not included in the current process/ proposed legislation, there will be a full select committee process in which submitters can present their views.”
The animal welfare group SAFE plan to do exactly, calling the situation a clear double standard.
Its campaign manager Emma Brodie told 1News dogs did not suffer any less because they were raced overseas.
“Allowing the TAB to profit from international greyhound racing sends the wrong message – that cruelty is unacceptable here, but tolerable when it happens elsewhere,” Brodie said.
“We expect the Government to review this as part of their closure plans and we will be giving them this feedback during the upcoming Select Committee process.”
