Opinion: A new season of greyhound racing is underway as the Government weighs up a decision to ban the sport. 1News asks both sides of the debate – should New Zealand pull the plug on greyhound racing?
While Labour’s Chris Hipkins and National’s Christopher Luxon both told last year’s final election debate they thought greyhound racing should be banned, Racing Minister Winston Peters has said he’s not rushing a decision on the matter.
Peters told a select committee in June it was a “very delicate situation” and that he expected a decision to be made by the end of the year – but wouldn’t commit to that timeframe. He also said that “dogs love racing”.
Animal welfare groups have long campaigned to ban the sport in New Zealand. Those calls have grown stronger since the Robertson report of 2021 found issues with transparency of activities and with animal welfare in general.
The former Labour government put the greyhound racing industry on notice following that report, however did not ban it.
Here, Greyhound Racing NZ and animal rights charity SAFE share their thoughts on the issue.
Emma Brodie, campaign manager at SAFE
What decision do you think the Racing Minister should take regarding a potential ban on greyhound racing? Why?
After four separate reviews into the industry over the past 10 years, we believe the Minister has all the evidence he needs to enact a ban on greyhound racing in Aotearoa.
The fundamental animal welfare issues associated with greyhound racing remain unchanged, and this is because racing is inherently dangerous.
The previous government put the industry “on notice” on September 2, 2021 for repeatedly failing to improve animal welfare and since that day, there have been over 2700 injuries, 288 fractures, and 26 fatalities. This goes to show that even under intense social and political scrutiny, the industry is failing to safeguard the welfare of dogs.
The Minister has previously indicated that he will make his decision based on social licence. Public sentiment on greyhound racing is overwhelmingly clear; it does not align with the values and expectations of society.
A recent poll showed that 74% of New Zealanders would vote to ban greyhound racing in a referendum, and over 38,000 signed a petition to ban greyhound racing in 2021.
There is also clear bipartisan support for a ban. The Greens have long called for an end to greyhound racing, and Labour urged the Government to proceed with a ban in March of this year. Even Christopher Luxon has expressed that it is time for greyhound racing to be banned.
What’s more, the industry is rapidly waning on a global scale. Last month, Mexico closed its last greyhound track and New Zealand is now one of only five countries where dog racing is still practised (alongside Australia, the UK, Ireland, and USA – which has just two operational tracks).
We question how New Zealand can claim to be world-leaders in animal welfare while still allowing this antiquated form of entertainment.
As long as greyhound racing remains legal, dogs will continue to suffer and die. Enough is enough.
Green MP Chlöe Swarbrick and Greyhound Racing NZ’s Elizabeth Whelan debate the ethics of the sport. (Source: Breakfast)
What would be the impacts on the dogs already involved in racing if the sport was to be banned in NZ?
We would expect the closure of the industry to be managed in a way that prioritises rehabilitation and rehoming.
To this end, a coalition of animal protection organisations from across the country, including SAFE, SPCA, HUHA, and Dogwatch, have committed to assisting the industry to rehome greyhounds should a ban be enacted.
This joint commitment signals a proactive approach to ensuring a smooth transition for these dogs into permanent, loving homes.
What would you say to people who think greyhound racing should stay; that the industry loves its dogs and the dogs love to race?
While some people in the industry may genuinely care for their dogs, the systemic issues in greyhound racing cannot be overlooked.
At the end of the day, greyhound racing exists because of a drive for gambling profits, not because greyhounds love to race.
On any given day at a greyhound race, dogs risk suffering from broken bones, dislocations, ruptured muscles, wounds, and death.
While greyhounds are known to be incredibly fast runners, this does not justify subjecting them to these risks. Greyhounds are gentle-natured, affectionate dogs who belong on the family couch, not the racetrack.
Edward Rennell, chief executive of Greyhound Racing NZ (GRNZ)
Edward Rennell responded to comments by both Chris Hipkins and Christopher Luxon at last week’s Leaders’ Debate, as did SAFE campaign manager Anna De Roo. (Source: Breakfast)
What decision do you think the Racing Minister should take regarding a potential ban on greyhound racing? Why?
Greyhound Racing New Zealand (GRNZ) firmly believes there are zero grounds to ban greyhound racing, and maintains that the industry has a social licence to operate. The sport has made significant progress in recent years, especially in the animal welfare space.
GRNZ spends upwards of $8 million a year on animal welfare, and one of GRNZ’s key welfare commitments is ensuring that every greyhound can be rehomed at the end of its racing career — or earlier, if it never races.
With the support of our existing four adoption partners and the recent introduction of our America Rehoming Project, GRNZ achieved 672 adoptions of greyhounds into loving homes last season – a new record.
With 481 adoptions in the season before that, this significant increase highlights GRNZ’s commitment to ensuring all greyhounds have a life after racing and shows we have sustainable and results-based programmes in place.
Major concerns with the greyhound racing industry from the 2017 Hansen Report and 2021 Robertson Review were:
- The euthanasia of healthy greyhounds upon completion of their racing careers
- The number of euthanasias of dogs due to raceday injuries
- Breeding numbers exceeding the industry’s limited rehoming levels
- Deficiencies with GRNZ systems and traceability of the greyhound population.
These concerns are no longer valid for the following reasons:
- Greyhound racing is the only racing code with a Euthanasia Policy that precludes the unnecessary euthanasia of uncompetitive animals. Every dog is guaranteed the opportunity to find a forever home post-racing career through our adoption programmes.
- Through a number of GRNZ initiatives, the number of raceday euthanasias is down 89% from five years ago
- GRNZ has implemented the GRNZ Great Mates Rehoming Programme and the America Rehoming Project to ensure breeding numbers do not exceed the industry’s rehoming capabilities
- GRNZ has significantly enhanced its systems and processes to ensure 100% traceability of every greyhound within the industry. GRNZ has also addressed concerns with our reporting, with full transparency and accountability through our quarterly and annual reporting processes.
Greyhound racing also makes an important contribution to the New Zealand Racing Industry. According to the January 2024 IER Size and Scope Report:
- In FY23, greyhound racing generated $159.2 million of value-added contribution to the New Zealand economy, representing a 71.9% increase since FY17
- Our relative share of economic output by code has also increased from 5.7% to 8.5% during that six-year period
- Greyhound racing in New Zealand has seen ownership increase by 125% over the same six-year period
- Greyhound racing in New Zealand provides direct full-time equivalent employment for 1054 people.
Greyhound racing is leading the way in many areas of animal welfare across the wider racing industry, and we look forward to the Minister for Racing confirming his support for the positive progress the industry has made.
We believe there are no grounds for closure, and that much of the contrary emotive debate is based on out-of-date information – or blatant misinformation.
What would be the impacts on the dogs already involved in racing if the sport was to be banned in NZ?
In the unlikely event of industry closure, GRNZ would work closely with its four existing adoption partners to ensure that all greyhounds already involved in the industry find their forever homes.
A key mantra of GRNZ is “no dog left behind”.
GRNZ takes social responsibility seriously, and at present, all greyhounds are required to be desexed when they retire from the industry. What this means is that if industry closure were to occur, it would effectively mean the end of the breed in New Zealand.
We have seen this happen in overseas jurisdictions where greyhound racing has been banned, and there is now a demand in those countries for greyhounds as pets.
This is a key reason why GRNZ began its American Rehoming Project earlier this year, where we export retired greyhounds to the US, where demand for these as pets exceeds supply. This is supplementary to our domestic adoption programmes and from a welfare perspective, it is a great outcome, as it is all about getting dogs into loving homes quicker.
The welfare of the dogs is crucial to this, with all dogs exported in line with standard operating procedures, on which the SPCA and veterinary experts were consulted prior to introduction.
What would you say to people who think greyhound racing should be banned due to concerns over the dogs’ welfare?
Judge our industry on what we are today, not on historical happenings or blatant misinformation.
Our rules, regulations and welfare standards go far beyond those imposed by the MPI Code of Welfare: Dogs.
The Racing Integrity Board conducts rigorous kennel audits annually at every greyhound trainer’s property to ensure facilities are compliant and that all greyhounds are happy and healthy and have optimum living conditions.
All racing greyhounds undergo veterinary inspections prior to every time they race. Regular domestic canine pets and their living conditions are not required to undertake any regular checks like these.
We encourage people to read our reports, which are all available on our website. We have nothing to hide. We aren’t the industry that we were 10 or 20 years ago.
These days, we are a modern, transparent and highly regulated sport. We put animal welfare at the heart of everything that we do, while simultaneously making an important economic contribution.
We also encourage people to speak to trainers and owners, who will explain how well cared for and loved their greyhounds are.
