Greyhound Racing Over in New Zealand

The last greyhound race has been held in New Zealand.  

Across the Tasman, these beautiful dogs will no longer be bred and exploited for profit, no longer face injury and death on the track. It’s a great day for animal welfare in New Zealand.

When he announced the industry’s end less than two years ago, NZ Deputy Prime Minister, Winston Peters, cited the ‘unacceptably high rate of injury and death’ to dogs as the reason for the policy change.

Those injuries and deaths also occur at a high rate in the Tasmanian industry. No amount of tinkering around the edges on animal welfare by the industry changes the fact that greyhound racing is not safe for dogs, and the life these animals live – in kennels 23 hours a day – is no life for a dog.

New Zealand is just the latest country to end greyhound racing. This year, it’s been banned in Scotland and Wales, while it’s already illegal in places like Vietnam, Mexico and Macau, and in almost every US state.

Australia is one of the last countries in the world that still allows the suffering of greyhounds for gambling profits.

Tasmania has a chance to follow the lead of countries that understand the industry does not have public support because of how it treats and exploits dogs. Thanks to a Greens’ RTI, Tasmanians have now seen horrifying footage of dogs tumbling and breaking at Mowbray and Elwick tracks.  

That is the weekly reality of greyhound racing in Tasmania.

New Zealand shows it can be done, although the suffering of a reported 150 NZ greyhounds will continue as they’re shipped across the Tasman to finish their short racing lives in Australia.

Tasmania has a chance to lead the nation through Parliament enacting the government’s phase-out legislation that protects animal welfare, ensures industry participants are compensated through an orderly transition, and meets community standards.

It is only a matter of time before this disgraceful industry is ended for good across the country.