End greyhound racing for good.

After years of needless suffering, the end of greyhound racing is finally in sight – but your voice is crucial to make it a reality.

Public submissions are now open on the Racing Industry (Closure of Greyhound Racing Industry) Amendment Bill which will bring an end to commercial greyhound racing in Aotearoa.

This is our moment to stand up for the dogs who have been injured, exploited, and killed for gambling profit. Let’s make sure the Select Committee hears loud and clear: New Zealand supports this ban.

Your voice can help protect greyhounds for generations to come.

What will the bill do?

If passed, the Racing Industry (Closure of Greyhound Racing Industry) Amendment Bill will:

End commercial greyhound racing in Aotearoa from 1 August 2026.
Establish the Greyhound Racing Transition Agency to oversee industry closure and facilitate the rehoming of greyhounds.
Dissolve Greyhound Racing New Zealand (GRNZ) and racing clubs.

This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create real, lasting change for dogs. SAFE fully supports the Bill and we’re calling for improvements to make sure the closure is comprehensive and compassionate.

Why your voice matters

The Government has finally introduced a Bill to end greyhound racing for good – a decision years in the making after multiple reviews found dogs were suffering and the industry could not be trusted to improve.

These dogs are not numbers on a betting slip. They are sensitive, intelligent beings who deserve care and freedom, not lives defined by injuries and early deaths.

The Select Committee will be hearing from both sides before deciding whether to support or amend the Bill. That’s why it’s crucial that compassionate New Zealanders speak up.

When we raise our voices together, we can ensure this historic moment truly delivers justice for greyhounds.

How to make your submission

It only takes a few minutes to speak up for dogs.

Visit the Select Committee webpage and click “Make a submission.”
Submit as an individual (or as an organisation if authorised).
Choose whether you want to make an oral submission to the Committee. You don’t have to – but it’s a great way to speak to decision-makers directly.
Write in your own words why you support the ban. Personal, heartfelt stories are powerful.
Make your recommendations.
Submit before 9 January 2026.

Key points you can include:

When you click through to make a submission, the form will ask two questions:

1. “I wish to make the following comments…”

Use this section to explain why ending greyhound racing matters to you. You don’t need to be an expert – personal stories, values, and experiences go a long way.

2. “I wish to make the following recommendations…”

This is where you can tell the Select Committee what you want them to do.

Here are some points you can draw from:

Routine harm to dogs

Every race puts greyhounds at risk of predictable and preventable harm. The physical demands of racing expose dogs to a wide range of serious injuries including fractures, dislocations, muscle tears, lacerations, and spinal trauma.

In the 2024/25 racing season, there were over 800 reported injuries, including 114 broken bones. During the same period, 16 dogs died or were killed on the track, and 137 more died off-track.

Away from the track, multiple investigations have revealed poor kennel conditions, limited socialisation, and inadequate enrichment – factors that further compromise dogs’ physical and behavioural wellbeing.

Some greyhounds have been exposed to banned substances, including stimulants like methamphetamine. This behaviour is a window into a culture that’s willing to put dogs at extreme risk for a competitive advantage.

Failure to improve under scrutiny

Greyhound racing has undergone major reviews in 2013, 2017, 2021, and again in 2022. Despite these repeated interventions, every review found persistent welfare issues and poor transparency.

Following the 2021 Robertson Review, the industry was placed “on notice” and told its future depended on urgent and meaningful improvement.

After more than a decade of scrutiny and unmet recommendations, it was clear that the problems in greyhound racing are systemic and cannot be resolved through reform.

Public values

Greyhound racing has lost the social license to operate.

Nationally representative polling conducted by Verian in 2025 found that 72% of Kiwi support the Government’s decision to end greyhound racing.

This Bill delivers on a clear public expectation for laws that are grounded in compassion.

International decline

Around the world, greyhound racing is in steep decline as concerns about animal welfare intensify.

Today, commercial greyhound racing continues in only a small handful of countries including New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom, Ireland and just two tracks in the United States.

Ending greyhound racing positions Aotearoa within the global movement to end dog racing and brings us closer to a future where animals are valued as individuals – not commercial assets.

Recommendations

Support the Greyhound Racing Industry Closure Bill in full.

Extend the ban to prohibit the export of greyhounds for racing so that the industry cannot simply shift cruelty offshore.

Once the transition is complete, consider ending the broadcasting and betting on international greyhound races in New Zealand. This will ensure our laws stand firmly against the exploitation of dogs, wherever it occurs.

Together, we can make history

This Bill marks the beginning of a new chapter for dogs in Aotearoa – one defined by compassion, not cruelty.

For decades, greyhounds have paid the price for human entertainment. Now, we have the power to stop the cycle of injury and death.

Your submission will help ensure Parliament hears what the public has been saying all along:

Greyhound racing has no place in a compassionate Aotearoa.

Add your voice today.

Deadline: 9th Jan, 2026.