Those of us who have lived with or spent time with a greyhound will tell you that they are among the gentlest, sweetest and laziest dog breeds around.
Contrary to popular belief, greyhounds are not high-energy dogs and love nothing more than a long nap and a snuggle on the sofa – if they can fit.
Their long, lean bodies carry little fat, which is why you‘ll sometimes see them wearing specially made greyhound pyjamas in winter. (And you thought they were just incredibly stylish!)
Greyhounds are well known for being the fastest dogs on the planet ‒ reaching speeds of up to almost 70 kilometres per hour. Sadly, it’s for this reason that the racing industry uses these placid, gentle dogs.
The Greyhound Racing New Zealand 2019 Annual Report shows that 293 dogs were euthanised in 2019 due to the industry’s failure to rehome them. A further 54 were euthanised at the track due to critical injuries sustained during racing.
When you combine gambling with cruelty, it’s clear that greyhound racing needs to be banned in New Zealand
New Zealand is one of only eight countries in the world that still allows commercial greyhound racing. A ban in the Australian Capital Territory came into force in April 2018, followed by a ban in Florida, USA, in November 2018. Since Florida is home to 11 of the USA’s 17 active dog tracks, this is a signal that greyhound racing is about to become a thing of the past in the United States.
When it comes to greyhound racing here in New Zealand, it’s clear that we are falling behind and that our government needs to act.
Live baiting is the practice of using live animals as a lure for greyhounds to chase during training. It is believed that it makes the dogs run faster. The use of live or dead animals as bait is banned in New Zealand, but in a self-regulating industry, it is easy to flout these rules.
In December 2017, news broke of an ongoing investigation by the SPCA into live baiting in New Zealand. Multiple charges were laid against one of New Zealand’s top greyhound trainers, who regularly used live animals as bait, according to reports from multiple co-workers.
The problem of live baiting is thought to be more widespread and hidden by the industry.
Greyhounds are among the most misunderstood dog breeds. The number one misconception is that they are high energy and require lots of exercise. The truth is that while they do enjoy short bursts of activity, the rest of the time they like to nap.
Another misunderstanding is that a muzzle equals aggression. Greyhounds, like any dog, are capable of chasing cats, but have often missed out vital training as pups through no fault of their own. A muzzle may simply mean that the greyhound is in training or has been newly rehomed. One thing’s for sure ‒ there is likely to be a big softy behind that muzzle.
Write a polite email to the racing minister explaining why you want an end to greyhound racing.
Key points you can make:
This email will be sent directly to racing minister Winston Peters. Emails are public information. If you would like any of your information to be withheld, please say so in your email.
Sign up for the Plant-Based Challenge! Eating a plant-based diet is the most important thing you can do to help animals. It's a simple switch, but it makes a big difference. We bet you’ll find it tastier and easier than you ever imagined!
As a charity, SAFE is reliant on the support of caring people like you to carry out our valuable work. Every dollar goes towards providing education, undertaking research and campaigning for the benefit of all animals.
SAFE Animal Squad
