About a quarter were rehomed or retained by owners and trainers, and 60% were taken into the care of a greyhound charity, figures showed.
Sport’s opponents say it cannot be reformed because of dangerous tracks and problems rehoming retired dogs
She added: “No amount of ineffective ‘window dressing’ welfare commitments will address the suffering and deaths of thousands of dogs racing on dangerously configured tracks.”
Almost 1,000 racing greyhounds died or were killed last year, according to industry figures, prompting animal welfare charities to renew calls for an end to the sport in the UK.
“The truth is hundreds of dogs listed as ‘retired’ by the GBGB still remain in a commercial environment, confined to trainers’ kennels that have failed to comply with an agreed British Standard Institute specification, either used for breeding, forced to routinely donate blood or simply awaiting rehoming,” she said.
Greyhound Racing Regulation in the UK
Greyhound racing is currently self-regulatory and this sometimes means that there are areas where welfare is lacking. In the UK there are regulations in place to protect animals in racing and to try to ensure the highest welfare standards possible.
In recent years The Welfare of Racing Greyhound Regulations from 2010 have been introduced and implemented, however, these regulations are focused mainly on welfare at the track and fail to address many other aspects of the Greyhounds life where welfare may be of concern during breeding, in kennels and retirement. In addition to these specific regulations all other animal welfare legislation also applies to Greyhounds.
Tracks where racing takes place must either be licensed by a local authority or run by an operator accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS), such as the GBGB. In order to be eligible to race on a GBGB regulated track British bred Greyhounds must be registered in the Greyhound Stud Book in the name of the owner.
Trainers must also be registered with the GBGB. This registration entitles them to be earmarked with a unique identification number which allows them to race. When registered in the Greyhound Stud Book or with the Irish Coursing Club a GBGB Registration Certificate can be obtained in addition to a vaccination or inoculation certificate which are both necessary for dogs to race at regulated tracks.
All Greyhounds should be fully vaccinated against parvovirus, distemper, viral hepatitis, leptospira canicola and leptospira icterihaemiorrhagiae.
These laws are principally enforced by the GBGB and consequences for breaking them include being removed from their register, fined and having to undergo a disciplinary committee hearing.
As a requirement for UKAS accreditation there is an impartiality committee which exists as an independent group providing advice to the GBGB and this consists of impartial experts who monitor the activities of the GBGB and its staff. Members of the public can place a complaint in confidence about Greyhound racing with the GBGB who will investigate further.
The GBGB is responsible for regulating licensed Greyhound racing, however not all Greyhound racing in Great Britain falls into this category. All licensed or registered racing must follow and comply with the rules and standards set out by the GBGB and takes place at 26 registered racecourses at the time of writing.
The other type of Greyhound racing which takes place in the UK is called independent racing or flapping and this type of racing is not governed by a central regulatory body. There are currently 5 racecourses where independent Greyhound racing takes place across Great Britain, and rules can vary between each venue. These are often referred to as Flapper tracks.
The GBGB has strict rules established for all aspects of the sport from registration through to retirement and breaking these rules can lead to bans and being reported to the police. This is why some owners and trainers choose to compete at independent venues where the way they operate is not as tightly restricted and controlled as at GBGB regulated venues.
Although independent or flapper tracks do not have to adhere to the same regulations and this allows potential for a failure to meet welfare standards, a low standard of care and a lack of responsibility towards the animal, it does not necessarily mean that welfare standards in all cases are low.
Many reputable trainers use these tracks at the beginning of a dogs racing career or owners who race for fun may choose to compete with their Greyhounds at these tracks. The lack of necessity for licensing and official paperwork to compete at these venues means it is a lot less costly. However, the lack of regulation and codes of welfare does mean that there is the potential for controversial practices to take place or failure to for minimum welfare standards to be met.
Flapper tracks are generally well-organised in a similar manner to licensed tracks to facilitate the commercial and spectator side of the sport. Some bookmakers do not offer the option to bet on races at these tracks and due to the lack of regulation those which do offer lower pay-out limits and odds.
Flapper tracks are often seen as dodgy and damaging to the of the sport by those involved with licensed Greyhound racing and the hope is that at some point increased regulations will be enforced by the government restricting this type of racing.
Are there other welfare concerns with greyhound racing?
Yes. Since 2008, over thirty cases of greyhound cruelty and neglect have been documented in the United States. These cases occurred in all six states with active dog tracks, as well as in former racing states. These cases include physical abuse, parasitic infestations, starvation and failing to provide veterinary care.
Where the Track Ends: A documentary about greyhound racing
Sport’s opponents say it cannot be reformed because of dangerous tracks and problems rehoming retired dogs
Almost 1,000 racing greyhounds died or were killed last year, according to industry figures, prompting animal welfare charities to renew calls for an end to the sport in the UK.
The figures, released by the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB), are part of a concerted push to improve welfare standards in the sport, but charities say it cannot be reformed due to the “dangerously configured” oval tracks that cause a majority of injuries and a failure to properly rehome the dogs after they have retired.
Hundreds of dogs were “put to sleep” in 2018 for reasons including the high cost of medical treatment and the absence of a “viable option away from the racecourse”, while a suitable home could not be found for others.
The GBGB recognised these were “avoidable and unnecessary deaths” and pledged to eradicate them from the sport.
Nearly 250 greyhounds were euthanised at the racetrack on “humane grounds” last year, and scores died from “sudden death”, along with another 190 put to death because they were “unsuitable for homing”.
About a quarter were rehomed or retained by owners and trainers, and 60% were taken into the care of a greyhound charity, figures showed.
Trudy Baker, coordinator of Greyt Exploitations, claimed hundreds of dogs remained in a commercial environment after their retirement and said that welfare commitments could not address the “suffering and deaths of thousands of dogs”.
“The truth is hundreds of dogs listed as ‘retired’ by the GBGB still remain in a commercial environment, confined to trainers’ kennels that have failed to comply with an agreed British Standard Institute specification, either used for breeding, forced to routinely donate blood or simply awaiting rehoming,” she said.
“Hundreds more are sold or given away again for breeding, to be raced abroad or on independent tracks, or used for research and dissection.”
She added: “No amount of ineffective ‘window dressing’ welfare commitments will address the suffering and deaths of thousands of dogs racing on dangerously configured tracks.”
Chris Luffingham, from the League Against Cruel Sports, said greyhound racing was inherently unsafe and highlighted how it was responsible for the deaths and injuries of thousands of dogs in the UK each year.
“The greyhound industry continually fails to live up to its promises to truly put welfare first,” he said. “What these greyhounds really need is not yet more promises from the industry, but for the sport to be phased out and the greyhounds found good homes where they can live long and healthy lives.”
Mark Bird, GBGB managing director, said the industry was determined to “eradicate all avoidable injuries and any unnecessary deaths”.
“To achieve this, however, requires not only the commitment of everyone in the sport but also the availability of adequate and sustained funding that allows welfare to flourish,” he said.
The animal welfare minister, David Rutley, said: “Transparency is key to understanding how we can improve welfare standards … We want more greyhounds to find new homes and to enjoy a healthy retirement when they leave the sport.”
There has been a steep decline in the number of greyhound tracks in recent years, with Wimbledon and the flagship course, Towcester, among those that closed as attendances reached historic lows.