Greens Bill Introduced to Ensure No Greyhound Disappears

Abigail Boyd, Greens NSW Upper House MP and animal welfare spokesperson, has this morning introduced the Greyhound Racing Amendment (Whole-of-life Tracking) Bill to the NSW Parliament, which will allow genuine whole-of-life tracking of all greyhounds that have been involved in the racing industry.

Animal welfare advocates are concerned that greyhounds are being transferred out of the industry on paper, and killed as industry wastage in reality. The Bill will close gaps that may be allowing this to occur.

This follows the Government’s February announcement of a technical process to allow transferring greyhounds from the greyhound register to the companion animals register under the misleading name ‘whole-of-life electronic tracking’, which still puts greyhounds outside of GWIC’s remit once they leave the industry.

It also comes in the lead-up to the Parliament’s Inquiry into GWIC and the 2017 greyhound racing reforms, which commences hearings on 27 May.

Abigail Boyd, Greens NSW Upper House MP, says:

“If a racing greyhound is injured during a race and subsequently retired from racing, but its owner, trainer, or a bookie decides to keep it as a pet, GWIC can keep tabs on the dog and check on its welfare if they choose.

“If, however, that same greyhound is given to the owner’s brother, or next door neighbour, or adult daughter, the Commission has no jurisdiction to check on the dog no matter what they suspect may have happened to it.

“Last year alone, 239 greyhounds were transferred off the industry books without going through any rehoming program, and we just don’t know what happened to them. These dogs could be being transferred out of the industry on paper and killed as wastage in reality.

“In 2017, the Government promised they would track every greyhound from birth to death, but their own laws have tied the hands of the regulator.

“This Bill fixes the error in the existing Greyhound Racing Act and ensures GWIC oversight of every greyhound that has ever been used in the racing industry.”

Find out here how you can support the Greyhound Whole-of-Life Tracking Bill!

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Greens Bill Introduced to Ensure No Greyhound Disappears

TAX SUPERPROFITS TO PAY WORKERS MORE

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