Greyhound Racing
SPCA advocates for the end of commercial greyhound racing in New Zealand, with a transition period to allow for rehoming of greyhounds currently in the industry.
The greyhound racing industry in New Zealand has a demonstrated history of unwillingness or inability to adequately address significant animal welfare concerns. SPCA considers the New Zealand greyhound industry is beyond reform and supports a ban with a transition period to allow for rehoming of dogs currently in the industry.
Multiple independent reviews into the welfare of dogs within the greyhound racing industry have all reported significant animal welfare issues and a lack of transparency and accountability from the industry. The industry was placed ‘on notice’ by the Government in 2021 due to ongoing concerns about data reporting, transparency and animal welfare generally.
While greyhound racing continues in New Zealand, SPCA advocates for the greyhound racing industry to improve its practices to provide greyhounds with a Good Life where they experience positive welfare and meet their physical, health, and behavioural needs are met for the whole of their life.
SPCA opposes the breeding of puppies for the racing industry in greater numbers than can be responsibly rehomed.
Not all greyhounds will excel at racing. Thus, to produce dogs who can run at a competitive level, more puppies are bred than compete. Greyhounds are also imported from Australia for racing in New Zealand.
SPCA advocates for a focussed and independent assessment of the number of greyhounds entering and leaving the industry and implementation of active population management to avoid breeding more dogs than can be responsibly rehomed.
SPCA opposes surgical insemination of greyhounds due to the associated welfare risks and availability of lower-risk alternatives, such as transcervical insemination.
Most greyhounds are bred using surgical insemination. Surgical insemination is an invasive surgical procedure and carries welfare risks associated with surgery. It involves general anaesthesia of the animal, removing the uterus, introduction of (typically) frozen thawed semen into the uterus, replacement of the uterus, and closure of the surgical site.
SPCA supports rehoming initiatives that prioritise greyhound welfare.
The greyhound racing industry must maintain responsibility for all the dogs that they breed and ensure they have a Good Life, whether or not they are raced.
SPCA is concerned about the breeding of dogs with potentially heritable behavioural problems like severe anxiety (known in the industry as ‘spooks’) and advocates for greater compliance with comprehensive, early socialisation practices to reduce stress throughout their lives and improve adoption success, whether or not greyhounds are raced. Rehoming facilities should screen dogs for behavioural problems and monitor results to investigate patterns which may indicate risk factors which could be addressed.
Where greyhounds are rehomed overseas, SPCA recommends that dogs are assessed for suitability for travel and that the shortest and most direct flights are used.
SPCA opposes the use of drugs to attempt to alter the performance of an animal or to enable it to compete, including masking pain.
SPCA is concerned about the exposure of greyhounds to banned and illegal substances and advocates for increased testing. It is important that greyhounds are protected from deliberate or accidental exposure to dangerous banned substances, such as methamphetamine.
SPCA supports initiatives to reduce race day injuries and training injuries.
Greyhound racing is inherently dangerous and can result in physical overexertion, injury or death. SPCA supports steps taken to identify and reduce the risk of injury during races, such as pre-race screening to identify dogs at greater risk of injury (for example, radiographic tarsal screening).
The majority of race day injuries occur on the first bend. SPCA supports For example, track improvements to reduce the risk of injuries, such as the replacement of oval tracks with straight tracks.
SPCA advocates that racetracks used for training or racing must only be able to operate if a veterinarian who has experience in the veterinary needs of racing dogs performs a thorough physical health assessment of all dogs before and after racing and is present at all times during track use.
SPCA advocates for the use of low-stress, force-free training methods, which focus on positive reinforcement and opposes the use of training methods or devices that cause physical discomfort, injury or distress to the greyhound or any other animal.
It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act 1999, and prohibited under the Rules of Racing, to use live animals for baiting or training. Animals used as bait or a lure are likely to be injured and/or killed and experience distress due to the inability to escape.
SPCA advocates that greyhound housing must provide sufficient space and enrichment items to provide the dogs with a Good Life where they experience positive welfare and their physical, health and behavioural needs are met.
Independent kennel visits are required to ensure compliance with all relevant animal welfare guidelines, industry policies and government codes and regulations. This includes regular, rigorous and independent audits of animal welfare in large scale operations and rehoming facilities. SPCA is concerned that some greyhound housing facilities currently may not be meeting dog’s physical, health and behavioural needs, for example through inadequate housing, lack of appropriate and varied enrichment, or absence of some basic health care.
SPCA advocates for the mandatory collection and publication of comprehensive lifecycle (birth to death records) and injury statistics for greyhounds bred for racing and a national identification registration and traceability system.
Strict and enforced greyhound regulations are needed to ensure the welfare of the dogs throughout their lives, not just when they are participating in races. To ensure compliance, there must be comprehensive, accessible data available on the position of all animals from birth to death.
SPCA advocates for dedicated animal welfare roles and committees to ensure a greater focus on and commitment to animal welfare in the greyhound racing industry.
To ensure the greyhound racing industry is able to make meaningful, ongoing animal welfare improvements, a full time Animal Welfare Manager, based in New Zealand, with a background in animal welfare must be appointed. SPCA supports greater oversight through increased transparency and a health and welfare committee, with full participation of all relevant stakeholders, who have the power to oversee and advance animal welfare in the industry.