NSW Announces Historic Ban on Greyhound Racing: Will the ACT Be Next?
*UPDATE: In a move which has shocked the nation, the New South Wales government has reversed its historic decision to ban greyhound racing in the state. Read the full story here.*
In a historic milestone for animals, NSW Premier Mike Baird has announced a state-wide ban on greyhound racing, effective 1 July, 2017.
http://www.facebook.com/PETAAustraliaOfficial/posts/269608836735063
In a statement posted on Facebook, Mr Baird said,
“Greyhound racing has been banned in many countries and many states of the US and is legal in only eight countries around the world. NSW will be the first state in Australia to ban it”.
https://www.facebook.com/mikebairdMP/posts/1135211593273747
Also mentioned were the key findings of a Special Commission of Inquiry into the greyhound racing industry, which Mr Baird described as “damning”.
Findings from this “chilling, confronting, horrific” report included the following:
Mass Killing of Greyhounds
Somewhere between 48,891 and 68,448 dogs were killed in NSW in the past 12 years. These gentle and often healthy animals are deemed “wastage”, simply because they’re not likely to make enough money for the industry.
Illegal ‘Live Baiting’
Although the horrific practise of using animals such as rabbits as ‘bait’ is illegal, the report found that “a trainer, who admitted to engaging in live baiting, testified that about 10 to 20 per cent of trainers engaged in live baiting.”
Injuries, Death and Deception
In his statement, Mr Baird said, “It is estimated that 180 greyhounds per year sustain catastrophic injuries during races such as skull fractures or broken backs that result in their immediate death”. But the commission found that “Greyhound Racing NSW had adopted a policy of deliberately misreporting the extent of injuries suffered by greyhounds at racetracks”.
Reform Not Possible
The report also concluded that the industry is incapable of reform, and that the mass killing of healthy dogs is not something that can be successfully addressed.
In fact, it found that “such is the culture of the industry and some of its leaders that it is no longer, if it ever was, entitled to the trust of the community”.
Watch Mr Baird speak on this issue here:
Greyhound racing will be shut down in NSW – the first state to ban the controversial sport. @Rebecca_C_Johns #9News https://t.co/bVKmr7PZkk
— Nine News Sydney (@9NewsSyd) July 7, 2016
What’s Next?
It’s time for the rest of the country to follow the lead of NSW and shut this violent and unnecessary industry down. There is no place in Australia for a “sport” in which dogs are injured, killed and forced to race for the sake of human “entertainment”.
Chief Minister of the ACT Andrew Barr has released a statement confirming that the ACT government agrees with NSW’s decision to ban greyhound racing, stating,
“The Government cannot continue to support an industry that is turning a blind eye to the sort of behaviour and cruelty uncovered by the special commission of inquiry”.
It’s time a national ban was introduced.
Please share this information with friends and family, and urge them to contact their local MP’s to push for an end to this barbaric industry.
