Tell The South Australian Government: Ban Greyhound Racing!
Recently, the South Australian Government decided to let greyhound racing continue under a new “integrity watchdog”, even after the industry failed to meet five of the objectives laid out by the Ashford Report, which gave it a final chance to reform or be shut down.
At the same time, a petition bearing more than 11,000 signatures triggered a public inquiry, on which you can comment before the closing date of
5 pm, October 9, to help end greyhound racing in the state.
Below are the issues on which PETA submitted, but sharing personal experiences and feelings is powerful. Please use your own words to tell the South Australian Government to stop abusing dogs for profit and entertainment.
Dogs Suffer On Racetracks
Greyhounds are gentle, clever dogs known for their loving personalities and couch-potato sensibilities. They’re easily stressed and prefer the comfort of home to noisy crowds.
But, in the racing industry, dogs are forced to run on winding tracks at breakneck speeds while hundreds of punters cheer and shout, and injuries and deaths are common. Already in 2026, eight dogs have died on South Australian tracks alone, with the death toll across all states standing at over 50 dogs dead and more than 7,400 injured.
To maximise profits, some dogs are doped with methamphetamines, anabolic steroids, caffeine, and other drugs, putting them at risk of internal bleeding, heart failure, infections, brain damage and more, in addition to the risks that come with running at full speed.
Greyhounds Also Suffer Behind The Scenes
The greyhound industry relies on breeding hundreds of puppies to feed its greed, but not all greyhound puppies are fast enough to turn a profit. The RSPCA estimates that 40% of dogs bred for the industry never race at all, and Greyhound Racing South Australia reported euthanising 25% of the number of dogs bred in 2025.
Combine this “oversupply” of puppies with the continuous stream of animals leaving the industry when they are injured, old, or simply losing, and it’s clear why there are so many greyhounds begging for homes.
The dogs who do make it to the track are routinely neglected and confined to barren kennels, denied the socialisation, companionship, and playtime that dogs value. Trainers have also been exposed kicking and beating dogs, leaving dogs without adequate food or water, tethering dogs in all kinds of weather, and even throwing dead dogs in mass graves.
Gambling On Greyhounds’ Lives Harms Everyone
Gambling is one of Australia’s most pressing social issues, with Australians losing close to $32 billion a year, the highest rate of gambling losses per capita in the world.
Aside from the economic toll, studies show that gambling is linked to increased economic stress on households, increased substance abuse, and higher suicide risk, and “reinforces the gendered drivers of violence to intensify the frequency and severity of intimate partner violence against women.”
No one wins when you gamble with animals’ lives.
Greyhound Racing Is Unreformable
Four of the five areas in which the industry fell short during its assigned “reform or close” period related to dog welfare: failing to acquire a stand-alone GAP facility for housing adoptable greyhounds, failing to implement a proper protocol for investigating complaints, and failing to urgently address minimum space housing requirements for non-racing greyhounds.
The industry also failed to address overbreeding. As a result, the backlog of dogs waiting for homes has increased by 51%, from 186 in 2023 to 281 by February 2026.
The problem with greyhound racing isn’t a lack of reform; it’s that the very act of pumping out hundreds of puppies, only to abuse them for entertainment, is inherently unreformable.
Demand An End To Greyhound Racing
Even with the government greenlighting greyhound racing with a new watchdog, the fight to ban it is still far from over!
Tasmania, New Zealand, Scotland, and Wales have all banned this cruel spectacle. Now, it’s time for South Australia to follow suit.
Please research, write and upload your own submission in support of the petition to end greyhound racing in South Australia, HERE, by 5 pm, October 9.
You can also help end greyhound racing in New South Wales by contacting the Premier below.
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