I agree with Tom Haig that the industry has a bad name and I disagree with Grantley Stevens who said this was a minority opinion. There was a huge outcry from the community after the Murray Bridge trainer’s cruelty was discovered and further discovered he had been previously ‘fined’ by the SA greyhound racing community for sexually abusing his dogs which he maintained made them race faster. We have trainers ‘fined’ for giving their dogs amphetamines. It is difficult to understand why the industry continues to be allowed to operate.
I cannot believe the majority of Australians agree greyhounds (or any other animal) should be used for “sport”, entertainment and gambling.
We also have an over breeding problem which leads to the large number needing to be re-homed and if one adds to this figure, the number of pups who are never registered but euthanized before maturity/registration and the number of dogs which just disappear, it is just cruel.
I do not believe that this industry can be safely regulated by the greyhound racing community. The greyhound racing industry in SA and throughout Australia, excepting the ACT, fails to protect the animals.
I believe the tax on the winnings from the gambling on greyhound racing generate millions of dollars every year for the government. But surely this is not cost effective. It is known that the repercussions of gambling on human mental health, domestic violence and financial stress are a huge problem.
I believe Australia is one of only seven countries in the world with an established greyhound racing industry - and ours is the biggest. Australia has 58 greyhound racing tracks compared to the United States’ two and I believe greyhound racing is illegal in 39 states in America.
Greyhound racing was banned in the ACT in 2018 and our capital Territory remains the only state or territory to take this step - and stick to it. A ban on greyhound racing was famously overturned in NSW in 2016 following industry backlash. That an industry which has repeatedly proved that its priorities do not include the welfare of animals, can have the power to affect such change at a government level is a travesty.
And please stop the export of our greyhounds to China for further atrocities.
Thanks for speaking up Cr Tom Haig.
I agree with Tom Haig that the industry has a bad name and I disagree with Grantley Stevens who said this was a minority opinion. There was a huge outcry from the community after the Murray Bridge trainer’s cruelty was discovered and further discovered he had been previously ‘fined’ by the SA greyhound racing community for sexually abusing his dogs which he maintained made them race faster. We have trainers ‘fined’ for giving their dogs amphetamines. It is difficult to understand why the industry continues to be allowed to operate.
I cannot believe the majority of Australians agree greyhounds (or any other animal) should be used for “sport”, entertainment and gambling.
We also have an over breeding problem which leads to the large number needing to be re-homed and if one adds to this figure, the number of pups who are never registered but euthanized before maturity/registration and the number of dogs which just disappear, it is just cruel.
I do not believe that this industry can be safely regulated by the greyhound racing community. The greyhound racing industry in SA and throughout Australia, excepting the ACT, fails to protect the animals.
I believe the tax on the winnings from the gambling on greyhound racing generate millions of dollars every year for the government. But surely this is not cost effective. It is known that the repercussions of gambling on human mental health, domestic violence and financial stress are a huge problem.
I believe Australia is one of only seven countries in the world with an established greyhound racing industry - and ours is the biggest. Australia has 58 greyhound racing tracks compared to the United States’ two and I believe greyhound racing is illegal in 39 states in America.
Greyhound racing was banned in the ACT in 2018 and our capital Territory remains the only state or territory to take this step - and stick to it. A ban on greyhound racing was famously overturned in NSW in 2016 following industry backlash. That an industry which has repeatedly proved that its priorities do not include the welfare of animals, can have the power to affect such change at a government level is a travesty.
And please stop the export of our greyhounds to China for further atrocities.