GREYHOUNDS DESERVE BETTER THAN A LIFE BUILT AROUND PROFIT
For decades, serious concerns have been raised about the treatment of greyhounds bred and used for racing.
A 2013 submission to the NSW parliamentary inquiry into greyhound racing cited an estimate that as many as 17,000 greyhounds were being killed nationally each year. That historical estimate should not be presented as a current figure, particularly because reliable national data remains difficult to establish.
However, the absence of one definitive national number does not mean the welfare concerns have disappeared.
Greyhounds can still experience injuries, distress and premature death within an industry that exists primarily for gambling and entertainment.
Whichever way I look at it, I cannot accept an industry in which a dog’s value is so closely connected to how fast they can run and how much money they can generate.
PROUD OF HIS GREYHOUNDS
I once saw a newspaper article about a man who had made considerable money racing greyhounds.
He stood with his dogs in front of his house, with a large swimming pool and an expensive car visible in the background.
The article appeared to be presenting a more favourable view of the industry. The trainer owned only a few dogs, and the story suggested they were well-fed and cared for.
The trainer said he felt proud of his dogs.
But however well those individual dogs may have been treated, I still struggle to justify using greyhounds for profit in a country that claims to love dogs.
The dogs bear the physical and emotional risks while people receive the financial rewards.
WHAT HAS CHANGED?
It is important to acknowledge that regulation and reporting have changed since this article was originally written.
Under the current NSW Greyhound Welfare and Integrity Commission policy, an industry participant cannot have a greyhound euthanised simply because attempts to rehome the dog have failed.
The policy also prohibits participants from surrendering retired greyhounds to facilities that conduct animal research or collect blood or plasma.
NSW now publishes quarterly information about registered greyhounds, including retirement, euthanasia and reported deaths.
During the 2024–25 financial year, the Commission recorded 577 euthanasias. Of those, 545 were medical euthanasias away from the racetrack, 14 followed injuries at race meetings and 18 involved greyhounds assessed as behaviourally unsuitable for rehoming or a known risk to people.
A further 549 reported deaths occurred during that year, including 232 attributed to accidents or injuries.
These figures show that oversight, reporting and rehoming requirements have improved. They also show that greyhounds continue to experience injury, illness and death within and beyond their racing lives.
DOGS HAVE EMOTIONS AND FEEL PAIN
Greyhounds are gentle, intelligent and emotionally complex dogs.
They experience fear, stress, discomfort and pain. They also need affection, social contact, suitable exercise, rest, enrichment and opportunities to feel safe.
Their needs should never become secondary to prize money, gambling revenue or entertainment.
Current regulation may establish minimum standards, but regulation does not answer the larger ethical question:
Should dogs be bred and raced for human entertainment and financial gain at all?
IT WOULD BE EASIER NOT TO CARE
I know it would be easier not to write this.
It would be easier to let the issue pass because it isn’t something everyone wants to hear.
But I can’t ignore something I feel so strongly about.
Acknowledging regulatory improvements does not require us to accept greyhound racing. Better reporting and stronger rehoming rules are welcome, but they do not remove the ethical concerns at the heart of the industry.
GREYHOUNDS DON’T HAVE A CHOICE
Greyhounds don’t choose whether they want to race.
They don’t choose to be bred for speed, placed into training or exposed to the risks of racing.
Humans make those decisions for them.
Dogs are living, sentient animals. Their wellbeing must matter more than profit, gambling or entertainment.
The growth in greyhound adoption has helped more people discover what wonderful companion animals these dogs can be.
Greyhounds deserve safe homes, affection and the opportunity to live as valued members of a family—not to have their worth measured by a finishing time.
If you are experiencing difficulties with an adopted greyhound, please reach out through our Contact page.
We would be more than happy to help you and your beautiful greyhound.
Dogaholics Dog Training and Behaviour Services
Dogaholics is a dog training and behaviour service located in the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie area of NSW.
Sources: NSW Greyhound Welfare and Integrity Commission’s 2024–25 Life Cycle Report and current Greyhound Rehoming Policy; Animals Australia’s 2013 submission to the NSW parliamentary inquiry into greyhound racing.
