In his Comment (Opinion, July 20) Peter Davis claimed that the ban on greyhound racing in NSW will result in ‘imminent Baird induced canine genocide.’
This seems an extraordinary statement, in view of the greyhound industry statistics established by the Industry Commission, and evidence from other reports, which indicates that ‘canine genocide’ is, and has continued to be, a characteristic of the greyhound racing industry.
Some of the findings from the Industry Commission’s Inquiry into Greyhound Racing in NSW include that:
- Of the 97,783 greyhounds bred in NSW in the last 12 years, between 48,891 and 68,448 greyhounds were killed because they were considered too slow to pay their way, or were unsuitable for racing.
- At least 50%, and up to 70% or more of those greyhounds were deliberately killed simply because they were, or no longer were capable of being competitive for racing.
- The total pups whelped in NSW for the months January to April 2016 is 1,590. Extrapolated, this figure indicates a total of 4,770 pups whelped for 2016.
- Applying the 50% to 70% wastage percentages, of the 7,548 greyhounds that need to be bred for a racing schedule similar to this year, somewhere between 3,774 and 5,284 will be destroyed.
- 40% of Greyhounds never make it to the racetrack.
- Since 2007, GRNSW has re-homed just 593 Greyhounds, at an annual cost of $200,000 per year. Between 2010 and 2013, that represented just 0.5% of dogs whelped.
- With little or no help from GRNSW, the combined efforts of animal welfare and volunteer rescue organisations in NSW consistently rehomed more Greyhounds than the GRNSW Gap Program in 2014 – 2015.
- In 2014 – 2015, volunteer and animal welfare organisations re-homed 412 Greyhounds. GAP re-homed just 173 Greyhounds.
Regards live baiting:
- Evidence of live baiting extends as far back as 2009 and with around 10 to 20 per cent of trainers engaged in the practice.
- In September 2009 and March 2010, senior Greyhound Industry officials even prepared documents for meetings of the GRNSW Board which plainly indicated that the practice continued, yet senior management took no adequate steps to investigate and stop the practice.
The ban on greyhound racing will put a stop to the extreme cruelty, and mass destruction of greyhounds that is inherent in this industry.
I hope that the public will support animal welfare, and volunteer based rescue organisations who will no doubt be left with the burden of trying to find foster carers and new homes for most of the greyhounds.
Michelle Alber, President
Sydney Pet Rescue and Adoption
