2016-07-07
Greens WA spokesperson on Animals Lynn MacLaren MLC called on Premier Colin Barnett to ban greyhound racing in Western Australia following today’s decision by the NSW Premier to ban the industry there in response to a Special Commission of Inquiry report.
“In light of the decision to ban the greyhound racing industry in NSW and overwhelming evidence of systemic animal cruelty, I have joined my colleagues in Queensland, Victoria and South Australia calling for a nationwide ban on the greyhound racing industry.”
“The report’s evidence - including mass greyhound killings, painful on-track injury, and live baiting - cannot be ignored.
The report found that in NSW between 48,891 and 68,448 dogs were killed in the last 12 years because they were deemed uncompetitive. Even reducing the number of races to the bare minimum required for the industry to remain viable, there would still be 2,000 to 4,000 dogs killed prior to racing age each year. The industry calls this “wastage.”
The report states “Members condoned and participated in the mass slaughter of tens of thousands of healthy greyhounds simply because they no longer are, or never were, able to compete against other dogs. …it appears unlikely that the issue of the large scale killing of healthy greyhounds by the industry can be addressed successfully in the future.”
“In addition, the major and catastrophic injuries documented, such as skull fractures and broken backs, paint a horrifying picture of systemic cruelty.
In fact worldwide, the industry is in decline, with only 8 countries permitting greyhound racing. In the USA, it is already illegal in forty states.
“The report has confirmed what we have been saying about the Greyhound Industry all along - the industry is built around cruelty and should not be allowed to operate"
Related campaign: Ban Greyhound Racing in WARelated portfolios: Animals