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Sir Roger Gale MP calls for stronger protection for greyhounds

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October 29th 2014


North Thanet MP Sir Roger Gale has this week called for stronger protection for racing greyhounds. Attending the launch of a new report by the League Against Cruel Sports and GREY2K USA Worldwide in Parliament, Sir Roger called for major change to stop thousands of dogs being needlessly killed.
 

Sir Roger said: “It is shocking that so many greyhounds die every year through injury or being deemed surplus to requirements by the industry, and many more live in inhumane conditions throughout their racing life. Major change is needed to protect these dogs from harm. I am delighted to support the League Against Cruel Sport’s important campaign.”

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Sir Roger joined up with ‘Katy’ the greyhound to demonstrate his support for the campaign. Please see attached photo.

The state of greyhound racing in Great Britain: A mandate for change, shows that despite two major reports in 2007 recommending change, the life of a racing greyhound is still filled with abuse, neglect and early death.

The report shows that racing dogs spend 95% of their time in small barren kennels with little social contact. Those dogs that are housed in pairs are kept constantly muzzled. Frequently racing on poorly maintained tracks, dogs suffer painful and often lethal injuries such as broken backs and shattered limbs.

At least 10,000 dogs are deemed surplus to industry requirements every year. 8,000 are retired racers, the rest young dogs that didn’t make the grade. British charities rehome many of these dogs, but countless more are unaccounted for each year through being abandoned, crudely killed or sold to universities for research and dissection.

The League’s campaign is calling for:

  • Independent greyhound regulation with full welfare transparency

  • Tighter drugs controls

  • Greyhound passports to track all dogs from birth to death

  • Mandatory rehoming requirements

  • Controls on the breeding and importation of racing dogs

To coincide with the report, actress and long standing greyhound welfare advocate, Annette Crosbie OBE, has set up a Government e-petition calling for strengthened legal protection for racing greyhounds.

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