The government plans to pass legislation under urgency.
New Zealand.- The government has announced that it will pass under urgency the Racing Industry (Unlawful Destruction of Specified Greyhounds) Amendment Bill to ban greyhound racing in the country on the grounds of animal welfare. A transition period of 20 months would be given to allow time to find homes for racing dogs and help those involved in the industry.
Deputy prime minister and racing minister Winston Peters said the injury rate among racing dogs remains too high and that “the time has come to make a call in the best interest of the animals.”
“We acknowledge the work done by Greyhound Racing New Zealand to improve safety. While fewer dogs are dying, injury rates, while down slightly, have plateaued and remain unacceptably high,” Peters said.
He added: “Further legislation to enable the end to greyhound racing is required. A bill to make the necessary changes to the Racing Industry Act 2020 will be introduced to Parliament in 2025. There will be a full select committee process so everyone will have a chance to have their say.
“A key task will be the rehoming of the estimated 2,900 racing greyhounds in New Zealand. An Advisory Committee has been appointed to help manage the transition process. The Committee members are Heather Simpson (Chair), Murray Johnson and Lindsay Burton. They will provide advice on ensuring animal welfare, and support for those involved in the industry.
“Keeping unwanted dogs safe is a priority. The Government is working with animal welfare organisations to establish programmes to support rehoming.”
Greyhounds Australasia issued a statement urging the government to reconsider the decision:
It said: “This is a disappointing move that does not reflect the significant progress made by the industry to address animal welfare concerns and improve racing safety. Closing greyhound racing will have serious, real-life consequences for the thousands of people involved in racing – decent, hardworking people who take good care of greyhounds.”
Greyhound Racing NSW in Australia said the announcement “is a response to circumstances relating specifically to the industry in New Zealand.”
