Warragul targeted in greyhound campaign

Greyhound racing at Warragul has been targeted in a campaign aimed at banning the sport Australia-wide.

The action has been sparked by the euthanising of a dog injured in a race at the Warragul track on September 26.

Coalition for the Protection of Greyhounds’ national president Dennis Anderson described Warragul as “the second deadliest track and one of the main greyhound graveyards in Australia”.

He stated that 10 dogs had been put down after being injured racing at Warragul this year.

But Greyhound Racing Victoria defended the industry saying welfare of dogs and integrity were high priorities and track safety part of its long-term science-based strategy.

The Warragul track was remodelled to make it safer in 2010.

Mr Anderson said the most recent death of greyhound Jackson’s Valley resulted from a fractured foreleg sustained in a race in which it collided with several others at the start and two more at the first turn before falling.

The incident occurred on a wet night and only about an hour after stewards inspected the track and declared it safe for racing, he said.

In addition to the 10 deaths at Warragul this year 312 greyhounds had been injured.

Nine of the 10 euthanised were because of broken legs or ankles, the other due to a broken neck.

The Warragul Greyhound club stages more than 100 meetings a year with about 8000 starters in races.

On top of that number are many dogs that are given race trials at the track by trainers.

The number that suffer fatal injuries represent about 0.13 per cent of starters and about four per cent suffer non-fatal injuries.

A spokesperson for GRV said races were first held at Warragul in 1935 and claimed today’s racing in Gippsland – at Warragul, Traralgon, Sale and Cranbourne – contributed more than $50 million a year to the region’s economy and supported 425 full-time equivalent jobs.

The spokesperson said GRV acknowledged the loss of a greyhound was distressing but added decisions to euthanise those that were injured were made by qualified on-track veterinarians.

“All deaths are investigated as part of a commitment to ensure racing is conducted on the safest tracks possible”.

Mr Anderson said “big money” – the collects by State governments through taxes from gambling companies – made it unrealistic to expect a ban on the industry in the shorter term.

However, he said there was an urgent need for major reform until that happened.

The actions proposed by CPG are an emphasis on straight tracks rather than circuits, reduction in the number of starters per race from eight to six, breeding of fewer greyhounds, whole-of-life tracking of greyhounds and establishment of sanctuaries for “retired” racing dogs.

Mr Anderson said sanctuaries should be funded from what governments receive from betting taxes.

GRV points to considerable success with its Greyhound Adoption Program for retired racing dogs with more than 200 placed as pets with new owners in Victoria this year.