Greyhound Rescue Wales joins animal welfare charities to welcome further support from Members of the Senedd for their joint call to bring greyhound racing to an end in Wales.
During a debate in the Senedd today, MS including Jack Sargeant MS, Luke Fletcher MS and Jane Dodds MS echoed calls from Dogs Trust, RSPCA Cymru, Blue Cross, Greyhound Rescue Wales and Hope Rescue to bring the greyhound racing to an end as quickly as possible and stop the entirely preventable injuries and deaths of dogs involved in racing in Wales.
This follows a report from the Senedd’s Petitions Committee, in which a majority of Committee Members announced support for greyhound racing coming to an end in Wales.
As a committee we carried out an inquiry involving all stakeholders and the evidence was overwhelmingly in favour of a ban. We called our report The Final Bend because we think this ‘sport’ is on its last lap.
Today was an opportunity to debate that evidence and I look forward to the forthcoming Welsh Government consultation which includes a question to considering a phased end to greyhound racing in Wales.
I am really grateful to Hope Rescue for bringing forward this petition and [working] hard throughout the process. This is another example of the real difference the petitions process can make.”
The Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) governs licensed greyhound racing in Great Britain. Data from GBGB show that over 2,000 greyhounds died or were put to sleep and nearly 18,000 injuries were recorded from greyhound racing between 2018 and 2021. In today’s debate, members heard how they only need look over the border to England to see how GBGB regulation does not prevent the suffering of greyhounds.
Minister for Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths MS, gave indication that a consultation on the next steps for greyhound racing in Wales would aim to publish towards the end of 2023.
To show your support for an end to greyhound racing in Wales, email your Member of the Senedd via the Dogs Trust, Blue Cross and RSPCA websites and ask them to take action and #CutTheChase.