Premier Mike Baird Declares Greyhound Racing Banned In NSW
New South Wales Premier Mike Baird has taken to Facebook to say “NSW is putting an end to greyhound racing.”
The declaration comes after a Special Commission of Inquiry into the greyhound industry returned “disturbing reports… [of] cruelty to animals and other illegal activities.”
NSW will become the first state to ban the sport. As of 2015, there are 65 operating tracks across Australia.
The report found that “somewhere between 48,891 and 68,448 dogs were killed because they were considered too slow to pay their way or were unsuitable for racing.”
The practice of “live baiting” – where animals like rabbits are used as bait for dogs – in training, the “systemic deception of the public concerning the numbers of deaths and injuries” and the fact that the industry is unable to successfully address these issues in the future led the NSW government to make their decision.
“I feel much empathy for innocent trainers and those who will lose their job or hobby as a result of this,” Baird wrote.
“And I understand the disappointment of people who enjoy having a punt on the dogs. But we simply cannot and will not stand-by and allow the widespread and systemic mistreatment of animals.”
You can read his full Facebook statement below and the Special Commission of Inquiry’s report here.
Photo: iStock.
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You expect trainers to just keep the dogs as if, they will put down all of the dogs. That's it gone in a blink of an eye. Yes people has mistreated the animals and have gone against the law but you need to think of the consequences of this action. There is a few greyhound tracks in NSW that have just redone them all due to the recent flood and just because it needed doing. If they catch people that are mistreating animals and live baiting well they need to give them a life ban and make them have the animals off the property within 10 days and they CANNOT be put down what so ever. This is going to cause dead greyhounds on the streets in tips and everywhere else. They are animals so are we. They deserve a life just like us. They love to run and some of you say they don't well they actually do, just like every other dog loves to run when they throw the ball for them. I hope this changes for the dogs sake not for our sake for the dogs sake.