Eight dogs take off out of the box for race six at Bulli Showgrounds on Tuesday 12 August – but only seven of them completed the run. Photo: Ladbrokes.
A dog was destroyed during the greyhound races at Bulli on Tuesday night.
Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW) said the dog, Apple Pie, sustained an injury during race six.
“An assessment of the injuries by the on-track veterinarian determined that, regrettably Apple Pie was deemed unsuitable for admission to GRNSW’s industry leading Greyhound Care Scheme which provides ambulatory, surgical and rehabilitation care for greyhounds injured in any race or trial,” the GRNSW spokesperson said.
“Our condolences go out to the trainer, owners and connections of Apple Pie.”
The Greyhound Care Scheme (GCS) offers financial support for greyhounds that have been injured during an official timed GRNSW race.
The scheme does not cover the cost of bone fractures of the tail and single metatarsal or metacarpal fractures, however and greyhounds that use the GCS for surgical repair are banned from racing or breeding post recovery.
The sport has come under fire over the past decade due to animal welfare concerns, including the deaths of dogs during races and the euthanasia of healthy dogs that are not able to race due to age or ability.
The industry admits the total number of racing greyhounds euthanised each year fluctuates between 300 and 600.
GRNSW said on-track deaths had reduced from 1.4 per 1000 starts to 0.15 per 1000 starts since 2017-18, and the NSW Greyhound Racing industry remained committed to delivering the highest welfare for its canine athletes.
The reduction in deaths is attributed to a suite of strategies including improved trainer education, a race injury review panel and changes to track structures.
“The Greyhound Welfare & Integrity Commission publishes race injury data on a quarterly basis, making NSW one of the very few jurisdictions in the world to do so,” the GRNSW spokesperson said.
Very few jurisdictions in the world, however, permit commercial greyhound racing, and none at the scale operated in Australia.
Australia is one of seven countries where greyhound racing is legal, alongside the UK, Ireland, US, Mexico, New Zealand and Vietnam.
Of those seven countries, New Zealand has begun a phase-out of the industry, with the last greyhound race planned for 2026. In Vietnam the sport is legal, but there are no tracks to conduct it on.
Australia has far and away the most tracks, with 58 compared to the next highest number – 21, in the UK.
Even within Australia, opinions are split.
Newly elected Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff announced he plans to cease funding for the industry in 2029.
GRNSW boss Steve Griffin said he was “disgusted” by the announcement.
The future of the sport in the Illawarra may have a rocky road ahead, too.
The 90-year-old “Dapto Dogs” club will hold its final race on 11 September, GRNSW announced earlier this year.
GRNSW leases the dog track around the showground from Dapto Agricultural & Horticultural Society (AHS). The lease will not be renewed after it runs out in 2026.
Wollongong City Council’s plans to upgrade the showgrounds at Bulli are on hold until GRNSW decides whether it will consolidate its Illawarra races on its own property at Dapto, or continue to operate at Bulli.
