A whistleblower has leveled accusations at the New South Wales greyhound racing industry. [Image: Shutterstock.com]

In the spotlight again

Greyhound Racing New South Wales (GRNSW) is facing the heat yet again. The group, the biggest greyhound racing body in Australia, pledged it would right its wrongs in 2015 after an investigation revealed the preventable deaths of as many as 17,000 young dogs per year.

left to rot in metal cages when unable to compete any longer

Now, the former Chief Veterinarian of GRNSW, Alex Brittan, has made some shocking claims about the multi-billion-dollar industry. Lawmakers have made public a report in which he described “exploitation and suffering” of dogs forced to race at “barbaric” rates and left to rot in metal cages when unable to compete any longer.

Despite calls from critics, NSW Premier Chris Minns has refused to ban racing. “We’re not going to shut down the industry, but we do take this report seriously,” he said. Instead, an inquiry has been ordered to investigate the whistle-blower’s claims, a probe which GRNSW asserted that it “welcomes.”

The shocking details

Brittan’s 54-page letter includes many accusations against the industry.

He claims he witnessed “cases of extreme distress” in caged dogs. Some even had “recent pools of blood” around them after ripping off their toenails as they clawed at caged doors. He said that of the 4,200 dogs who entered the industry each year, just 1,600 would make it out and find owners. The rest were left in “industrial kennels.”

Brittan explained that when dogs do make it out, there also is no certainty of survival due to a lack of oversight to protect the dogs. For instance, he shared the shocking story of one greyhound that was due to retire to a home in the US. The dog died at Sydney airport after confusing its traveling container with a racing starter box and running into a fence when the door opened.

He also said that the GRNSW was prone to euthanize dogs without sufficient cause. This was supposedly because the group worked with vets who were “unaccepting of modern medicine” that could have actually helped the greyhounds. Brittan highlighted that more could be done to prevent a recent flurry of deaths during races too, when dogs ran into poles with “no padding on them.”

The document questioned why the government had chosen an investigation over a ban. “It could be perceived as concerning that the premier and gaming minister have stated that, irrespective of any findings, all bets are on, and the gambling will continue,” he said.

A lot of critics

The greyhound racing industry in Australia is certainly not without its critics. In fact, the last time the industry was facing the heat in 2016 more than 80% of people polled said they wanted it shut down. The Australian Capital Territory has banned the sport, with many petitions reaching state parliaments for similar measures.

The reality is the greyhound racing industry cannot exist without systemic animal cruelty”

NSW Animal Justice MP Emma Hurst is one of the main voices going against the industry. In response to the recent revelations, she said: “The reality is the greyhound racing industry cannot exist without systemic animal cruelty.” She is confident that the industry will shut down, claiming “it’s just a matter of when.”

Rather than working with these critics to find a solution, the industry has pitted itself against animal welfare groups. According to Brittan’s letter, the GRNSW leadership directed staff to treat these groups “as the enemy.”