Genetic study ‘important step’ for greyhound welfare, says clinician

New genomic analysis has been hailed over its potential for helping towards optimal lifetime welfare for racing greyhounds amid continuing uncertainty over their activity’s future.

Regulators who commissioned the research claim its findings align with key aspects of the BVA’s revised policy on the use of animals in sport, which they support.

But critics of the sport have claimed it is failing to meet its own welfare objectives after new figures revealed an increase in on-track fatalities.

The study, published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences journal, is claimed to be the largest of its kind examining the British greyhound population.

Swabs and saliva samples were collected from retired greyhounds by regional regulatory vets working for the governing body, the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB), which commissioned the study.

‘Welfare opportunity’

The analysis acknowledged levels of inbreeding were among the highest for all dog types, linked to the selection of key attributes for racing performance. But researchers believe the study’s identification of candidate genes contributing to the greyhound’s phenotype could help to reduce associated health risks.

Emmeline Hill, the paper’s lead scientist and chief scientific officer for the Irish genetics company Zinto, said: “The key welfare opportunity is to now use modern genomic tools to manage diversity judiciously, preserving what makes greyhounds remarkable while reducing the likelihood of inadvertently concentrating harmful variation.”

Vet and GBGB independent director Madeleine Campbell, who worked with Prof Hill on the paper, added: “This novel study provides a scientific evidence base for welfare-oriented breeding decisions and is an important step in optimising the welfare of racing greyhounds across their lifetimes.”

GBGB officials have also stressed the research should be seen as part of its longer-term welfare strategy, rather than as a direct response to threats against the sport’s future.

They argue the study meets the BVA’s calls for the prioritisation of participants’ long-term health and welfare plus a minimisation of negative welfare outcomes, as set out in the association’s new sport policy published in April.

‘Strategy not delivering’

But threats to the sport’s future persist amid proposed legislation in Scotland and Wales, and the implementation of similar restrictions in New Zealand from 1 August.

Welfare groups opposed to the sport have also urged the UK Government to “get real” after its own figures revealed an increase in the number of greyhounds euthanised on track. A total of 161 incidents were recorded last year, the highest annual total since 2020, though the overall number of reported injuries fell.

The Cut the Chase coalition said deaths had risen each year since the GBGB published its welfare plan four years ago, adding: “Clearly, that strategy is not delivering.”

But the racing board said a new fatality review process had been introduced and euthanasia cases accounted for just 0.05 per cent of more than 330,000 race runs. It also pointed out more greyhounds were now being rehomed at the end of their racing careers and claimed the detail of its data went far beyond Defra requirements.