Campaigners celebrate greyhound race ban votes

Welfare groups have hailed a “landmark” week after Scottish and Welsh politicians both backed plans to ban greyhound racing.

Campaigners who have long fought for the discipline to be outlawed are now calling for legislators in Stormont and Westminster to follow the lead of Cardiff Bay and Holyrood.

But the sport’s governing body insisted it remains “resolute” in fighting the measures, amid an ongoing legal battle.

Last night’s, 18 March, Scottish Parliament vote came just 24 hours after Senedd members voted overwhelmingly in favour of their own ban proposals.

The votes follow many years of campaigning by groups including the Dogs Trust whose chief executive, Owen Sharp, called them “a landmark victory for dog welfare”.

He added: “With Scotland and Wales both taking steps to end greyhound racing, we now urge governments in England and Northern Ireland to seize this opportunity and bring this outdated and cruel form of entertainment to an end once and for all.”

‘Committed’

Following the Welsh vote, Blue Cross boss Chris Burghes also pledged the organisation’s help in rehoming greyhounds affected by the legislation.

He said: “Working alongside other pet welfare organisations, we are committed to getting every single dog the veterinary and behavioural care they may need and finding them all loving new homes to prevent any need for the dogs to be abandoned or put to sleep.”

Concerns about potential welfare harms to some dogs arising from a sudden halt to racing were raised by veterinary groups responding to previous Welsh Government consultations while others fear a ban could lead to thousands of dogs being euthanised.

The Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) has yet to comment on the Scottish Parliament vote, though it has previously described its proposed legislation as “meaningless”, due to the lack of current racing activity there.

‘Alarmed’

But its chief executive, Mark Bird, accused the Welsh Government of ignoring officials’ advice and criticism from two Senedd committees in pursuit of a “rushed” legislative timetable.

He said: “This bill has disgraced the ethical and legislative processes from start to finish.

“All legislators and voters should be alarmed by the repeated failures in public consultation, evidence gathering and overall due diligence in the pursuit of this misguided Bill.”

A ruling on GBGB’s application for a judicial review of the legislation is expected to be delivered in the coming weeks.

Mr Bird added: “We remain resolute in our fight against this bill process and await the court judgements.”

However, Mr Burghes said his organisation believed the measures they regard as necessary to improve dog welfare within the sport would never be introduced.