Governing body hails vet contribution to greyhound welfare strategy

A sports governing body has revealed a significant increase in the number of routine visits to greyhound trainers’ kennels following the appointment of a dedicated team of vets.

The Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) offered an update on the implementation of its long-term welfare strategy, “a good life for every greyhound”.

It revealed that since it launched the welfare strategy in 2022, routine GBGB visits to residential kennels have increased by 73.2%.

Routine visits

The GBGB’s newly appointed regional regulatory vets (RRVs) began routine visits to trainers’ kennels in 2023; the full team of five RRVs was in place and working in the field from June last year.

On average, each licensed trainer received three visits to their kennels in 2024 by GBGB staff as well as an external veterinary inspection and an audit inspection, with specific kennels receiving more frequent monitoring visits when deemed necessary.

Since January this year, RRVs began conducting their trainers’ annual veterinary kennel inspections, which had previously been carried out by a local practice or track vet.

Active and retired racers

RRVs are each responsible for a dedicated geographical area and ensure the welfare of all greyhounds – both active racers and retired – is being upheld at the racecourse and residential kennels they visit.

RRV inspections are said to be more thorough than previous inspections and also include reviews of the trainers’ medicine management, husbandry practices and preventive healthcare protocols, as well as BVA guidance-led promotion of anti-microbial stewardship.

GBGB has also doubled the number of racecourse visits carried out by its track safety experts, who now assess courses quarterly, resulting in the sport recording its lowest track injury rate of 1.07% against total runs.

Campaign

Thanks to a “share your life with a greyhound” homing campaign, which includes a bespoke new website and a promotion featuring former England rugby star Joe Marler, adoptions from Greyhound Retirement Scheme (GRS)-approved centres have increased by 37% across January to June 2025 compared with the same period in 2024.

GBGB executive veterinarian Tiffany Blackett said: “We are delighted to share the latest progress report on GBGB’s long-term welfare strategy.

“This year, so far, has seen the successful implementation of several key strategy goals, particularly with our regional regulatory vets taking over their trainers’ annual veterinary kennel inspections.”

Miss Blackett thanked those involved in developing and implementing the welfare strategy, adding: “It is wonderful to see the positive impact this work is having on racing greyhounds at every stage of their lives.”