The Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) reaffirms its commitment to animal welfare and reports on the continued success of the Greyhound Commitment.
The program was launched in 2018 by the British Licensed Greyhound Racing Authority as a “Blueprint for Welfare” to promote standards of integrity within the sport.
Despite fears that the lockdown could have an adverse impact on track violations due to the many weeks away from the track, data for the year after the sport was initially suspended in March 2020 shows a decline in the number of greyhounds roaming on GBGB-licensed tracks were injured.
Although there have been fewer runs due to COVID, the on-track injury rate is still lower at 1.12% compared to 1.21% in 2019, and the on-track death rate remains at 0.06% year-on-year constant. Reducing this will continue to be a priority for all of sport in the future.
Mark Vogel, GBGB Managing Director, stated, “With the lockdown in March 2020 in particular, we have seen the detrimental impact that losing the greyhound race, albeit temporarily, has had on livelihoods across our sport. And the consequences for our greyhounds could have been tragic.
“But with the emergency financial aid we were able to put in place and the efforts of owners, coaches, vets, stadiums and our own fellowship stewards, we were able to prevent the very difficult scenarios we would otherwise face. The success of these measures is confirmed in the numbers released today, and I would like to thank everyone in our sport who have endeavored to maintain the highest standards of care and attention to our greyhounds throughout this time. ”
Today’s numbers also show significant improvements in the number of greyhounds being housed in retirement. 95% of greyhounds leaving the sport were successfully relocated in 2020 – up from 90% in 2019.
Importantly, the figures show that the number of greyhounds euthanized because of the high cost of veterinary treatment has decreased significantly; from 123 in 2019 to 24 in 2020. For the second year in a row, no greyhounds were euthanized because no homes could be found for them.
“Greyhounds deserve the utmost care not only during their racing career, but also in their subsequent retirement,” added the animal welfare minister. Mr. Goldsmith.
“I applaud the full transparency shown by the Greyhound Board of Great Britain in releasing its annual Greyhound Injury and Retirement data, and it is encouraging to see progress, despite the restrictions last year, as the percentage injuries are decreasing and more dogs are being re-housed.
“These statistics clearly indicate improved post-retirement results for greyhounds and the government will continue to work with the sport and the governing body to build on this positive progress.”
