Gippsland Backs Greyhound Track as Animal Welfare Groups Voice Ethical Concerns

General view of race meeting at The Meadows Greyhound track in Melbourne, Australia on Feb. 18, 2015. Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images

Leading figures in Victorian greyhound racing have responded to claims their industry is in danger after Sale Greyhound Racing Club announced plans to develop a race-capable “straight track” at regional Kilmany.

The club purchased a plot of land earlier this year, with the track expected to be trial-ready in three years.

Straight tracks differ from traditional circular tracks in that they can be safer for greyhounds, who do not need to run around a bend during a race. There are three in Australia.

In a statement, Greyhound Racing Victoria (GRV) said it supported the latest initiative.

“GRV applaud the club for this initiative, and supports their strategic plan,” the organisation said.

“The club’s plan is to construct a racing-compliant straight track, trial-ready within three years, with the potential of racing in 3-5 years, subject to approvals and funding opportunities for racing-required infrastructure.”

Animal Rights Group Criticise Proposal

The project has received criticism from Victoria’s Animal Justice Party (AJP) branch, with the political activists saying greyhound racing has “steadily lost its social licence.”

“Greyhound racing in Victoria is on shaky ground, both ethically and financially. The industry has steadily lost its social licence due to mounting evidence of animal suffering and financial instability,” the AJP said.

“Yet, Wellington Shire Council is considering approving a new greyhound racetrack in Kilmany, which would inevitably mean more greyhounds suffering and dying in Gippsland.”

Animals Australia also voiced their concerns about the proposed track, referencing the passing of young black dog Paw Pierre in his seventh start at Sale on Oct. 6.

“Only weeks ago, another greyhound was killed at the Sale Greyhound racetrack. Despite continued injuries and deaths, the greyhound racing industry wants to expand its operations to include another greyhound racing complex just kilometres from where Paw Pierre drew his final breath,” the organisation said.

“For caring hearts everywhere, the news of young, healthy dogs being injured and killed for the sake of gambling money is heartbreaking.”

A Positive for the Region: CEO

The project at Kilmany will be managed by Sale Greyhound Racing Club and fully funded by the club. A reported $5 million and $7 million are budgeted for works over the next few years.

CEO of Sandown Greyhound Racing Club—Victoria’s premier facility—Adrian Scott, said everyone at the Sale Greyhound Racing Club would embrace the new straight track.

“I would’ve thought it’s a positive thing for the area,” he told The Epoch Times.

“It’s a [safer] straight-track facility. It’s still in its pretty early stages of planning.

“As a club down there, I would’ve thought Sale is travelling as well as any racing club in Gippsland.

“I think it’s a positive step for the industry to have that vision that we’re working towards.”

GRV Pushes Back Against Claims of ‘Financial Trouble’

The AJP says GRV is in financial trouble, “posting a staggering $22.7 million net loss in 2023-24, more than tripling their losses from the previous year.”

It added that despite government bailouts, GRV has only been profitable twice in the past five years, using this to bolster its argument that the new facility at Kilmany should not go ahead.

In GRV’s 2023-24 financial report, CEO Stuart Laing said the last financial year presented some significant challenges for his organisation.

One of the biggest challenges was a 13 percent reduction in total wagering turnover, which was $2.98 billion compared to $3.43 billion for the previous financial year.

“To ensure the future sustainability of the industry, GRV responded to the sharp revenue decline with a series of cost-cutting measures starting with ceasing Saturday morning race meetings from January 1, and revised prizemoney levels by reducing minimum stakes for the top grades of racing,” Laing said.

“Despite those cutbacks, more than $70 million in total prize money and other benefits were delivered to participants, including bonuses, travel and starter fees, down about 5 percent on 2022-23, but up more than 11 percent on 2021-22.

“Victoria remains the leading greyhound jurisdiction in Australia by some margin for total prizemoney returns.”

In 2023-24, GRV also contributed $643 million in annual economic contribution to Victoria, with over 4,700 full-time equivalent jobs and 13,600 participants, support staff and volunteers.

Kilmany Local Says It’s ‘About the Community’

Dawn Johnston, a committee member at Sale Greyhound Racing Club, said her community would embrace the Kilmany facility.

“A lot of people are excited about it. We’ve got lots of good community sponsorship,” she told The Epoch Times.

“We do lots of fundraising and have lots of race nights where everyone can come along. It’s not just about the racing–it’s about the community and jobs.

“It [criticism of greyhound racing] is always frustrating, but you have to [laugh it off]. You can’t take it too seriously.

“If you bite back at them, they’ll just bite back harder. So you have to focus on the positives and ignore as much of it as you can without getting into a debate with them.”

Johnston added the Sale Greyhound Racing Club also educates its senior members of the region on the love and care greyhound breeders have for their dogs.

“We do Probus talks about the greyhound industry, right from breeding and rehoming, a lot of things,” she said.

“So there are other people who get to see what’s happening and not just what they hear. They get to see first-hand what’s happening.”

Industry Figures Defend Record on Injuries

The AJP said it was disappointed with on-track greyhound fatality numbers during the 2023-24 financial year.

“In 2023-23 alone, 619 greyhounds—nine percent of total racers—died from injuries, illness or natural causes,” it said.

“This represents the highest euthanasia and injury rates in three years.

“The proposed Kilmany track would add to these statistics, bringing suffering and death to even more dogs in our community.”

In response, GRV said it has devoted time, money and personnel to injury prevention.

“A Project Steering Group involving expert epidemiologists and veterinarians are investigating risk factors for specific serious race injuries, including variables unique to greyhound racing in Australasia,” it said.

“The project aims to identify risk factors that predispose greyhounds to injury, with the potential to subsequently risk profile greyhounds to further reduce the incidence of racing injuries.”

In another argument against the Kilmany facility, the AJP said the Greyhound Adoption Program (GAP) figures were at an all-time low.

“Rehoming costs soared to $7.2 million, yet 131 fewer dogs were rehomed last year,” it said.

“This is an unsustainable and expensive program that doesn’t even come close to addressing the welfare crisis.”

Statistics under GRV’S GAP activity for 2023-24 listed 1,171 greyhounds (first-time adoptions and total adoptions) were adopted, slightly down from 1,302 in 2022-23.

But under GRV’s rehomed for the first time statistics (both Victorian and interstate-owned greyhounds rehomed for the first time via GRV’s GAP, and all Victorian-owned greyhounds rehomed for the first time directly by participants and through third-party organisations, and those retained as pets by participants) the figures were up.

Under this data, 2,581 greyhounds were rehomed for the first time in 2023-24, compared to 2,557 for the previous financial year.

Scott spoke glowingly of the GAP program despite the criticism it has received.

“I think the Greyhound Adoption Program is as good as any animal welfare program in Australia,” he said.

“I just think it’s been very well managed, and the direction they’ve taken with trying to rehome greyhounds has been spot on.”