RSPCA ACT Chief Executive Tammy Ven Dange has come out swinging at the local greyhound racers.

“One of the supporting views of greyhound racing in many places is that there is a significant economic benefit to the community,” Tammy said.

“Locally however, government documents and studies show that the ACT Government has committed to ongoing funding of the Canberra Greyhound Racing Club until 2016/17 (including $978,375 in 2013/14). The Club also does not have to pay any industry taxes.

“Furthermore, the 2011 Investigation into the ACT Racing Industry report showed that the Canberra Greyhound Racing Club added just $472,984 worth of value and the equivalent of five full time employees to the local economy. With inflation taken into account, simple math shows that it is the ACT taxpayers paying for this industry, not benefiting.

“Given greyhound racing’s inability to self-regulate to ensure any kind of reasonable standards for animal welfare, and that the industry provides no economic benefit to our community, it is time for Canberra to decide if we end greyhound racing in the ACT, given the animal welfare risks and lack of economic benefit it provides to the local community and its residents.”

[Photo by James Creegan, attribution licence]