I, like a lot of others watched the ‘Four Corners’ program in February when it aired the results of investigations conducted by Animals Australia & Animal Liberation Queensland into live animal bating in the Greyhound Racing Industry. The investigation not only exposed extreme cruelty to animals, but also criminal acts perpetrated by so called greyhound owners and trainers. We saw these people face the camera and lie to all of us saying that this ‘blood lust’ practice was not happening in the Industry today. Claiming that it does not happen here in the ACT would be a convenient way for the ACT Government and others (who have an invested interest in the game) from doing something now to end this cruelty and corruption.

A Crowe
ACT

Mark Parton, I urge you to look a bit deeper, beyond the question of whether live baiting occurs or not in the ACT. (By the way, it is becoming abundantly clear that it does across Australia, and that it is not just a few bad apples or rogue elements in the industry.)

I would like you to look at the wider animal welfare issues that are rife in the industry and that have similarly been brought to the attention of regulators in the industry, including by 4 Corners in the last year or so. Any greyhound rescue group will be able to tell you about the state of many of the abandoned greyhounds that come into their care, and share the knowledge of the ones that don’t because there aren’t enough foster carers or kennels to save the ones that don’t go to the industry funded GAP programs and are killed.

I’d love to tell you about the 15 fosters I have had since June 2014, via Greyhound Rescue NSW, and how I feel about our governments subsidising this industry and the industry failure to ensure that ALL greyhounds have a successful retirement (and one that doesn’t include euthanasia). Greyhounds, by the way, are classified as livestock, which means they can be killed by gunshot or blunt force to the head.

I would like you to look into why greyhound rescue groups are needed at all, when there is a funded GAP program ( that charges more to surrender a greyhound that it is to have it killed) and has dubious rates of re-homing compared to the numbers of retired greyhounds. Many caring people spend their own money on saving greyhounds.

They were all saying there was no live baiting prior to the 4 Corners program. It’s pretty clear now that there is. There is also drugging of dogs and mass killings of the industry’s “wastage”. There is also the quiet disposal of many hounds one by one.

I am sure there are many trainers and owners who do love and take care of their greyhounds and are equally horrified by ALL of the injustices that occur to the greyhounds themselves. Unfortunately, based on recent media reports it would appear that they are in the minority.

I applaud your personal position to not support the greyhound racing industry – like you said, it’s not like they have a choice in it. They may well like to run, but racing for profit and entertainment is another thing entirely.

I urge you to look deeper, and not fall into the same trap we humans often do (Tell me it isn’t so, and I’ll believe you).

J Slater
ACT