Greyhound racing will become outlawed in New Zealand in a government decision aimed at protecting the welfare of racing dogs.
The sport will be phased out over a 20-month period, with the Racing Industry (Unlawful Destruction of Specified Greyhounds) Amendment Bill set to be passed “under urgency,” said racing minister Winston Peters.
What’s more, a bill to make changes to the Racing Industry Act 2020 will be introduced to parliament next year.
An Advisory Committee has been appointed to manage the rehoming process of the estimated 2,900 racing greyhounds in New Zealand, Peters said.
He acknowledged the “significant progress” made in recent years by the industry, which has been the subject of three government reviews over the past 10 years.
But he added that while fewer dogs are dying, injury rates, “while down slightly, have plateaued and remain unacceptably high.”
