“Not everyone is in a position to help other animals, but everybody is in the position not to harm them.”
-Anthony Douglas Williams, author
Posted in dog quotes, Dogs
Tagged animal welfare, Anthony Douglas Williams, greyhounds, harm
“Well, then they can race around the park, and they can race around the beach, but they won’t be racing on a track and getting themselves injured to the degree that they are getting themselves injured now.”
– Rt Hon Winston Peters, Minister of Racing, in the press conference of 10 December 2024 where it was announced that New Zealand will ban commercial greyhound racing effective 1 August 2026 on animal welfare grounds
It has taken me a couple of days to gather my thoughts about the Government’s announcement to ban greyhound racing. A 20-month notice period has been given to enable the industry to wind down and to find homes for the estimated 2,900 greyhounds in its care.
The ban is a decision that has been long in coming. There has been an abundance of evidence to show the negative animal welfare implications of an industry that relies on the use of these dogs solely for the purpose of providing entertainment.
I support the decision to ban the industry out of concerns for animal welfare. Here’s why.
Over the last two days I have seen comments from people who take a very strategic definition of animal welfare. For example, the claims that the industry has been brought down by a few bad players. These would be the trainers that abuse their dogs, use aversive training methods, and perhaps even drug them with meth or other substances.
In other words, these claims would have you believe that the only animal welfare concerns about the industry are largely off-track. They are not.
The primary animal welfare concern is on the track for all to see.
The act of commercial greyhound racing requires that the dogs be trained to get very excited and use their sighthound instincts to chase the moving lure and run like hell to get to it. Because they are dogs, they don’t have a sense of self-preservation. They run, and run hard.[1]
In the process of running, a greyhound will often have all four paws off the ground.
Now imagine when another greyhound involved in the chase runs into that other greyhound because they are running in a tight pack. It’s a high-speed crash. And one, may I add, with no safety equipment. No air bags, no steel body of a car to protect them. Nothing.
These crashes lead to horrific injuries and are the ones that most commonly reach the news outlets when the dog is so severely injured that racetrack euthanasia is required.
There are others.
Bruising, hock (tarsus) fractures, concussions and muscle tears are common injuries that I have encountered as I have read through the health histories of ex-racers, which often have to be pieced together using the racing steward notes. Note: I don’t work at the race track – the greyhounds I work with are all ex-racers whose adoptive families seek out my help.
A dog can be injured many times in their career before they are retired from racing. They may be rested for as little as three days as evidenced in the racing records. They are back racing as soon as possible.
The industry responded to criticism of injuries by creating a Rehab to Rehome (R to R) programme. On the face of it, it sounds kind. A dog breaks a hock, or has a leg amputated, and they are put through rehabilitation so they can find a home where the adopter can assume responsibility for their ongoing care and the inevitable conditions like arthritis that they will present with.
The fact that the industry needs a rehabilitation programme shows that it accepts injuries as a normal part of operations. Yes, the R to R dogs can go on to have a good pet life – but is it really acceptable to hurt them so badly in the first place?
(It is said that the trainers love their dogs. I just don’t understand the kind of love that enables you to kiss the dog on the head as you load it into the start boxes knowing that within seconds it may be severely maimed or killed.)
And now for the bad players
In the 15 years I have been in practice, I have seen the evidence of the bad players in the industry.
These include:
In short, I have seen too much.
I accept that there are good players in the industry; I’m pretty sure every industry will have good players and bad ones. Back in the Dickensian times when child labour was an accepted practice, I’m sure that there were factory owners who were nicer than others. In time, however, society realised it wasn’t right to place children in harm’s way for profit and introduced child labour laws.
Are you seeing a theme yet?
I might add here that when greyhounds were raced at Addington last summer in 30+ degree heat, was it only the dogs of the bad players who were raced? I doubt it.
The human cost of closure
At this point, I would like to acknowledge that Greyhound Racing NZ says that 1,054 people are employed by the industry. Having lost my job several times during my career, I know how stressful redundancy can be.
If you love your job, being forced to give up what you love is a tough pill to swallow.
However, these job losses must also be put into context. Radio New Zealand has updated the total loss of jobs this year in the public sector alone to be 7,000 and companies across New Zealand have also laid off staff due to tough economic conditions. None of these people were given a 20-month notice period when they could continue to earn income and look for work. Today, most staff made redundant get about a month’s notice – maybe three if they are lucky.
Numerous reviews and promises – why a surprise?
The industry has been the subject of numerous reviews with a litany of animal welfare problems. I’m not going to go through all three reports in this post but quote only from the most recent one, released in May 2023:
I think we are all guilty of misleading ourselves at one time or another. In terms of the greyhound racing industry, it seems to be the workplace culture.
Scroll through the news feed about the industry and there have been consistent claims of making progress. The industry has survived and been allowed to continue after so many damning reviews. With a change in government late last year, and a Minister of Racing who was widely regarded as a racing supporter, they must have thought they were home free.
Politics can be a bitch.
Our current Government, one year into its term, has had its share of bad publicity. We’ve made worldwide headlines with the introduction of the Treaty Principles Bill, for example, while teenagers from boot camps have absconded. Heading into the Christmas break, this Government needed a win – something that most of the public would feel good about. (Surveys have shown that up to 75% of the NZ public would vote to ban the sport.)
In my opinion, that’s why Winston Peters decided it was time to pull the plug. I never expected him to do it and I’m sure that was the opinion of the industry, too. Winston, however, is a shrewd politician.
It’s rare for animals to come out the winners of any political maneuver. I’ll take the win.
RIP Diamond Roman
It should not be lost on anyone that hours after the ban was announced, on a Southland racing track, a greyhound named Diamond Roman was severely injured. The race report states that the greyhound was, “checked and fell into bend. Referred to the veterinarian and reported to have a compound fracture of right tibia/fibula which was severely comminuted[2] and displaced. Due to the catastrophic nature of this injury the greyhound was euthanised on humane grounds.”
Anyone still think there isn’t an animal welfare problem with greyhound racing?
[1] A racing greyhound, according to Greyhound Racing NZ, runs at a pace of 17 m per second, reaching speeds of up to 60 kilometres per hour. https://www.grnz.co.nz/greyhounds.aspx
[2] A comminuted fracture is caused by severe trauma resulting in a bone broken in at least 2 places.
Kathleen Crisley, is Fear-Free certified dog massage therapist and canine fitness trainer. She has a particular passion for working with dogs and their families to ensure injury prevention and quality of life. She specialises in working with anxious and emotionally damaged dogs. Her mobile practice, The Balanced Dog, is based in Christchurch, New Zealand. She has never worked for the greyhound racing industry.
On 23 May 2023, MP Kieran McAnulty released a report about greyhound racing that was dated December 2022. Authored by the Racing Integrity Board (RIB), this report is 175 pages long.
There have already been three (3) reports, all reviews, of the NZ greyhound racing industry, in 2013, 2017 and 2021. All have included substantive lists of shortcomings in the industry with issues for improving the welfare of greyhounds. This latest report was to have been the final report – the industry was ‘put on notice’ that it should improve and given one year – until the end of 2022 – to do so.
Since I’m writing this blog in June 2023, I figure you can guess that government has failed to act on its promise; even the delay of five months in releasing the report is suspect in terms of who is committed to animal welfare.
I used to work for local and central government agencies in my earlier working life. Whenever a report is long, it is usually because the writers do not want to be the bearers of bad news and so wade through every possible detail to hide the glaringly obvious. Such is the case with this report.
Please bear in mind that the Racing Integrity Board’s purpose is: Promote and ensure the racing industry complies with high standards of animal welfare, integrity and professionalism for the benefit of the public, participants and racing industry
Let me repeat that – high standards, integrity and professionalism…
Key points (direct quotes from the report):
If you’re reading this and wonder what’s next for NZ’s greyhounds, please ensure you focus on the last few bullet points above. If racing is allowed to continue, progress is unlikely to be achieved without close monitoring for which the RIB does not have the budget and resources to undertake. No one else in NZ is resourced to do this either, and the industry itself will face costs to improve.
What’s the odds of these things happening given NZ’s current economic situation and with the lack of leadership?
But wait, there’s more! The RIB has issued a supplementary report, another 31 pages, this time dated March 2022. I’ll cover that report in a future blog.
Kathleen Crisley, Fear-Free certified professional and specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand
Posted in animal welfare, Dogs
Tagged animal welfare, greyhound racing, Greyhound Racing NZ, greyhounds, GRNZ, Minister of Racing
“Hey, Sox. We need to talk.”
‘bout what?
“About where this relationship is heading”
Whaddya mean?
“Well, you came here to stay as a foster dog last month.”
What’s foster?
“Foster means that I take care of you and teach you about being a pet, but you’re not mine.”
I’m not yours?
“No, but you did come to stay with me on a foster-to-adopt agreement.”
What’s adopt?
“Adopt is when I say that you should stay forever and become part of the family.”
I likes adopt
“Now, just checking. You want to be part of the family even though there are house rules?
Whaddya mean?
“So when I told you that you were naughty last night. Do you know why?”
Why?
“Because you were hiking your leg and peeing in the hallway”
Oh
“And peeing inside is not acceptable.”
Oh
“Unless you are sick. Are you sick?”
No, I’s not sick
“Then you have to agree to try harder about not peeing in the house.”
Okay. But you pee in the house.
“What? No I don’t.”
Yes you do. On the shiny white chair.
“Sox, that’s a toilet. I’m supposed to pee in it. That’s where people pee.”
I think the shiny white chair is scary.
“Scary? Is that why you come in every time I go to the toilet?”
Yes. I worries about you there and think you need cuddles.
“No need to worry, Sox. I can handle going to the toilet by myself. But I think we are getting off track with this conversation…Do you like it here?”
Yes, but I no likes when you call me naughty.
“I only call you naughty when you are doing something that is not allowed.”
So if I no do things that are not allowed then you no call me naughty?
“That’s right. I will call you A Good Boy.”
I is a Good Boy.
“Yes, Sox, I think you are a Good Boy. I think you should stay and be my Little Boy.”
I’s not little.
“That’s true. You’re a big Greyhound. But if I adopt you, you’ll become My Little Boy. Do you like the sound of that?”
Yup. I be your Good Little Boy.
“Okay. Then I’ll sign the adoption papers and we can begin our life together.”
I now make the official announcement that Sox has joined The Balanced Dog as my Little Boy and companion. He is in training to be a massage demo dog, a café dog, and to like the water and waves at the beach.
I look forward to sharing our adventures together.
Kathleen Crisley, Fear-Free certified professional and specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand
Posted in dog adoption, Dogs
Tagged adoption, Greyhound, greyhounds, Greyhounds as Pets NZ
Last week, a new review report into the greyhound racing industry in New Zealand was released. As most of you know, greyhound welfare is a topic near and dear to my heart because Izzy is an ex-racer.
This review, by the Hon Sir Bruce Robertson, is not the first review of the industry. It’s not even the second (but the second, known as the Hansen report was a whopping 93 pages. I discussed that earlier report in my blog post How many hounds needing a home?). The 2021 review is the third review of greyhound racing in this country.
So the report made some headlines last week in the news because the Minister of Racing, Grant Robertson, says he’s putting the industry ‘on notice.’ Frustratingly, none of the mainstream news sources provided a link to a copy of the actual report. Being the information geek that I am, I tracked down the report and read it thoroughly over the weekend – with highlighter pen in hand.
Before I go into some of the key findings, you should be aware that a major reason why this review was undertaken is that Greyhound Racing NZ (GRNZ) wrote to the Minister for Racing in June 2020 stating that all 20 recommendations stated in the Hansen review had been successfully implemented and so they would no longer be providing progress reports. The National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee felt that the information provided was insufficient and, with more deaths and injuries of greyhounds on the track, this review was commissioned.
I like this review, for one reason because it is PITHY. 19 pages including the appendices, it gets straight to the heart of the matter.
Key points:
Conclusions
It has become clear that no matter the outcome of this report, or any reports henceforth, the social license of the industry will continue to be challenged for the foreseeable future. If GRNZ wishes to secure a future for the industry it governs, then it must set out to demonstrate the decency of the greyhound racing industry at every possible opportunity.
GRNZ has made its job harder by unnecessarily obfuscating information and pushing back against those with an interest. All information should be recorded, and it should be available. Arguably GRNZ has data to support its stances on the issues raisedin this report but is seen as unwilling to share this.
For those of you who have an interest, I encourage you to read the report in its entirety and share it with others. The current NZ Government says the industry is on notice and must report by the end of 2022 on its actions in response.
My view is that greyhound racing has been banned in many countries because of the animal welfare considerations. New Zealanders must ask themselves why those animal welfare issues don’t exist here. Because clearly this review has found that they do.
Kathleen Crisley, Fear-Free certified professional and specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand
Posted in animal welfare, Dogs
Tagged animal welfare, greyhound racing, greyhounds, New Zealand
Like us, dogs have their own forms of verbal and non-verbal communication. Getting to know your dog and being a careful observer of their behavior helps you to develop a deep understanding of your dog.
We know that our dogs are great observers of our behavior, too. That’s how they learn our cues, moods, and habits.
Having a good understanding of one another pays benefits when you have a dog who is getting older, or has disabilities.
Take Izzy. She is an ex-racing greyhound and we’ve known for some time that she has arthritis in her carpus (wrist) and toes. I picked up on the arthritis quite early. I had noticed that almost every time I looked at her over the course of about a week, she was licking her left foot. A visit to the vet for an x-ray confirmed early signs of arthritic changes. In response, she started getting rub-downs with an anti-inflammatory gel, I started her on additional deer velvet supplements (in addition to her glucosamine and chondroitin supplement) and I also increased the frequency of her visits to a local hydrotherapy pool and her massages.
Over the last year, we’ve also been battling corns – something that plagues sighthounds in particular but has been aggravating her arthritis and was the main cause of her progressively becoming more lame. I knew we were having a corn problem because she would limp only when crossing the road over chip-sealed road (intolerance of rough surfaces is typically the first sign).
As she then developed two corns on the same toe, her lameness became constant and our walks shorter, with a pram when she needed it.
Izzy had a flexor tenotomy surgery last month and this has helped greatly in managing the corns but of course the arthritis is still there, she is that much older, and she’s had months of reduced/shortened walks because of her lameness.
Now the bright side. She is getting fitter and stronger and I’m carefully increasing the amount of activity she has. Today, she didn’t want to go out initially for an afternoon walk and so I put her in her pram.
We got as far as around the block before she let me know she was ready to get out and walk. (This is signaled by a high-pitched bark)
I know Izzy is getting tired when her head drops and she starts taking more and more time sniffing bushes, grass and trees. These are signs that she is tiring and the excess sniffing is both a diversionary behavior and, at times, a sign she is stressed and uncomfortable.
That’s when I put her back in her pram. She gets plenty of stimulation and enrichment by watching the world go by. She also loves the attention she gets from passersby – both on foot and in cars. (Shortly after I stopped this video, the couple who approached on foot spent at least 5 minutes talking to her, giving her treats and chatting about her care).
I am always grateful when people stop to talk to us about ‘what’s wrong with her’ and to ask about greyhounds and their welfare.
Kathleen Crisley, Fear-Free certified professional and specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand
If not identified before surgery, a rare genetic mutation could result in your dog being exposed to dangerously high levels of anesthetic agents.
Scientists at Washington State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine initially discovered the mutation in greyhounds and more recently in other common dog breeds.
The research group, a member of the Program in Individualized Medicine (PrIMe), published its findings in Scientific Reports.
Researchers Stephanie Martinez and Michael Court pose with their dogs Otis (left), Seamus (center), and Matilda (right). Matilda is a carrier of a mutation found by Martinez and Court, which results in less of the enzyme used to break down many popular anesthetics.
For years, veterinarians have known that some greyhounds struggle to break down certain drugs, which results in potentially life-threatening and prolonged recovery periods following anesthesia. The previously unknown genetic mutation that the WSU researchers uncovered in greyhounds causes less of CYP2B11, the enzyme that breaks down these drugs, to be made.
Not surprisingly, the mutation was also found in several other dog breeds that are closely related to the greyhound including borzoi, Italian greyhound, whippet, and Scottish deerhound.
However, when the research team extended their survey to more than 60 other breeds, using donated samples from the WSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital DNA Bank, they were surprised by what they found.
According to the study, funded by the American Kennel Club’s Canine Health Foundation, some popular dog breeds, including golden retrievers and Labrador retrievers, may also struggle to break down the commonly used anesthetics, midazolam, ketamine, and propofol.
“We started with a condition we thought was specific to greyhounds and affected a relatively small number of dogs,” said Stephanie Martinez, postdoctoral research associate and lead author on the study. “It now appears that there could be a lot more dogs affected by this mutation—dogs from breeds that we wouldn’t have expected.”
The study found about one in 50 golden retrievers and one in 300 Labrador retrievers may have low amounts of CYP2B11. According to the American Kennel Club, Labrador retrievers are the most popular breed of dog in the U.S., closely followed by golden retrievers, ranked third.
Even mixed-breed dogs were not spared; although the prevalence was much lower at only one in 3,000 dogs.
“While the mutation is not that common in most breeds—outside of greyhounds and other related breeds—because some of these other breeds are so popular, a relatively large number of dogs in this country could be affected.” Martinez said.
Michael Court, the study principal investigator and veterinary anesthesiologist who began studying slow anesthetic drug breakdown in greyhounds over 20 years ago, said, “Although we have developed special anesthesia protocols that work very safely in greyhounds—the nagging question was—should we be using these same protocols in other dog breeds?”
Court and Martinez are now moving forward to create a simple cheek swab test that could be used by dog owners and their veterinarians to detect the mutation and determine an individual dog’s sensitivity to the problematic anesthetic drugs.
“We also suspect that dogs with the mutation may have trouble breaking down drugs—other than those used in anesthesia.” Court said. “The challenge now is to provide accurate advice to veterinarians on what drugs and drug dosages should be used in affected patients.”
The research team is currently seeking volunteer golden retrievers and greyhounds to participate in a one‑day study at the WSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital to continue their study of drug breakdown in these dog breeds.
Those who are interested in having their golden retriever or greyhound participate in the study can contact courtlab@vetmed.wsu.edu for more information.
Posted in dog breeds, Dogs
Tagged anesthetic, borzoi, drug reactions, Golden Retriever, greyhounds, Labrador Retriever, whippets
Dental disease is the most common health issue facing pet greyhounds, according to the largest ever study of greyhounds treated in first opinion veterinary clinics. The research, led by the Royal Veterinary College’s (RVC) VetCompass programme in collaboration with the University of Bristol Vet School, reveals that 39 per cent of greyhounds suffer from dental problems, which is a far higher percentage than for any other dog breed.
As well as bad teeth, the research revealed that traumatic injuries, overgrown nails and osteoarthritis are also major concerns for pet greyhounds. Overgrown nails affected 11.1 per cent of greyhounds, wounds 6.2 per cent, osteoarthritis 4.6 per cent and claw injury 4.2 per cent.
Greyhounds in the UK are typically used for racing during their early lives, with an increasing number rehomed as pets after their racing careers are over. The results of this study, which is published in Canine Genetics and Epidemiology, adds significantly to evidence available for the debate on the welfare issues surrounding greyhound racing. It will also help breeders and regulators to prioritise activities to mitigate the worst of the harm to greyhounds from their racing careers, as well as help greyhound rehoming organisations advise adopters on optimal preventative care options.
Researchers studied 5,419 greyhounds seen by first opinion vets in 2016. Key findings include:
Dr Dan O’Neill, Veterinary Epidemiologist and VetCompassTM researcher at the RVC, who was the main author of the paper, said: “Pet greyhounds are now a common breed treated in general veterinary practices in the UK. Retired racing greyhounds can make very good pets, but these results sadly show that they also carry health legacies from inherent breed predispositions as well as impacts from their prior racing careers. These potential problems include bad teeth, behavioural issues and arthritis. Our new VetCompass evidence especially reveals a worryingly high level of dental disease. This awareness should encourage all those who care for the greyhound to prioritise preventive and remedial strategies for these issues and therefore to improve the welfare of this lovely breed, both before and after rehoming as pets.”
Dr Nicola Rooney, co-author and lead researcher on Greyhound Welfare Project at the Bristol Veterinary School, added: “Greyhounds can make fantastic pets and live long healthy lives, but it has long been suspected that they are particularly prone to dental problems which can negatively impact upon their quality of life. Here we have the first evidence that levels of dental issues are higher in greyhounds than in other breeds. This highlights the importance of conducting research into ways of improving dental health.
“At Bristol we have been conducting a three-year research programme to further understand what causes dental problems in greyhounds and methods to avoid them. Combined with the current RVC study, this is an important step to understanding and improving the future welfare of greyhounds.”
Professor Steve Dean, Chairman of the Kennel Club Charitable Trust (KCCT), explained: “I must declare an interest in this study as my additional role as Chairman of the Greyhound Trust reveals my enthusiasm for this lovely breed. It will come as no surprise to those who love greyhounds that dental plaque is a significant condition in this breed. This latest study from the VetCompass initiative reveals the extent of the problem and should stimulate interest in further work to understand why periodontal disease is such an issue for both the racing dog and the retired greyhound. Effective research could also have a far reaching impact for several other breeds that suffer a similar challenge. The VetCompass programme has been helpful in revealing breed specific problems and this study is yet another informative analysis of extensive clinical data. The Kennel Club Charitable Trust regards the financial support it provides as a successful investment in clinical research.”
Paper
‘Greyhounds under general veterinary care in the UK during 2016: demography and common disorders‘ by O’Neill, D.G., Rooney, N.J., Brock, C., Church, D.B., Brodbelt, D.C. and Pegram, C. in Canine Genetics and Epidemiology [open access]
We want to share a story with you today about greyhounds that have been racing far away, in the Canidrome at Macau. Greyhound breeders from Australia sent their slower dogs here without much regard for their welfare. The ground on the track was hard, the facilities for the greyhounds were poor. Many were […]
via Helping the Hounds of Macau — Whippet Wisdom – a Highland Journey
Izzy, the poster dog of The Balanced Dog, is a greyhound. We had to share this post because there are many greyhounds needing homes.
Kathleen Crisley, Fear-Free certified professional and specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand
DoggyMom.com 