Animal charity backs Green’s bid to end greyhound racing in Scotland

Animal campaigners have backed a new Bill which aims to end greyhound racing in Scotland.

Leading dog welfare charity the Dogs Trust insisted that “progress has not been made quickly enough” when it comes to improving animal welfare within the sport.

It has now given its support to a Bill from Green MSP Mark Ruskell, which aims to ban the sport in Scotland.

If passed, it would make it an offence to operate a racing track for greyhounds, and for a dog owner to race their animal on one.

It comes after the Welsh Government announced in February that greyhound racing will be banned there “as soon as practically possible”.

Mr Ruskell said that the lodging of his the Prohibition of Greyhound Racing (Scotland) Bill was a “milestone moment”.

The Green MSP – who has a former racing greyhound as a pet – insisted: “Greyhound racing is a cruel sport that causes a huge amount of harm to dogs. Far too many have been killed or badly injured on the tracks.

“There is no safe or humane way to force a group of dogs to run around an oval track at 40mph and it is totally wrong to make them do it in the name of profit.”

Owen Sharp, chief executive of the Dogs Trust, said it fully supported Mr Ruskell’s Bill

He stated: “While we worked closely with the greyhound industry for many years to try to improve welfare conditions for the dogs, progress has not been made quickly enough or on a big enough scale.

“It is simply not acceptable that in the UK over 2,700 greyhounds died or were put to sleep over the past six years, all in the name of entertainment.”

Mr Sharp said that as greyhound racing in Scotland had “significantly reduced since 2020” with only one track currently operational, the phasing-out period for the sport should be “considerably shorter than elsewhere in the UK”.

Meanwhile a spokesperson for the Unbound The Greyhound coalition said the sport was a “dying industry where dogs are nothing more than commodities in a gambling-led pastime”.

The spokesperson said: “We wholeheartedly welcome the proposed Bill to end the exploitation of these gentle dogs.

“The Scottish Parliament has a landmark opportunity to advance animal welfare and we urge parliamentarians to show compassion and support the Bill to end greyhound racing.”

This Bill ignores the substantial evidence which proves the need for effective regulation to safeguard greyhound welfare

However Mark Bird, chief executive of the Greyhound Board of Great Britain, said that as there is “no licensed greyhound racing taking place in Scotland today”, Mr Ruskell’s member’s Bill does not have “any relevance to the people of Scotland”.

Mr Bird stated: “Unfortunately, this is a confused and ill-thought-out piece of legislation with implications that go well beyond the remit of racing greyhounds in Scotland.

“It says more about Mark Ruskell’s vested interests than the wellbeing of animals and any ban would simply jeopardise the welfare of greyhounds.”

He said the Greyhound Board of Great Britain had “submitted considerable evidence” to MSPs and had had “positive meetings with them about the importance and effectiveness of strong regulation”.

He added: “This Bill ignores the substantial evidence which proves the need for effective regulation to safeguard greyhound welfare.

“Anyone in Scotland whose hospital appointment has been cancelled, or whose school standards have slipped, will wonder why on earth the Scottish Parliament is giving this any time when there are actual priorities for the country.

“The electorate will be confused and disgusted that parliamentary time is being given to this.”