Australian greyhound track criticised due to animal injuries

An animal welfare organisation is calling for an investigation into Traralgon’s J-curve greyhound track.

Australia.- The Coalition for Protection of Greyhounds is calling for an investigation into Traralgon’s J-curve greyhound track in Victoria. It says that despite being designed to enhance animal safety, it saw the highest number of animal injuries in the state last year and the fifth highest in the country. 

Coalition director Kylie Field said there had been 386 injuries last year and 63 this year. Describing the venue as a “death trap for dogs,” Field called for a halt to races until a safety investigation can be conducted. Field also called for the industry to implement improvements, such as a limit on the number of races a dog can run and greater transparency in breeding.

Field told ABC: “They don’t have a capping on how many races the dogs can do, which is what we’ve always asked for, [and] they have no transparency on breeding, which is the number one problem.”

Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing acknowledged the challenges in animal welfare and the need for improvement but said people were working across the industry to enhance safety and that Greyhound Racing Victoria is constantly examining track conditions. 

A spokesperson for Greyhound Racing Victoria said that the serious injury rate at Traralgon had been improving and was now below the state average for serious injuries per 1,000 starters. 

Greyhound racing is a popular sport in Australia, with races held regularly across the country. However, the industry has been the subject of controversy due to concerns over animal welfare.

See also: New Zealand’s Government urged to fully ban greyhound racing