A greyhound, Rapido Scud, collapsed and died after Race 5 at Hatrick, Whanganui on Friday. Owned and trained by Palmerston North-based Lisa Cole, he was just three and a half years old and, according to online statistics, had already won $43,395 in prize money for his owner. To our knowledge at least six dogs have lost their lives in this ruthless Industry since the beginning of the year, including two in a single race at Christchurch’s Addington Raceway on 16 May 2024.

Sandra Kyle, an executive committee member of the Animal Justice Party Aotearoa NZ (AJP) is one of a small group that holds regular peaceful demonstrations outside the racetrack, and she was there last night.

"A beautiful life has been taken tonight’ said Kyle. ‘I am heartbroken by the senseless loss of these innocent dogs”. "What’s more, another dog, She’s Pretty, was severely injured in another race at Hatrick yesterday. She has a type of injury we have observed often leads to euthanasia. It’s possible she is being kept alive because another two dead dogs at one event is obviously a catastrophe for an Industry desperately trying to shake off its death throes”.

Replying to this week’s offer by SPCA, SAFE, HUHA and Dogwatch to rehome greyhounds once a ban is in place, GRNZ has vigorously defended their Industry, stating it is important to New Zealand, and deserves support.

“It definitely does not deserve the support of right-minded New Zealanders” says Kyle. “In industries such as greyhound racing, horse racing, and rodeo animals are repeatedly put in harm's way. Even when their lives are not directly on the line, the abuse and neglect behind the scenes are endemic”.

Minister Winston Peters is expected to decide on the future of greyhound racing within weeks. Briefing papers suggest that the Cabinet must weigh in on whether the industry has the social licence to continue. Spoiler alert: It doesn’t. SPCA chief scientific officer Dr Arnja Dale states that 74% of New Zealanders agree the industry should end.

It's high time for it to go. As anti-greyhound racing group Stop Greyhound Racing in New Zealand writes: “All the broken legs, the caffeine, the meth, the cocaine, the state of some of the dogs, the overbreeding, the missing dogs trainers still haven't accounted for, all the other injuries, having to send dogs to the US because there are not enough homes for them here while the industry keeps churning out more! Injured dogs at that! We can't keep up with the never-ending pipeline of more dogs or the numbers of injuries. SHUT IT DOWN”.

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