Politics

Greyhound Racing Deaths Are Up 44 Percent, The Highest In Two Years

The surge in deaths and injuries comes even as the industry is holding less races.

Greyhound racing ida

Want more Junkee in your life? Sign up to our newsletter, and follow us on Instagram and Facebook so you always know where to find us.

The greyhound racing industry has tried to remain rather quiet as of late, hiding from the public eye and avoiding mainstream scandals. But that doesn’t change the fact that the industry remains as cruel as it has ever been, with a new report showing that dog deaths in the industry are up 44 percent.

The report, which has been released by The Coalition for the Protection of Greyhounds, shows that in the six month period from the start of this year until June 2021, 36 dogs died in racing-related incidents. Across the same time period, 25 dogs were killed by members of the racing industry as a result of non-racing related injuries.

That number, 61 deaths, is the highest in almost two years. Worse still, that surge of deaths continued even as dog racing decreased as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. There were less racing meets, and far more injuries and deaths.

Indeed, 1,521 greyhounds were injured over the six month period, a 12.3 percent increase over the same time period in 2020. Of those injuries, 97 percent were classified as “life-threatening.”

These stats make clear what the industry so desperately wants to hide — that dogs suffer as a result of racing. There is no risk-free way to race greyhounds, no matter what pundits say. This is an industry that is grounded in bloodshed, slaughter and pain.

If you want to fight back against the horrors of the industry, there are a number of ways that you can get involved. You can sign up to foster retired racing greyhounds through Greyhounds As Pets. You can volunteer at Greyhound Rescue. And you can be vocal about the need to shut down the industry, writing a letter to your local member and remaining abreast about information concerning the cruelty of the industry when it comes to light.