Greyhound racing’s death toll climbs as industry drags its feet – Safe

Another greyhound has died on the racetrack, exposing once again the industry’s reckless disregard for animal welfare. Big Time Hinda collapsed at the lure and was pronounced deceased shortly thereafter at Cambridge raceway on Thursday 10 April.

This marks the seventh greyhound death since Racing Minister Winston Peters announced a ban on greyhound racing in December 2024, with a 20-month phase-out period. It is also the 12th greyhound death this season-putting the industry on track for an even deadlier season than the last, which saw 13 dogs lose their lives.

SAFE Head of Campaigns Jessica Chambers says this is a bitter reminder of just how urgently the industry needs clear directives to begin winding down.

“The government has made its decision, yet every week, more greyhounds are injured or killed. We cannot let this industry drag out at the expense of more lives.”

SAFE has repeatedly raised concerns about Greyhound Racing New Zealand (GRNZ) continuing to operate as if nothing has changed. Instead of winding down the industry and prioritising dog welfare, leaked documents have revealed GRNZ’s desperate attempts to fight the ban with PR spin and last-ditch welfare measures that fail to address the real issue-racing itself is inherently dangerous.

“GRNZ should be focused on a responsible closure which means cancelling races, ending greyhound breeding for racing purposes, prioritising rehabilitation and rehoming, and supporting workers to transition out of the industry,” says Chambers.

“Instead, they’re pushing on with business as usual, and dogs are dying because of it.”

“Every dog still racing today deserves the chance to live out their life as a cherished family companion-not as another statistic.”

The lack of clear instructions on winding down the industry has likely contributed toward the industry’s defiant attitude towards the ban. Just last week, a racing trainer exported 80 greyhounds to Australia despite the Racing Minister’s December 10 comment that dogs ‘will be re-homed, not re-race tracked’.

The ministerial advisory committee formed to oversee the closure of the industry was due to release an interim report on 30 April, however it has been delayed until 30 May 2025. The report will include advice on changes required to implement closure of the industry.