Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about the welfare of racing greyhounds.

As a dog owner myself, I believe these gentle, sensitive animals deserve our best protection. Anyone failing to provide for the welfare of a racing greyhound in their care could face prosecution under the Animal Welfare Act, as well as enforcement action from the sport’s governing body, the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB). I welcome that new legislation came into force in 2021, increasing the maximum sentence for the worst animal cruelty offences from six months to five years.

The welfare of racing greyhounds at all greyhound racing tracks in England is regulated by the Welfare of Racing Greyhounds Regulations 2010. The 2010 Regulations were reviewed in 2016, both by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the House of Commons' Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee. The review found that, judged against their original objectives, the regulations have been broadly effective. The review also identified areas where the industry themselves should be taking further action and Defra has been working closely with GBGB to ensure these actions are taken. This includes the annual publication of injury, euthanasia and retirement statistics, and addressing welfare issues at GBGB affiliated trainers’ kennels. I welcome that GBGB will soon launch its national welfare strategy, focusing on welfare throughout the dog’s life, not just its racing career.

I am glad that the British Greyhound Racing Fund (BGRF) collects a voluntary levy from bookmakers. These funds directly support greyhound welfare and the sport’s integrity, and to a lesser extent the development and promotion of the sport. The Government will continue to encourage any remaining bookmakers that have not signed up to the voluntary arrangements to follow suit. I am aware that around 95 per cent of all licensed betting offices, including those online, are now contributing to the voluntary greyhound levy.

Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.

Yours,

EDWARD LEIGH MP