Three-year-old greyhound High Profiler was euthanised by the on-track vet at Sale Greyhound Club on January 2, the first greyhound death of the year, after the canine sustained a fractured hind leg following an incident in the catching pen.
Sale Greyhound Club has recorded Australia’s first greyhound death of the year for the second year in a row.
On January 4, 2022, Sale’s on-track vet euthanised two-year-old Danica Spolly after she suffered a fractured foreleg in a fall at the track’s first turn.
High Profiler’s death comes just 15 days after nearly two-year-old greyhound Michael Rose died at Sale Greyhound Track on Sunday, December 18 2022, after sustaining numerous elbow fractures following a fall at the track’s first turn.
The young greyhound was the second to die on the Sale Greyhound Track in 2022, bringing the state death toll to 45.
Forty-eight dogs were killed on the track in Victoria last year, 167 dogs nationwide, including 18 in December alone.
Kylie Field, Coalition for the Protection of Greyhounds (CPG) director, said the real greyhound death toll would be higher.
“An analysis of Greyhound Racing Victoria data appears to show that more than 20 dogs, injured in their races [in 2022], were later euthanised away from the tracks,” she said.
According to CPG spokesperson Joanne Lee, the greyhound industry has picked up where it left off last year.
“The greyhound industry has continued where it left off in 2022 – by killing greyhounds,” Ms Lee said.
“Sale has again shown the cruelty of dog racing with Australia’s first racing death of 2023; it’s a shocking start to the year, and High Profiler will be the first of many dogs to suffer agony on the nation’s racetracks this year.
“Since January 2020, more than 30 greyhounds have been killed on Gippsland tracks and over 2000 injured; hundreds more dogs will suffer on the Gippsland racetracks this year,” she said.
Ms Lee said that the animal welfare issues surrounding greyhound racing are yet to be addressed.
“Greyhound Racing Victoria has ignored unsafe tracks, neglect, abuse, over-racing, the rehoming crisis, a lack of transparency, and a culture of secrecy,” she said.
“Greyhound racing doesn’t meet community expectations, and the government should stop funding it.”
Animal advocates have called for an urgent independent review to investigate the greyhound racing industry.
“The state government should stop believing the industry spin and introduce an independent review of safety at Victorian racetracks,” Ms Lee said.
“There is no transparency in greyhound racing and no accountability.”
Animal Justice Party candidate for Northern Victoria Georgie Purcell will also call on the Labor Government, when state parliament returns next month, to establish an enquiry into the greyhound industry and push to secure a ban on the industry.
“I am calling for a parliamentary inquiry into the greyhound racing industry in Victoria after it was revealed almost 50 dogs were killed on our state’s tracks in 2022, and one dog has already been killed in 2023,” Ms Purcell said.
“If over 3000 dogs are horrifically injured the year after so-called safety improvements, they obviously haven’t worked. We need an inquiry into greyhound racing to get justice for these innocent animals.
“Almost every week, dogs are being killed that could be saved because the industry decides they’re no longer fast enough to race or make money, and that’s exactly what greyhound racing is all about.
“If the Victorian Government can afford to subsidise this ruthless dog killing industry, then it can certainly support an inquiry into the growing animal cruelty concerns that Victorians have about the industry.
“Victoria recorded the second highest on-track deaths and injury rate for 2022, and now we’re responsible for the first Australian greyhound death of the year. Our state is responsible for immense greyhound suffering, and it must stop.”
“The industry is attempting to label these deaths’ humane’, but there’s no denying these dogs die distressed, confused, panicked and in pain. There’s nothing humane about this bloodsport, and I’ll do everything I can to secure a ban.”
Australia is one of only seven countries where greyhound racing is legal, and with growing safety and animal welfare concerns in conjunction with the sport’s strong ties with gambling Ms Purcell strongly believes Victorian taxpayer dollars should not be used to support greyhound racing.
“I don’t think it is reasonable for millions of Victorian taxpayer dollars to support an unethical and violent industry, particularly one that keeps the cycle of problem gambling going,” Ms Purcell said.
“We know this is directly linked to social issues like domestic violence and mental health. It is time for the government to redirect these funds to those causes.
“The greyhounds that make it off the track and into rehoming programs are broken. The industry is breeding almost four times as many dogs as it rehomes, and even then, it is community-based volunteer-run rescues that are rehoming the majority of these dogs, without any support from the government. The government is leaving a mess for its people to clean up,” she said.
“The industry is closing down internationally, with only two tracks remaining in the USA, Vietnam will close its last track in March, and there is huge pressure (to stop greyhound racing) from RSPCA and the community across New Zealand and the UK.
“It is inevitable that this bloodsport will be a thing of the past in Victoria, and the Government has the chance to act now and take the lead before dozens more dogs die and thousands become injured.”
Sale Greyhound Club are yet to provide a response regarding the incident on January 2, 2023.
Update January 20, 2023:
Sale Greyhound Club have responded to the incident which occurred at their establishment on January 2, 2023, in which the on-track vet euthanised three-year-old greyhound High Profiler.
Sale Greyhound Racing Club conducted a track safety inspection following High Profiler’s death earlier this month.
Sale club General Manager Peter Johnston said the incident was not track related and the
greyhound was humanely euthanised after on-course vets carried out an examination.
“Everyone involved feels deeply about the loss of a greyhound,” Mr Johnston said.
“We work hard to ensure best safety practice at our track, and we are really sad about what happened.
“We will keep working to ensure every greyhound is protected on and off the track,” Mr Johnston added.
Greyhound Clubs Victoria CEO Brett Jones detailed that “the industry’s commitment to continuous improvement is demonstrated through a comprehensive capital investment program across a series of Victorian clubs, which has now commenced in Sale”.
“This is an exciting period for the industry,” Mr Jones said.
