Following a consultation process on new regulations for racing greyhounds, Defra have published a summary of responses to that consultation and have decided, in essence, to ignore what the animal welfare lobby has said to them.
Government have cosied up to the greyhound racing industry – itself riven with corruption – and have effectively decided that self-regulation is the way forward. The proposed regulations will go forward without any significant change except for an amendment which means that the new regulations on kennel size only apply to newly built kennels. So if the kennels at your local stadium are a disgrace, they can stay that way.
This is a huge disappointment and a big step back for racing animal welfare. We are taking stock and considering our options, and we’ll be asking supporters to take action in the coming weeks.
