Finally, act for the love of dogs

Slowly, sloooowly, New Zealand is inching closer to a ban on the secretive greyhound racing industry.

Much like a worn-out parent of irascible toddlers, Racing Minister Kieran McAnulty has issued yet another warning that the bloodsport is on thin ice, following this week’s report that the industry in its current form is no longer viable.

This report, of course, is only telling us something we already knew, but we also know that’s the point of reports. And although this is the final report – the one McAnulty said he was waiting for before pulling the plug – he’s done the same thing the previous racing minister did: issued a warning.

Before this final report there were three other reviews, which are really just reports by another name. All were done in the past 10 years, and all recommended change. The most recent, conducted by Sir Bruce Robertson, QC, in 2021, accused the industry of unnecessarily obfuscating information, revealing that no reason had been given for 462 of the 923 euthanasias in the past four years.

That glaring hole was found in Greyhound Industry NZ’s (GRNZ) own data, where medical euthanasia not occurring at the racetrack counted 57 deaths due to aggression, 119 because of illness, and 285 attributed to accident or injury.

Again, no reason was given for the remaining 462 deaths. Unsurprisingly, GRNZ denied any shady behaviour, though last year it did admit to removing footage of a dog being euthanised after breaking its leg during a race, which was videoed and published online.

Still, GRNZ says it loves its dogs, and just because the past few years have seen one trainer fined for hitting his, another two fined and banned for neglecting theirs, and yet another fined and disqualified for doping hers on meth, that doesn’t change the fact.

‘‘We love our dogs. They love to race,’’ is its motto. Back to the final report. According to the minister, there are now two options for the industry: continue under strict conditions, or close. And while the latter is what he was considering back in October, now there’ll be consultations, which are once again really just reports by another name.

These reports-in-disguise will target groups such as the industry itself and the myriad welfare groups opposing it, then there’ll be feedback, then there’ll be a recommendation to Cabinet.

Just how long that’s expected to take hasn’t been said, though McAnulty says it’s unlikely to happen until after the election. That’s about five months away, and we all know that decisions about suffering can’t be hurried when there are reports to be made.

But in the interest of saving the Government a bit of time and money on even more consultations, recommendations and reviews, I’m happy to sum up what’s going to follow this latest final report. That’s easy to do because it’s all been reported before, for goodness’ sake.

Supporting a ban will be the SPCA, Safe, many smaller animal welfare organisations, and the vast majority of New Zealanders. Opposing it will only be GRNZ, as well as a few supporters still smarting at how we’re ruining all their fun. Just wait until they realise what we’re coming for next.

Regardless of who the racing minister is after the election, they will recommend a ban on greyhound racing. Time and again, report after report has shown there is no longer any tolerance for the bloodsport here – yeah, those in the industry may well believe they love their dogs, but the rest of New Zealand loves them more.

Good riddance to greyhound racing. Now for rodeos.