Greyhound racing: The so-called sport where dogs run for their lives, until they can’t.

For over a century, greyhounds have been bred, raced, injured, and discarded – all for human entertainment and profit. Thousands die every year, their lives cut short by an industry built on suffering. Now, the tide is turning. New Zealand has banned greyhound racing. Wales is set to follow.

The pressure is mounting for other nations to act (greyhound racing is currently legal in the UK, Ireland, Australia, USA, Vietnam, China and Mexico).

Why is greyhound racing so harmful?

In greyhound racing, greyhounds chase a mechanically propelled lure around an oval circuit, typically covering distances between 300m and 900m, depending on the type of race. Supporters of this ‘sport’ (which accounts for approximately 10% of the UK’s total betting turnover) say that greyhounds are designed to chase small prey at speed and that racing gives them “purpose”.

As the Blue Cross points out, greyhounds “love to run, but not to race”. Competitive racing is a human pursuit – when people watch dogs race, it’s for their own enjoyment, not the dogs’. As with all sports that involve our animal kin, there is no choice or consent for the non-human competitors, only what human “masters” dictate.

High risk of injury or death

In reality, countless greyhounds used in racing endure physical and psychological harm. Their short-lived careers come at a high cost. One of the most pressing concerns is the high rate of injuries; racing dogs reach speeds of up to 45 mph, often running on poorly maintained tracks.

Collisions and falls are common, leading to broken bones, spinal injuries, and torn muscles. Some dogs recover, but many are euthanised because they are no longer deemed profitable. According to the Blue Cross, over 26,000 injuries were recorded in the five years between 2018 and 2023 in the UK greyhound racing industry alone.

Grey2K USA reports a total of 7,999 injuries to racing greyhounds in the US between 2015 and 2024, including injuries such as head trauma, electrocution, and broken backs. This figure probably underestimates the scale of the issue, given that 5,647 injuries were recorded at just two racetracks in Virginia during the same time period.

In the UK, more than 2,700 greyhounds have either been euthanised or died as a result of being used for racing since 2018 (data from the Greyhound Board of Great Britain). The Alliance Against Greyhound Racing says that there was a 40% increase in deaths between 2022 and 2023.

Worldwide, Grey2K says that the greyhound industry is responsible for the suffering and/or death of approximately 50,000 greyhounds every single year.

Performance-enhancing drugs

Another major ethical issue in greyhound racing is the use of performance-enhancing drugs. Doping scandals have emerged in various countries, with reports of greyhounds testing positive for drugs like cocaine and anabolic steroids.

These substances are often administered without concern for the dogs’ health, creating additional risks on top of the existing dangers of the sport.

Poor living conditions and minimal enrichment

Beyond the risk of injury, doping, and death, the daily lives of racing greyhounds are far from the glamorous image often portrayed by the industry.

Many spend most of their time confined to cramped kennels, receiving minimal enrichment. Grey2K USA reports that, at some racetracks in America, greyhounds are confined for between 20 to 23 hours a day in stacked metal cages in which they barely have room to move.

In the UK, the Greyhound Board of Great Britain says that single kennels should be a minimum of 3.3ft x 7.5ft (roughly 1m x 2m). In its report, The state of greyhound racing in Great Britain: A mandate for change, Grey2K says that greyhounds in Britain leave these small enclosures three to four times a day for 15 to 20 minutes at a time.

Greyhounds living in single kennels often have minimal social contact with other dogs or humans. Where dogs are kept in pairs in kennels marginally larger than a single enclosure, more than 95% of the dogs are muzzled 24 hours a day (a point not covered by legislation).

The League Against Cruel Sports reports that many racing greyhounds “suffer with fleas, worms, untreated injuries, malnutrition and dental problems”, but that “sanctions against those who treat dogs in this manner are feeble and ineffectual”.

An uncertain future once their racing days are over

It’s clear that a greyhound’s welfare is not the priority – only their performance matters. When they stop winning, their futures become uncertain. Some are euthanised, others are abandoned or sold into circumstances where their well-being is not guaranteed.

Rehoming charities work tirelessly to provide retired greyhounds with safe and loving homes, but the sheer number of unwanted dogs far exceeds the available adopters.

Overbreeding – The hidden victims of greyhound racing

Greyhound racing isn’t just cruel to the dogs who make it onto the track – it’s devastating for the thousands who never do. The industry breeds far more dogs than it needs, ensuring a steady supply of fast, competitive racers while discarding those who don’t make the cut.

In Ireland alone, an estimated 6,000 greyhounds are killed every year because they are too slow or unsuitable for racing. According to an RTÉ documentary (which you can watch in full here), ten times more greyhounds are bred than the industry requires, meaning that for every one dog that becomes a racer, nine others are considered surplus.

Many are euthanised as puppies, while others are abandoned, sold for unethical purposes, or exported to countries with little to no welfare protection.

Even the dogs who do make it into racing face an uncertain future. Their careers last only a few years (the RTÉ investigation claims this figure is closer to just seven months), and once they are no longer profitable, they too become expendable.

The scale of overbreeding creates a never-ending cycle of suffering, where greyhounds are treated as disposable commodities rather than sentient beings deserving of care and respect.

This systemic cruelty is one of the strongest arguments for banning greyhound racing altogether. As long as the industry exists, it will continue to produce thousands of unwanted dogs, adding to the burden on rescue organisations and leading to untold suffering for the greyhounds caught in the system.

Recent developments: A global shift

Change is happening, but progress remains uneven across the world.

New Zealand has taken a decisive step by banning greyhound racing after years of investigations into the industry’s welfare failures. Reports highlighted consistently high injury rates and poor living conditions, making it clear that the industry was beyond reform.

In 2019, 297 greyhounds in New Zealand were killed because they couldn’t race any more or be rehomed. At one stage, 1,271 dogs were unaccounted for in New Zealand’s racing industry; 11% remain unaccounted for to this day.

In the UK, Wales has announced plans to ban greyhound racing “as soon as practically possible” after a petition calling for a ban attracted more than 35,000 public signatures. The decision follows growing pressure from animal welfare groups, veterinary professionals, and the general public. While no timeline has been set for the ban, there are hopes that it could happen before the next Welsh Parliament election in May 2026.

Still, despite mounting evidence of cruelty, England and Scotland continue to allow greyhound racing. Campaigners are now focusing their efforts on pushing for a UK-wide ban.

The industry’s defence vs. the reality

Greyhound racing supporters argue that the industry provides jobs, entertainment, and strict welfare regulations. They claim that regulations ensure the humane treatment of dogs and that retired greyhounds are successfully rehomed. However, the reality tells a different story.

As we’ve seen with the stats earlier in this article (and these are just a handful of the available examples), despite industry oversight, thousands of dogs suffer injuries and fatalities every year.

Reports reveal that many dogs are killed simply because they are no longer profitable. While some do find loving homes after retirement, we’ve already noted that the rehoming burden falls largely on charities rather than the industry itself. These organisations struggle with limited resources, and for every greyhound that finds a home, many more remain in need.

(The Greyhound Board of Great Britain refutes this, saying that 95% of racing greyhounds leaving the sport are successfully rehomed. Greyhound rescue charities, in contrast, say that there are in excess of 2,500 greyhounds in the UK “stuck” in trainers’ kennels, waiting rehoming).

Whichever figures are correct, public opinion is shifting.

More people now see greyhound racing as an outdated and exploitative practice rather than a harmless pastime. In 2022, there was public outcry when greyhounds – dogs known to quickly overheat – were forced to race in temperatures as high as 33C.

Growing awareness of the industry’s darker side has led to increasing opposition, with many calling for a complete ban. One such petition in England attracted over 100,000 signatures but was debated and rejected by the Conservative government in 2022. At the time, Defra stated that “welfare concerns are being addressed in many ways”, making a ban “unnecessary”.

If the industry were truly concerned with animal welfare, it would not continue to put thousands of dogs at risk each year in the name of profit.

What can you do?

If you want to help to bring an end to greyhound racing, there are several ways to take action. Supporting animal welfare organisations that campaign against the industry is one step. Groups like GREY2K USA Worldwide, the League Against Cruel Sports, the Alliance Against Greyhound Racing, and the Greyhound Trust work tirelessly to expose the realities of greyhound racing and push for legislative change.

Writing to your local MP can also be an effective way to demand action. If you live in the UK, urge your representative to support a ban on greyhound racing. Governments are more likely to act when they see that public opinion is strongly in favour of change.

Another way to help is by adopting a retired greyhound or supporting greyhound rehoming charities. These dogs can make wonderful, gentle companions when given the chance. If adoption isn’t an option, consider donating or volunteering with an organisation that helps rehome former racing dogs.

Finally, spreading awareness is key. Many people are still unaware of the suffering involved in greyhound racing. By sharing information with friends, family, and social media networks, you can help change public perception and put pressure on governments and racing organisations to end this cruel practice.

A future without greyhound racing

Greyhound racing is on borrowed time. As more countries acknowledge the inherent cruelty of the industry, the calls for a global ban are growing louder. While some regions remain resistant to change, the momentum is undeniable.

Every greyhound deserves a life free from suffering. By taking action today – signing petitions, writing to your MP, and supporting rescue organisations – you can help bring this cruel industry to an end. The dogs are running for their lives. Let’s run with them – toward a future where greyhound racing is consigned to the history books.