Neither the government nor the media has given the public the full facts about the welfare of greyhounds in the racing industry.
Much of the criticism directed at the industry is based on outdated or exaggerated information, and on sheer misinformation.
I have been the independent chairman of Greyhound Racing New Zealand's (GRNZ) animal health and welfare committee for the past two years.
Over that period, I have been impressed that GRNZ has made all its decisions with the welfare of its greyhounds as its primary concern.
GRNZ has worked on many fronts over recent years to improve greyhound welfare.
In announcing the closure of the greyhound racing industry, the Minister for Racing Winston Peters acknowledged the "significant progress" made by the industry.
The industry has been through three reviews since 2013.
The latest, the 2021 Robertson Review, identified four main areas that required improvements: transparency and communication, traceability of dogs, re-homing and injury rates.
GRNZ has fully resolved the first three areas.
Racing greyhounds are superb athletes. No greyhound is ever forced to race.
Greyhounds love racing, as the minister himself has said.
But yes, injury rates are still higher than ideal, although injury rates on New Zealand tracks are less than on Australian tracks.
And the number of greyhounds euthanised after track injuries is about half the number of racehorses euthanised, despite dogs racing many more races.
The inconsistency of the government decision is obvious.
Why close down the greyhound industry and not the horse racing industry, or rodeos, for that matter?
Why stop greyhound racing while at the same time reopening livestock exports by sea?
The uncertainty hanging over the industry's future has meant the industry could not invest in changes that could have resulted in fewer injuries: building straight tracks, which are inherently safer, building new tracks with better design, and major changes to existing tracks.
Even so, the industry built a new straight track at Whanganui, which has been successfully operating since mid-2024.
While racing continues, the industry plans to implement some recently identified affordable initiatives that may further reduce injuries.
However, their impact will be minimal as racing will finish by the end of July 2026.
Closure of the industry will be costly.
Trainers will need support to look after dogs as racing, and therefore their income, ends.
The government could save that money by allowing the industry to continue operating and by investing in track replacements and other improvements that would benefit the dogs.
Re-homing 2900 greyhounds will be a massive task. The industry re-homes every greyhound when it ends its racing or breeding career, about 600 each year.
SPCA has offered its services to assist, but animal welfare charities already find it difficult or impossible to re-home all the dogs that go through their shelters.
They will not reveal how many healthy but unwanted dogs and cats they euthanise each year, although you can be sure it is many more than the greyhound industry, which is transparent on these statistics, and which never euthanises healthy greyhounds.
Rushing through legislation to prevent euthanasia of greyhounds gives the public the message that greyhound trainers or owners are so uncaring about their animals that they would contemplate putting them down, now they know that racing will end.
GRNZ rules already prevent euthanasia of dogs unless a veterinarian certifies it is the only humane alternative for that animal.
GRNZ has invested considerable sums to ensure that injured dogs receive surgery, so that they can recover from injuries rather than be euthanised, even when veterinary costs are high.
Owners and trainers love their dogs and the legislation is likely to achieve little, other than to misinform the public.
The greyhound industry is heavily regulated.
The government regulator, the Racing Integrity Board (RIB), backs up the welfare standards, which exceed those for any other dogs, attends all race meetings, audits every trainer's operations regularly and reports direct to the minister.
Virtually all greyhound owners and trainers love their dogs and treat them well.
On the few occasions where standards are not met, the RIB has powers to require improvements or to prosecute.
Dr Allen Bryce is a veterinarian and independent chairman of Greyhound Racing New Zealands animal health and welfare committee.
