Greyhound Racing Victoria has defended its welfare record despite a 45 per cent increase in dog deaths across the state this year.
The frenetic sport has lost 45 greyhounds on Victorian tracks since January compared to 31 last year.
The number of greyhound deaths in Victoria is up 45 per cent this year.Credit: Getty Images
The first greyhound, Cook Model, died at Traralgon on January 31 and the last of the 45, Minnie Rocks, was euthanised at Healesville on December 8, according to the Coalition for the Protection of Greyhounds’ records, which are compiled from Greyhound Racing Victoria stewards’ reports.
The alarming jump in Victorian dog deaths comes as the New Zealand government announced this week that it was banning greyhound racing permanently from mid-2026 on welfare grounds.
New Zealand Racing Minister Winston Peters said the “percentage of dogs being injured remains persistently high” and the decision to ban the sport was “in the best interest of the animal”.
Greyhound Racing Victoria chief executive Stuart Laing said the situation in New Zealand was unique to that country’s “political environment and circumstances”.
“In the context of the greyhound racing industry here in Victoria, nothing changes,” Laing said.
On top of this year’s spike in deaths, GRV is suffering from a sharp drop in wagering turnover across the past 18 months which resulted in the industry recording a $22.7 million loss last financial year.
As a result, Laing said his organisation had embarked on cost-cutting measures since January to save $20 million across the next financial year.
He said GRV had cut prizemoney, staff numbers and operating expenses, but had not compromised integrity, welfare and rehoming programs.
New Zealand is banning greyhound racing from mid-2026.Credit: Getty Images
“Fatality rates in Victorian greyhound racing have declined more than 42 per cent in the past five years,” Laing said.
“Last financial year’s 43 fatalities represented 0.039 per cent of the 110,422 starters in Victorian greyhound racing, down from 69 (0.068 per cent) in 2019-20.
“With over 110,000 starters in about 15,000 races in Victoria annually, fatalities and serious injuries in racing are rare.”
Warrnambool proved the deadliest track in the state this year, losing seven dogs, while Ballarat and Warragul had six deaths, followed by Shepparton and Traralgon with five.
Four deaths were recorded at Sandown Park, but Melbourne’s second city track, the Meadows in Broadmeadows, was fatality free.
“The causes are multi-faceted and unique to each situation and cannot be solely attributable to the track design, shape or surface,” Laing said.
He said GRV had proposed to identify options for at least one more straight track in the state such as Healesville, which races twice a week. Three dogs died at Healesville this year.
Sale Greyhound Racing Club has submitted plans to Wellington Shire Council to build new facilities that would include a straight track.
Laing said GRV continued to focus on “initiatives and actions” aimed at reducing serious injuries and fatalities in racing such as its greyhound adoption program, greyhound recovery initiative, digital greyhound tracking initiative and track maintenance training program.
“More than half of all GRV’s staff work in the welfare and integrity teams, and last financial year, more than $25 million was invested in integrity, welfare and racing expenses,” Laing said.
The industry is also conducting a study of seven years of data, led Dr Sarah Rosanowski, a specialist researcher in veterinary epidemiology, to identify risk factors that predispose greyhounds to injury.
Figures published by Greyhounds Australasia reveal that Victoria is the largest greyhound jurisdiction in the world, contributing $844.8 million to the national economy – 41 per cent generated in regional areas – and creating more than 4800 full-time jobs.
The recent Melbourne Cup greyhound meeting attracted more than $9 million in turnover, up about 30 per cent on the $6.9 million wagered in 2023.
The $1.6 million wagered on the cup itself made it the third-highest turnover race of all time in Victoria.
But the event as a spectacle was marred by a collision at the first bend during which the No.4 dog, Sunset Frazier, was sent cartwheeling out of the race.
Sunset Frazier did not suffer any ongoing injuries and is expected to run in the $1.65 million Phoenix at the Meadows on Saturday week.
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