THE SCALE OF THE PROBLEM
More greyhounds end up in local authority pounds and rescue shelters than any other breed. Hundreds of greyhounds are abandoned and killed in Wales each year, thousands throughout the UK. There is sufficient information to say with confidence that a major problem exists.

However, there is a real need for properly funded research to obtain precise figures about the numbers of greyhounds who are unwanted and abandoned once their racing career is over.

There is no agreement over the total numbers of greyhounds bred each year. What is clear however is that large numbers are killed as puppies if they are unlikely to become good racers. A high estimate would have that 60,000 greyhounds are bred each year in Britain and Ireland and that 40,000 greyhound puppies are killed. A low estimate places the number of greyhounds bred at 30,000 and the number of puppies killed at 10,000.

It is estimated that about 20,000 greyhounds enter the racing industry in Britain each year. Given that the industry is not expanding (in fact there is a consistent trend of decline and track closures), this means that 20,000 greyhounds also leave the industry each year.

The Retired Greyhound Trust was set up by the racing industry to help greyhounds who need homes as pets once they retire. There are also a number of independent Greyhound Rescue charities in the UK, including Greyhound Rescue Wales who are able to help registered and unregistered dogs.

All-breed rescue organisations such as the National Canine Defence League (NCDL), the RSPCA, and Battersea Dogs home also rescue large numbers of registered and unregistered greyhounds and the NCDL in particular has done a lot of work to highlight the plight of greyhounds. Greyhound Rescue Wales aims to work with other responsible organisations such as these to provide for greyhounds in Wales.

This poor dog was very thin and had open pressure sores caused by lying on a hard surface. This is not at all uncommon in greyhounds coming into our care

There are no accurate figures about the numbers of greyhounds who are abandoned. Estimates based on experience and limited research by welfare organisations however suggest that a figure of between 8,000 and 10,000 greyhounds per year is probably a conservative estimate.

Greyhound Rescue Wales has arrived at a figure of about 400 to 500 greyhounds needing a home after retirement each year in Wales. This figure is based on: an appraisal of greyhounds entering local authority pounds, the numbers of greyhounds eeding a home made known to Greyhound Rescue Wales, the population of Wales in relation to Britain (about 5%) and of greyhound tracks in Wales (about 4%).

 

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