Greyhound Racing Victoria’s (GRV’s) GRI provides funding towards the veterinary costs (and in some cases rehabilitation as well) for a greyhound that has sustained a serious injury or medical condition, as defined by the GRI eligibility criteria, during a Victorian race meeting or coursing meeting that is attended by a GRV On-Track Veterinarian (OTV).
Note: the GRI eligibility criteria and conditions may change from time to time. The information contained on this webpage is the most up-to-date information, and while GRV commits to keeping the documentation on-track up to date, where this doesn’t match this webpage, this webpage is to be taken to be correct.
Eligibility
The exact nature and extent of an injury cannot always be determined on-track as greyhounds are often examined before they have adequately cooled down and there are no diagnostic imaging facilities (e.g. X-rays). For this reason, a greyhound can be admitted into the GRI on-track by the OTV (and be eligible for at least Stage 1 funding) if the OTV has either confirmed or reasonably suspected that the greyhound has sustained a GRI-eligible injury or medical condition. To be eligible for GRI funding, the greyhound must be examined by the OTV for that injury or condition before leaving the track unless otherwise approved by GRV.
A GRI-eligible injury or medical condition is defined as:
- Any bone fracture except a single metacarpal or metatarsal, a toe (phalangeal and/or sesamoid) or a tail fracture; or
- Any joint dislocation above and including the wrist or hock so excludes a metacarpal-phalangeal or metatarsal-phalangeal dislocation, a toe dislocation or a tail dislocation; or
- A complete Achilles tendon rupture; or
- Any other serious injury or medical condition where on-track euthanasia may otherwise be considered appropriate in accordance with GRV’s On-Track Euthanasia Guidelines; or
- Any other serious injury or medical condition at GRV’s absolute discretion.
The OTV must stabilise the injury/condition and administer appropriate pain relief and may require that the greyhound receives same day veterinary treatment at an emergency veterinary clinic (included in Stage 1 funding). The participant must arrange to transport the greyhound to an off-track veterinarian of their choice for an initial off-track veterinary consultation, which will usually involve diagnostic tests such as X-rays. The purpose of this consultation is to obtain an accurate diagnosis of the injury/condition and the prognosis.
Funding (effective 1 January 2024)
Funding consists of veterinary costs payable directly to the veterinarian(s) and/or reimbursement of the participant plus if eligible, a Rehabilitation Grant payable to the participant or to an approved rehabilitation facility. The determination as to what GRI funding a greyhound is eligible for is at GRV’s absolute discretion.
If a greyhound has been admitted into the GRI on-track by the OTV, GRV will fund all reasonable and necessary costs of the initial veterinary diagnostic consultation (including immediate treatment, such as pain relief and/or stabilisation necessary to ensure the greyhounds welfare during this stage) up to the point of reaching a diagnosis and providing a prognosis, regardless of the diagnosis (this is Stage 1 funding).
Once a diagnosis has been made at Stage 1, there are three possible outcomes:
- Injury/condition confirmed to be not GRI-eligible: GRV will pay for Stage 1 costs (as above) but will not fund any subsequent treatment costs and the greyhound will not be eligible for the Rehabilitation Grant.
- Injury confirmed to be GRI-eligible but is treated non-surgically: GRV will pay for Stage 1 costs (as above), but unless otherwise approved by GRV, will not fund any subsequent treatment costs and the greyhound will not be eligible for the Rehabilitation Grant. These cases include, but are not limited to, chip, avulsion and non-displaced fractures that do not require surgery and other larger fractures that are chosen to be treated non-surgically (i.e. treated ‘conservatively’).
- Injury/condition confirmed to be GRI-eligible and is treated surgically: In addition to GRV paying for Stage 1 funding (as above), GRV will provide funding as follows:
- Stage 2 (surgery): GRV will also fund all reasonable and necessary veterinary costs for the surgical treatment and post operative treatment up to a cap of to $5,000 (including GST) for complex surgical cases and up to $3,000 (including GST) for all other cases. Additional funds may be available in exceptional circumstances by application to GRV.
- Rehabilitation Grant: The owner will also be eligible for the Rehabilitation Grant to help with the cost of caring for the greyhound during surgical recovery, which can be used in any manner including payment of additional veterinary costs. GRV reserves the right to withhold part or all of the Rehabilitation Grant to cover veterinary invoices received, or likely to be received, over the funding cap. To be eligible for the Rehabilitation Grant, GRV must have received a completed part B of the GRI Admission Form (showing the estimated period of rehabilitation), clinical notes, imaging (e.g. X-rays) and veterinary invoice(s). The participant must request payment of the Rehabilitation Grant by contacting GRV within 3 months of the race meeting and is payable at GRV’s absolute discretion up to a maximum of 12 weeks. It is either $70/week (no GST) if the participant intends to do the rehabilitation themselves or engages another person to do the rehabilitation; or actual costs up to a maximum of $105/week (plus GST if the facility is GST registered) if the participant engages a GRV-approved rehabilitation facility to do the rehabilitation.
Re-homing
The participant remains responsible for rehoming the greyhound if it is not retained as a pet, for racing or for breeding. Any greyhound admitted into the GRI which is eligible for Stage 2 funding and the Rehabilitation Grant will be granted priority access to a standard GAP intake if requested by the participant. However, the greyhound must have sufficiently recovered (i.e. be in sound health and not be lame), be fully vaccinated (to GAP’s requirements), be desexed and must pass any entry assessment(s) if required as part of a standard GAP intake. If the participant requires priority access to a standard GAP intake, they must contact GRV on 03 8329 1100 or [email protected] (do not contact GAP directly).
GRI process
- The OTV examines the greyhound, provides pain relief, injury stabilisation and other appropriate treatment, and assists in facilitating referral to a suitable off-track veterinary clinic where required.
- If deemed by the OTV to be eligible for admission into the GRI, the OTV and Steward complete part A of the GRI Admission Form and email a copy of part A to [email protected] plus a copy of the Steward’s Order for Follow-up Veterinary Consultation (if issued) and the Veterinary Examination Details form.
- The Steward provides the participant with the entire GRI Admission Form (with part A completed), the Steward’s Order for Follow-up Veterinary Consultation (if issued) and the Veterinary Examination Details form.
- The participant transports the greyhound to an off-track veterinary clinic of their choice (providing the clinic with the entire GRI Admission Form with part A completed) for assessment and diagnosis, within the required timeframe, and discuss the most suitable treatment option with the off-track veterinarian.
- The off-track veterinarian treats the greyhound and ASAP emails the completed Part B of the GRI Admission Form, clinical notes and imaging (e.g. X-rays) to [email protected]. If the greyhound is deemed by GRV to be not eligible for Stage 2 funding, GRV will notify the veterinary clinic and the participant ASAP.
- Where the off-track veterinary clinic is invoicing GRV directly, invoices must be made out to GRV as the client and should be sent to GRV ASAP along with the completed Part B of the GRI Admission Form, clinical notes and imaging (e.g. X-rays) if not already sent. This is critical as not all greyhounds will be eligible for Stage 2 funding (as above).
- Where the participant is seeking reimbursement of veterinary invoices that they have already paid, they must email a copy of the invoice(s) with receipt(s) to [email protected], noting GRV requires the completed Part B of the GRI Admission Form, clinical notes and imaging (e.g. X-rays) before reimbursement can be made.
- The participant must arrange appropriate care and rehabilitation for the greyhound while it recovers.
- Where the participant is seeking payment of the Rehabilitation Grant, they need to contact GRV on 03 8329 1100 or email [email protected]. GRV must have received a completed part B of the GRI Admission Form (showing the estimated period of rehabilitation), clinical notes, imaging (e.g. X-rays) and veterinary invoice(s). GRV will determine who to pay it to, and the person receiving the Rehabilitation Grant will have to confirm they have read and accepted the GRI Rehabilitation Grant Terms and Conditions, which will be provided to them.
- Where payment of the Rehabilitation Grant is to be made directly to a GRV-approved rehabilitation facility, that facility must issue an invoice made out to GRV as the client.
- If the greyhound is to race again, there is currently no requirement to reimburse GRV, but the greyhound will require an independent off-track veterinary clearance certificate prior to nomination if it has sustained a GRI-eligible injury (in addition to any requirements under racing rules).
Download the PDF version here.