LAST UPDATE 20/02/2024
Greyhound welfare and integrity are key platforms of the 2023-27 GRV Strategic Plan, while the greyhound tracking initiative is critical in ensuring the welfare of all Victorian registered greyhounds throughout their lifecycle.
Last year, GRV welcomed the State Government’s announcement of a commitment for GRV to implement digital ‘tracking and tracing’ technology to better monitor the location and welfare of all Victorian registered greyhounds, and immediately commenced work on developing a Digital Greyhound Tracking program which will roll out various initiatives to enhance and automate greyhound tracking.
Greyhound tracking is already undertaken by the industry through multiple mandatory check-ins, including before pups are microchipped at 12 weeks, when greyhounds are named, every time they race or breed, when they move between participant properties, during official kennel inspections and when they retire and are rehomed. However, many of these check-ins rely on manual processes that are time consuming and at risk of human error.
GRV’s Digital Greyhound Tracking program will implement digital systems to automate greyhound check-ins and improve the frequency and range of opportunities for participants to digitally check in their greyhounds across all lifecycle stages.
Key objectives of the program are to:
- protect the welfare of greyhounds and the integrity of the Victorian greyhound racing industry;
- demonstrate transparent and accurate accounting of every Victorian greyhound at all stages of the lifecycle;
- enhance regulation and existing practices to further improve public and stakeholder confidence; and
- better utilise digital technologies that simplify and automate the capture, analysis and reporting of greyhound health and location related information.
The implementation of new ‘tracking and tracing’ technology will be a gradual roll out. Stay tuned to this page for regular updates.
What is new
Scanning of greyhounds at Club Trials
GRV has commenced a pilot to scan all greyhounds at selected club trial sessions. It is intended that this pilot will be rolled out across the state over the coming months, ultimately becoming a permanent part of the trial process.
As part of the normal checking off against the trial booking, the starter will scan the dog before the trial.
Information collected and uploaded to FastTrack during the pilot at club trial sessions will be the greyhound’s microchip number, date, time, and club location only. No other information is recorded as part of the scanning process.
There is no change to the trial booking process.
Clearance to race check-in
GRV has commenced the digital recording of greyhound scanning as part of the ‘clearance to race’ check-ins at selected clubs, with a full rollout taking place over the coming months.
The greyhound scanning is simply an opportunity to digitally capture the greyhound microchip information as an integral part of the existing clearance to race process, and completion of the form.
The Clearance Officer will scan the dog as part of the normal process, recording the microchip number, date, time and club location, for uploading to FastTrack.
Further detail on the Digital Greyhound Tracking Program will be provided as other initiatives are rolled out.