Greyhound Racing Victoria is proposing a suite of rule changes aimed at significantly improving animal outcomes which build on many of the animal welfare and race track initiatives put in place over the past year.
These rules will tighten ownership and rehoming responsibilities, further restrict euthanasia, ensure education and socialisation of greyhounds, set a minimum age for breeding, require trainers to report health and injury issues, and require owners to report the death, transfer or rehoming of greyhounds.
A key enhancement under the proposed suite of rule changes includes a strengthening of local rule 42.6 – an Australian first rule introduced earlier this year and which requires owners to make best efforts to rehome their greyhound.
Under the proposed changes, GRV’s expectations regarding the minimum efforts required by owners to rehome their dogs are to be clearly specified and participants who fail to satisfy these enhanced requirements will commit a serious offence leading to prosecution through the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board.
The rule changes were developed following significant input and comments from participants and stakeholders at forums and workshops held by GRV across the State throughout 2016.
“Many of these enhancements have been raised by participants in the greyhound racing industry at the 15 workshops GRV has held across Victoria to engage with our stakeholders as we work together to ensure a strong future for Victorian greyhound racing,” GRV CEO Alan Clayton said.
“The fact that participants are proposing significant changes aimed at improving animal welfare outcomes further supports that cultural change is occuring in Victoria’s greyhound racing industry.”
All participants and members of the community are invited to make a submission on the proposed changes by 5pm, Wednesday November 23, 2016.
The proposed amendments and details on how to make a submission can be found at:
https://greyhoundcare.grv.org.au/rules-of-racing/