Injury & retirement data proof of the huge strides made - GBGB

THE GBGB says the publication of track injury and retirement data for 2024 "provides unequivocal proof that the sport has made huge strides forward".

The data for 2024 reflects the impressive step-change that has been achieved across the sport since the Greyhound Commitment was introduced in 2018.

This Commitment, launched by GBGB, set out the regulator’s expectations for how the sport should be run with welfare at its heart.

This was followed in 2022 by the sport’s long-term welfare strategy, ‘A Good Life for Every Greyhound’, which aimed to enhance welfare standards at every stage of a greyhound’s life. Initiatives introduced under the Strategy are now coming to fruition as reflected in this year’s data.

This includes the impact of improved veterinary provision across the sport, more extensive education and training for all those caring for greyhounds and increased funding to help cover veterinary costs and costs associated with homing retired greyhounds.

Commenting on the data, Mark Bird, GBGB chief executive, said: “There is much to be pleased and encouraged by in this year’s data.

"It shows that the initiatives we have introduced in recent years are now embedded and are helping to consolidate the significant progress we have made since 2018 across all measures.

"I am particularly proud of the progress we have made around economic euthanasia. As a Board, we have been clear that putting a greyhound to sleep for economic reasons is unacceptable and I am pleased that we have reduced this by 98% since 2018.

"This is a fantastic achievement and is the result of the entire sport working together.

“Whilst our retirement figures continue to be promising, GBGB recognises that trainers continue to take care of a large number of retired greyhounds in their residential kennels until a homing centre place becomes available. We appreciate the financial impact this has on trainers and I would like to thank them all for their ongoing commitment to their greyhounds even after they have retired from the track.

“I want to thank everyone across the sport for the part they have played in driving welfare. We have launched a wide range of welfare initiatives which have required our trainers, owners and track staff to take on additional responsibilities towards our greyhounds.

"It is only because of their willingness and efforts that we have been able to achieve higher standards and I am very grateful for all they have done to support the Board as we have worked to ensure greyhounds receive the care and attention they deserve.”

GBGB chairman Jeremy Cooper, said: “When I joined GBGB as chair in 2018 shortly after the launch of the Greyhound Commitment, I was clear the sport needed to achieve significant improvements in welfare.

"As the former Chief Executive of the RSPCA, I wanted to make sure that the care and protection of our canine athletes became a priority for everyone working in the sport.

“Thanks to the strategic vision of Professor Madeleine Campbell and the relentless drive and determination of our Board along with the support of our entire sport, we have placed welfare at the very heart of licensed racing.

"Year-on-year, we have seen improvements in a number of areas including track safety, veterinary provision and homing – improvements we have achieved with minimal funding from the betting industry. "

Both Bird and Cooper reiterated their calls for bookmaker commitment to paying into the Fund to be made statutory rather than the current voluntary position.