The Geelong Greyhound Racing Club wants to inform the community about its efforts to improve and ensure the overall welfare of greyhounds.
Geelong Greyhound Racing Club general manager, Ray Bartolo says whilst the club is an established part of the local community, many people are still unaware about the practices the club puts in place to guarantee the overall welfare of our racing greyhounds.
Mr. Bartolo wants people to understand how much time and planning goes into making sure the greyhounds are well taken care of before, during and after racing with the club.
According to Mr. Bartolo, “We are with these dog’s every step of the way, from the moment they are born there are a set of minimum standards for the care and management of greyhounds, and there is a dedicated team of staff at Greyhound Racing Victoria (GRV) that ensure these standards are met throughout the life cycle of a racing greyhound. Greyhounds must also be assessed by a vet each time they race to ensure their health and wellbeing.”
He believes many people would be unaware of the care and consideration the industry goes through to ensure the greyhounds are taken care of after their racing career. “A common misconception is that greyhounds are euthanized once they stop racing. There are provisions in the Code of Practice to prevent unnecessary euthanasia of greyhounds that are enforceable under the Domestic Animals Act 1994 (Vic), while GRV have specific rules that apply to industry participants regarding euthanasia of greyhounds, and these rules have been further strengthened in 2022.”
“We want to give these dogs the best possible care and chance for rehabilitation even after they leave us, we give the dogs an opportunity to be adopted through GAP days that we organize with GRV. We have actually noticed an increase of individuals with greyhounds as pets throughout the community.”
For further information about our dog welfare protocols please visit: