Wales and Scotland pass landmark Bills to ban greyhound racing

Two landmark bills banning greyhound racing in both Wales and Scotland have been passed by the Welsh and Scottish parliaments in the past 24 hours.

National animal welfare charity the League Against Cruel Sports has welcomed the successful passage of both bills and called on the UK Government to follow the devolved governments’ lead and ban the dangerous sport of greyhound racing in England.

Emma Slawinski, chief executive at the League Against Cruel Sports, said: “Greyhound racing is cruel from the cradle to the grave, so we welcome these bans in Wales and Scotland and call on the UK Government to take the steps to ban it in England.

“The death and injury toll of greyhound racing is quite simply shocking, going beyond what people see at the racetracks, and is a major animal welfare concern.”

Figures released annually by the industry’s governing body the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) show that in England and Wales, a staggering 1,357 greyhounds have died at the trackside from racing since between 2017 and 2024, and 35,168 have sustained injuries.

A 2018 report conducted by Professor Andrew Knight, a veterinary professor of animal welfare affiliated with a number of universities in England and Australia, and commissioned by the campaign group Greyt Exploitations, was very critical of animal welfare standards in greyhound racing.

It established racing greyhounds around oval tracks is inherently dangerous, putting huge strain on the dogs’ bodies.

The League is calling for both the Welsh and Scottish Governments to move quickly and announce the date for the ban to take hold.

It has also worked closely with the Cut the Chase coalition, led by Hope Rescue Wales, and is part of the Unbound the Greyhound coalition in Scotland.

Emma added: “We look forward to the Welsh and Scottish governments implementing the ban on greyhound racing as soon as possible and for the UK Government to catch up and follow their lead.

“The UK government has pledged to deliver the most ambitious animal welfare reforms in a generation and banning the dangerous sport of greyhound racing in England should be part of their strategy.”

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Notes to editors

For information or interview requests, please contact the League Against Cruel Sports Press Office on 01483 524250 or email pressoffice@league.org.uk

The League Against Cruel Sports is Britain's leading charity that works to stop animals being persecuted, abused and killed for sport. The League was instrumental in helping bring about the landmark Hunting Act 2004, the Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act 2021, the Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Act 2023 and bans on the use of snares brought about by the Agriculture (Wales) Act 2023, and Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024.

We carry out investigations to expose law-breaking and cruelty to animals and campaign for stronger animal protection laws and penalties. We work to change attitudes and behaviour through education and manage wildlife reserves. Find out more about our work at www.league.org.uk. Registered charity in England and Wales (no.1095234) and Scotland (no.SC045533).