Wales is set to become the first nation in the United Kingdom to outlaw greyhound racing.
The plan to prohibit the activity is in response to lobbying by animal welfare charities and a public petition which received over 35,000 signatures.
Speaking to parliament on Tuesday, Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies said: “Our consultation on a national model for animal welfare, which included questions relating to greyhounds, received over 1100 responses. In that consultation, the question asking for evidence and views on a phased ban found almost two thirds of respondents were in favour of such a ban.”
“This sits alongside campaign work by the Cut the Chase coalition, which includes Blue Cross, Dogs Trust, Greyhound Rescue Wales, Hope Rescue, and the RSPCA,” Irranca-Davies added. “We also note what is happening in other countries across the world who are taking steps to ban this activity.
“As a result, I believe that now is the right time to move to ban greyhound racing in Wales.”
The First Minister plans to establish an implementation group to engage with all stakeholders in order to ban greyhound racing as soon as practicably possible, although the move faces opposition from Britain’s Betting and Gaming Council, which represents licensed gambling operators.
“The BGC and our members are deeply disappointed by the announcement by the Welsh Government of their intention to ban greyhound racing in Wales,” the BGC said in a statement Tuesday.
“Greyhound racing is a working-class sport, enjoyed by thousands, and this draconian move will cost jobs, hurt the economy, while depriving people of a long established and legitimate source of joy. We are also concerned that this decision has not been based on evidence but instead taken to satisfy campaigners.”
The BGC added that its members are proud to support the greyhound racing industry, with members voluntarily contributing more than £7 million last year to the British Greyhound Racing Fund for the welfare of greyhounds.
Mark Bird, chief executive of the Greyhound Board of Great Britain, commented: “This announcement has nothing to do with greyhound welfare and everything to do with pressure from the extreme animal rights movement.
“The Welsh Government’s own Summary of Consultation Responses highlighted the lack of evidence to support the case for a ban on the sport. This Summary made clear there has been a coordinated campaign against licensed greyhound racing, seeking to drown out the voice of local people including those whose livelihoods rely on the sport.
“Questions should be asked as to why – despite repeated requests – the Minister has failed to meet with the industry in Wales, or its regulator, and preempted his own timeline to make this call,” Bird added. “Meanwhile the Minister has engaged on numerous occasions with campaign groups known to use shock tactics and misleading information to achieve their ends.
“We have engaged in the consultation process in good faith as regulator for the sport, but this statement is hugely disappointing and will do absolutely nothing to support greyhound welfare.”