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RNZ News
18 hours ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Greyhound Racing NZ offers 25 percent share in a racing greyhound as competition prize
Greyhound NZ is offering part shares in a racing dog as a prize in a competition. File picture. Photo: 123rf A desperate attempt to salvage a dying industry is how one animal welfare group is describing a competition where a racing greyhound is the prize. Greyhound Racing NZ has been offering a 25 percent share in a racing dog as a prize in a competition where entrants have to say why they oppose a ban on the sport . It comes as the government is outlawing greyhound racing at the end of July next year due to animal welfare issues. It said dog deaths and injury rates had remained consistently high. Greyhound Racing NZ has applied for a judicial review of the government decision to outlaw the industry. It has been promoting a competition where people go into a draw to win shares in a greyhound racer and any prize money it collects. GRNZ board member and greyhound trainer Craig Roberts told Checkpoint they had had over 350 entries to the competition. "We're trying to get out to the general public and just see, get some interest from people that don't really know a lot about greyhound racing." While entrants have to say why they oppose a ban on the sport, Roberts said entries were open to anybody. He said he saw no issues with offering up shares of a dog as a prize. "Greyhound racing is very transparent and very open to the public. So of course I think it's a great idea to give a member of the public the opportunity to share the excitement of owning a share in a greyhound." Roberts said the group would not put up with any "anti-greyhound people" who entered the competition, adding that even if the 25 percent share owner asked for the dog to stop racing, that would not be possible. "[They are just] trying to infiltrate just to disrupt our day-to-day operations of being greyhound participants." The dog on offer belongs to Roberts' son, and he said she was doing "exceptionally well', winning three races in a row. Fifteen dogs have died in the most recent racing season, and hundreds of injuries were reported. Roberts said bar the 15 deaths, the other hundreds of dogs had recovered and were living happy lives. "We don't race our greyhounds to purposely get them injured, obviously as people don't drive a car to purposely have a crash." Animal welfare groups SAFE and SPCA have both raised concerns about the competition. SPCA chief scientific officer Dr Arnja Dale told Checkpoint that the SPCA was aware of the competition and had serious concerns about the ethics of offering a racing greyhound as a 'prize'. "Greyhounds are sentient beings, not commodities to be given away in a competition. Greyhound racing is inherently dangerous. "The last racing season has seen 15 dogs [which] have died or been euthanised as a result of injuries sustained on racetracks." The chief executive of animal welfare group SAFE, Debra Ashton, agreed calling the move a desperate approach to salvage a dying industry whose day has come. "Tactics such as offering the chance to own a quarter share in a dog by writing a submission confirm that this industry has always placed a higher value on using dogs as commodities rather than on animal welfare. "Greyhound Racing New Zealand's focus should now be on doing the right thing by the rest of the dogs who are still being used by winding down races and supporting the rehoming of these dogs." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
26-05-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Greyhound Racing NZ applies for judicial review of ban
Photo: Photosport Greyhound Racing NZ has applied for a judicial review of the government's decision to ban greyhound racing. In December, Racing Minister Winston Peters announced the practice would be banned from 31 July 2026. He said the decision had been made to protect the welfare of racing dogs , and although the industry had made progress injury rates remained persistenty high. Urgent legislation to prevent the destruction of dogs while the industry was wound down passed with the support of all parties in the House. It is estimated around 1000 people will be affected by the ban, with around 3000 dogs expected to need to be rehomed. Greyhound Racing NZ, which had been vocal in opposing the ban, has now applied through its counsel to the High Court to have the ban reviewed. Chief executive Edward Rennell said the review would "expose the government's cavalier attitude to policymaking adversely impacting the livelihoods of thousands". Its application said there was a duty to consult with the industry on the ban, but it had not happened. It said the Cabinet paper produced by the Department of Internal Affairs was selective in its use of reports from the Racing Integrity Board, and included no information from the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee, and accused officials of having already made up their minds. It said decision-makers appeared to have acted in a way that made the decision a foregone conclusion, saying the prime minister had also already made up his mind and stated it publicy. "The government took its decision too lightly and too quickly, without due care and due diligence. It was a rushed and inadequate Cabinet paper," Rennell said. It claimed there were only a "few short steps" from Peters seeking a report in June 2024 on banning the sport, and Cabinet deciding to do so in December. Greyhound Racing NZ has also sought a Court order to stop the Crown from working on the ban while the review is carried out. RNZ has approached the Racing Minister for comment.
