The NSW Greyhound Welfare & Integrity Commission has introduced two new Local Racing Rules to:

1. mitigate the welfare risks involved in breeding older greyhounds; and
2. provide notice to the industry that greyhounds which have been subjected to the procedure known as firing will not be permitted to race.

Breeding exemption applications LR58A

Under the Greyhound Racing Rules, participants are prohibited from breeding female greyhounds that have reached the age of 8 years, or have already had 3 litters, unless they have been granted an exemption by the Controlling Body.

Following consultation with industry and veterinary experts, the Commission has reviewed its procedures for assessing these applications to ensure the welfare of greyhounds is protected, and the criteria for assessing the applications are clear and fair to applicants.

As a result, Local Rule 58A has been introduced to clarify that breeding exemption applications under GAR 57 and 58 will not be considered where the female greyhound is aged 10 years or older, or has already had 5 litters, at the time of application.

LR58A Restriction on breeding female

(1) No application for exemption under R57 will be considered where the breeding female that is the subject of the application is ten (10) years of age or older.

(2) No application for exemption under R58 will be considered where the breeding female that is the subject of the application has already had five (5) or more litters.

(3) It is an offence for a participant to cause or allow a breeding female:

       (a) aged ten years of age or older, or

       (b) which has had five previous litters,

to be serviced.

The introduction of a lifetime limit of five litters through this new Local Rule will align with a similar standard in the Victorian Code of Practice for the Keeping of Racing Greyhounds.

These new restrictions were supported by the Commission’s key stakeholder forums in the interests of greyhound welfare, and have commenced on 17 December 2021.

A new Breeding Exemption application form has been introduced, including a new comprehensive veterinary certification process which must be completed by the registered veterinary practitioner who examines the female greyhound.

Veterinary practitioners who are asked to complete this veterinary certificate as part of a breeding exemption application should allow enough time for a thorough examination and additional blood and urine laboratory tests for routine health screening as part of the exemption application.

From 17 December 2021 the Commission no longer accepts breeding exemption applications on the old form. The new form can be found on the Commission’s website at  www.gwic.nsw.gov.au

Greyhounds subjected to ’firing’ prohibited from racing LR92A

‘Firing’ of any animal has been an offence in NSW since 1997 under Section 21A of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979 (POCTA). The legislation around this procedure differs from state-to-state and, until now, has not been included in any national or local Greyhound Racing Rules.

On 17 December 2021, GWIC introduced Local Rule 92A, specifically addressing the practice of firing. Firing of greyhounds is an illegal procedure in NSW and is unacceptable in welfare terms.

From 17 December 2021 greyhounds that have been subjected to a firing procedure, including where the procedure may have been performed outside NSW, are not permitted to race in NSW.

Evidence of firing often appears as a distinct line or grid marks in the area of a greyhound’s lower leg. Areas of the leg where markings indicating firing are visible include around the carpus  and the tarsus, and the lower leg tendons.

Any NSW veterinary practitioners who notice such marks on a greyhound during an examination are asked to notify GWIC on 13 49 42 or vets@gwic.nsw.gov.au. 

LR 92A Greyhound subject to a firing procedure

1. A greyhound which has been subjected to a firing procedure is ineligible to compete in a race or trial.
2. A person must not nominate a greyhound which has been subjected to a firing procedure in any race or trial.