Barbaric Conditions In Greyhound Racing Revealed

Barbaric Conditions In Greyhound Racing Revealed
Barbaric Conditions In Greyhound Racing Revealed

Photo: Getty Images

Live baiting has been criminalised in Australia’s greyhound racing industry for decades, but a new report from the ABC has revealed that the practice has been occurring in secret across racing tracks in Victoria and Queensland.

Since the episode aired on television last night some 40,000 Australians have gone online to sign a petition by Animals Australia (who aided the ABC in their report) to end live baiting. Thousands of Australians flooded to Animals Australia's website to sign the petition, which went live at the same time as the Four Corners report aired last night. The deluge of traffic was so immense it almost crashed the organisation's website.

Using footage filmed covertly, the ABC discovered that live rabbits, piglets and even possums were released and chased around tracks by racing greyhounds. Some 70 people – including leading trainers – have been implicated in the live baiting scandal, which resulted in the raids of five properties around the country last week.

This is just the latest scandal to hit the incredibly popular greyhound industry, on which Australia’s wager total bets of $4 million every year. A raid on a Victorian training facility in January found that one of the dogs tested posted positive for amphetamine and methamphetamine (or ice).

To sign the petition, click here.

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