Tyne & Wear greyhound tracks urging community to sign greyhound welfare petition

The campaign – Keep Welfare On Track - has been initiated by the regulator for licensed greyhound racing in the UK, the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB), and has seen a public petition launched to encourage a debate on the issue in Parliament.

The campaign calls for a statutory levy on bookmakers to guarantee they pay back into greyhound racing, after the betting industry turned over £800 million in 2022/23.

GBGB argues that the current voluntary levy, which sees bookmakers able to opt into a payment of 0.6 per cent of their greyhound racing turnover, is inadequate to uphold existing high welfare standards in the long-term.

The regulator is now calling on the public to back the campaign by signing the petition and encourage a debate on the issue in Parliament.

And managers at both tracks are encouraging punters and the wider community to add their signatures to the petition.

Joanne Wilson, General Manager at Sunderland, said: “Every signature on this petition is a step closer to securing increased funding from bookmakers, which will not only ensure the greyhounds who visit our track continue to see high standards of care, but it will also provide a boost to the local economy too.

“Both tracks are pillars of their communities where the love of greyhound racing has been passed down the generations – and now is the time for bookmakers to play their part in securing the long-term future of the sport.

“We would urge anyone who loves to either stadium or anyone who cares about greyhound welfare to sign the petition and secure the long-term health of our dogs and the sport.”

Ian Walton, General Manager at Newcastle, added: “Just like every other licensed race track in the country, we see and hear first-hand the love and dedication that trainers give to their dogs, but they need more financial support to help them maintain high welfare standards in the long-term, which is why we are urging people to do their bit by signing the petition.”

The money paid into greyhound racing by bookmakers has decreased significantly since the GBGB came into being in 2009, with levy contributions falling by 67 per cent based on CPI rates.

The body that receives the contributions from the current voluntary levy, the British Greyhound Racing Fund, will only receive an estimated £6.5 million in the year to March 2025 – £5 million of which will go towards funding greyhound welfare and integrity.

This is despite the introduction of key welfare programmes by the sport’s regulator to optimise greyhound wellbeing both on and off the track.

Under the GBGB proposals, the new compulsory levy would see financial contributions from betting companies rise from 0.6 per cent of revenue to resemble other best-practice schemes, as seen in British horse racing. As part of any new levy system, a final contribution figure would be negotiated between the bookmakers and the sport.

It would also ensure that every betting organisation supports GBGB’s comprehensive welfare strategy, ‘A Good Life For Every Greyhound’, which aims to further enhance welfare across all stages of a greyhound’s life.

This includes initiatives to assist with the costs of veterinary treatment during their racing careers, and GBGB’s new homing initiative for retired athletes – called ‘With A Greyhound’ – which connects potential pet owners with more than 100 accredited greyhound adoption centres across the UK.

Mark Bird, Chief Executive of the Greyhound Board of Great Britain, added: “We strongly urge anyone who cares about greyhounds, and the greyhound racing industry, to sign this petition so we can present this vital campaign directly to Government and urge them to take action.

“Keep Welfare On Track will ensure the welfare initiatives introduced by the sport to care for greyhounds are better funded, safeguarding the future of the dogs that race and the sport as a whole in the long term.

“As long as the current levy remains voluntary with bookmakers able to opt-out at any time, the financial backing for these welfare initiatives will remain highly insecure.

“It is encouraging to see the Government recognising the cultural importance of greyhound racing to the country, but we need to see action being taken.

“A parliamentary debate on this issue is long overdue, and with the public’s support, we hope this petition will help make it happen.”

To sign the petition, visit https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/702202