'Dog killed in England every three days' - South Tyneside track protests call to ban racing
Calls to ban greyhound racing as protests held at South Tyneside track.
Animal rights activists fighting to end greyhound racing have gone straight to the horse’s mouth - by protesting outside South Tyneside’s only stadium.
In a bid to persuade punters to turn their backs on the sport, they targeted Sunderland Greyhound Stadium at East Boldon ahead of a packed race night on Friday.
Supporters of North East Animal Rights (NEAR) said they wanted racegoers to better understand the death and injury to dogs they say is all too common.
Demands for greyhound racing to be banned
The borough-based group, which campaigns across the region, is demanding greyhound racing be outlawed the same as badger baiting or cock fighting.
Last month, Scotland and Wales did just that – but there are no plans for England to follow suit.
But NEAR said it hoped its protest would contribute to the debate and help sway public and government opinion in favour of a ban.
However, stadium bosses hit back, insisting animal welfare was top priority and the highest levels of welfare were upheld.
Anna Malia, founder of NEAR insisted greyhound racing was “a dying industry”.
She added: “It is dying because dog tracks are closing slowly but surely and dying because animals are regularly injured and killed.
“Some people will quote tradition, yet there are many traditions like bear baiting, cock fighting and badger baiting which have been outlawed for quite some time.
“People will argue that there is no comparison between those spectacles and greyhound racing, but the facts speak for themselves.
‘Dog killed on an English track every three days’
“A dog is killed on an English track every three days. A sport is not a sport where there is a chance an animal can be killed.
“Greyhound racing is not fun nor entertainment nor sport - it is an industry which needs to be consigned to history.”
Over 2,700 greyhounds died and over 26,500 injuries were recorded from racing between 2018 and 2023, according to the Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
In a statement, the RSPCA said: “No animal should be suffering or dying in the name of entertainment, so the recent votes in both Wales and Scotland are historic moments for animal welfare.
“Greyhound racing is inherently dangerous for the dogs involved, and the industry’s own data shows that thousands of injuries have occurred in recent years, while hundreds of dogs have lost their lives.
“That level of suffering, purely for the purpose of entertainment, is simply unacceptable.”
Sunderland Greyhound Stadium said the welfare of greyhounds participating at its venue were its primary concern.
A spokesperson added: “Every greyhound is subject to three thorough inspections by our veterinary team at every race meeting and is afforded levels of care both at the track and at home which go far beyond the requirements for domestic pets.
“It is critical to understand risk of injury is not exclusive to greyhound racing.
“Although we have extensive measures in place to limit risk, it applies to every animal-based sport – including amateur pursuits – which bring joy to a significant volume of our population.
“We are proud to uphold the highest welfare standards in every corner of our operation, including securing each greyhound their perfect forever home in retirement in collaboration with our homing partners.”