By Niamh McConnell

In recent years, greyhound racing has come under increased scrutiny due to concerns surrounding the
welfare of the racing dogs. Although rules and regulations are currently in place to protect greyhounds,
campaigners in the UK have called for the abolition of the practice entirely, particularly given that Scotland
and Wales have passed legislation to prohibit the sport due to the serious injuries and deaths associated
with it.

Wales has made significant strides in promoting positive legislative change in this sector. The Prohibition
of Greyhound Racing (Wales) Bill was introduced to the Senedd on 29 September 2025, making it an offence to operate a stadium or similar venue for greyhound racing or to organise greyhound racing events¹, reflecting a strong commitment to animal welfare.

Similarly, in Scotland, the Prohibition of Greyhound Racing (Scotland) Act 2026 makes it a criminal
offence to allow a greyhound to compete on an oval racetrack in Scotland following the closure of the last
remaining track at Thornton in Fife, by issuing a fine up to £20,000 and a prison sentence of up to five
years². Neil Duncan-Jordan, MP for Poole, has praised both Wales and Scotland for their approach and
has argued that ‘Westminster should [also] follow suit and call the last lap on greyhound racing.’³

While Scotland and Wales have made significant progress in this sector, England continues to regulate rather than prohibit greyhound racing, despite ongoing reports of catastrophic injuries and deaths. The racing industry argues that there are already sufficient measures in place to protect greyhounds. The Greyhound Board of Great Britain Rules of Racing establishes standards for greyhound welfare, ensuring that the racing industry operates fairly and safely. These rules hold every person who holds a licence or registered as a greyhound owner accountable. Additionally, Section 9 of the Animal Welfare 2006 and the six conditions established in the Welfare of Racing Greyhounds Regulations 2010 are reflected in the Rules of Racing⁴.

According to The Welfare of Racing Greyhounds Regulations 2010, the management of a track requires a
licence, and local authority inspections must take place before a licence can be granted or renewed; all
licences are subject to licensing conditions. A veterinary surgeon must be present throughout the duration
of a race, trial, or sales trial, while every greyhound intended to run must be inspected beforehand.
Additionally, operators are also required to remove any greyhound ruled unfit to race. Greyhounds must
be identified through a unique ear tattoo and microchip, with injury information and identification records
kept for a minimum of at least ten years⁵. However, despite these measures seeking to protect greyhound welfare, there is doubt as to whether these regulations are enforced sufficiently.

Between 2017 and 2024, 1357 greyhounds died trackside and 35,168 sustained injuries across England and Wales, including broken legs and necks, cardiac arrest, and spinal cord paralysis. A 2018 report by Professor Andrew Knight highlighted that ‘racing greyhounds around an oval track is inherently dangerous, putting huge strain on the dogs’ bodies⁶. Similarly, Jo Rowland, Chief Executive Officer of the RSPCA, has condemned the sport stating that ‘no animal should be suffering or dying in the name of entertainment.’⁷

Importantly, a greyhound’s racing career represents only a short proportion of its life; by age 3.5
years, 50% of greyhounds are no longer racing and by 5 years old, 90% of greyhounds are retired⁸. Hannah Spencer, an MP for the Green Party has drawn upon her personal experience after adopting a greyhound who had previously raced: ‘My first greyhound, Graham, was terrified of everything outside because he’d been kept in a shed and had never really left’⁹ demonstrating the lasting psychological trauma that racing dogs experience.

About the author:

Niamh is a first year student studying Law at the University of Exeter. After completing an EPQ on animal law, she has continued to develop her interest in this area by volunteering with a small dog rescue charity and supporting its campaign for greater regulation of dog rescues.

Bibliography:

Greyhound Board of Great Britain, Rules of Racing (2025)

Greyhound Racing (Offences) (Scotland) Act 2026 asp 15

Horton H, ‘Green MP: Labour Caricatures Working-Class People over Greyhound Racing’ The Guardian
(18 April 2026)

Horton H, ‘Keir Starmer urged to ban “cruel” greyhound racing in England’ The Guardian (3 April 2026)

Nicholas M, ‘Wales and Scotland pass landmark Bills to ban greyhound racing’ (League Against Cruel
Sports, 18 March 2026)

RSPCA, ‘Wales Makes History and Bans Greyhound Racing’ (2026)

Welsh Government, ‘The Prohibition of Greyhound Racing (Wales) Bill’ (29 September 2025)

1. Welsh Government, ‘The Prohibition of Greyhound Racing (Wales) Bill’ (29 September 2025) ↩︎
2. Greyhound Racing (Offences) (Scotland) Act 2026 asp 15 ↩︎
3. Helena Horton, ‘Keir Starmer urged to ban “cruel” greyhound racing in England’ The Guardian (3 April
   2026) ↩︎
4. Greyhound Board of Great Britain, Rules of Racing (2025) ↩︎
5. The Welfare of Racing Greyhounds Regulations 2010 SI 2010/543 ↩︎
6. Mike Nicholas, ‘Wales and Scotland pass landmark Bills to ban greyhound racing’ League Against
   Cruel Sports (18 March 2026) ↩︎
7. Helena Horton, ‘Keir Starmer urged to ban “cruel” greyhound racing in England’ The Guardian (3 April
   2026) ↩︎
8. RSPCA, ‘Wales Makes History and Bans Greyhound Racing’ (2026) ↩︎
9. Helena Horton, ‘Green MP: Labour Caricatures Working-Class People over Greyhound Racing’ The
   Guardian (18 April 2026) ↩︎