His evidence was regarded by the commission as more likely to be correct based on his involvement and knowledge of live baiting.

One trainer with 40 years' experience, who had practised live baiting himself and helped others to do it, said about 10 per cent to 20 per cent of trainers used live baiting. The commission concluded that the evidence from these witnesses about the proportions of trainers using live baiting was 'debatable' and 'based on gossip'. Several of them estimated that up to 90 per cent of trainers used live rabbits to train greyhounds and one said he could not think of any trainers who did not use live baiting. The commission heard evidence from several witnesses who had used live baiting to train greyhounds themselves and had seen others do it. In addition, it estimated that around 20 per cent of greyhounds who compete in races are injured, though Greyhounds NSW disputed this estimate. This practice, known as 'live baiting' or 'blooding', is a criminal offence in NSW.īut the broad and far-reaching terms of reference charged the commission with investigating animal welfare issues in the industry and whether those issues could be dealt with to allow greyhound racing to continue.Īs well as live baiting, the commission found evidence that at least 50 per cent of dogs bred were deliberately killed because they were not competitive racing greyhounds. It showed racing greyhounds being enticed to chase, maul and kill live animals such as rabbits, in an effort to make them more enthusiastic racers. The NSW Government set up a special commission of inquiry into the NSW greyhound racing industry in response to a Four Corners program shown on ABC TV in 2015.

New South Wales is set to be the first Australian state to ban greyhound racing, after an inquiry found ' overwhelming evidence of systemic animal cruelty, including mass greyhound killings and live baiting'.īut the industry is fighting the ban, claiming evidence has been overblown and innocent greyhound owners and trainers will lose their livelihoods as a result of the criminal activity of a minority.

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