Campaign Resources

Key Points to Include

Choose the points that resonate most with you. You don’t need to cover everything, even focusing on one or two issues makes a powerful submission.

The Reality of Harm

Injuries are routine and predictable

• Every race puts dogs at risk of broken bones, torn muscles, spinal trauma, and lacerations
• In the 2024/25 season, over 800 injuries were reported, including 114 broken bones
• 40% of greyhounds racing in the 2022/23 season suffered one or more injuries
• The tight turns and 60 kph speeds contribute to crashes and injuries 

Deaths continue despite promises

• In the 2024/25 season, at least 16 dogs died or were killed on the track
• Well over a hundred dogs died or were euthanised off‑track in the same season, according to official data
• In March 2024, three dogs died in a single week at the Manukau track, prompting a temporary suspension of racing there.
• Official data show that hundreds of greyhounds were euthanised between the 2017/18 and 2022/23 seasons, with many cases recorded with limited or no clear reason given, according to independent review analysis

Living conditions fail to meet basic needs

• Many kennels are too small with inadequate bedding and enrichment
• Some kennels lack proper building consents and are too cold in winter
• Dogs experience limited socialisation and inadequate veterinary care
• Housing fails to meet the behavioural and physical needs required by the Animal Welfare Act

A Decade of Failed Reforms

Four reviews, same problems

• Greyhound racing has been reviewed in 2013, 2017, 2021, and 2022
• Each review found serious welfare concerns and poor transparency
• After the 2021 Robertson Review, the industry was placed “on notice”
• The Racing Minister stated he was “not satisfied the recommendations are being implemented in a way that is improving animal welfare”

The problems are systemic

• More than a decade of scrutiny has shown these issues cannot be resolved through reform
• The most recent season has been one of the deadliest
• Industry improvements like the Rehabilitation to Rehoming Policy are “ambulances at the bottom of the cliff” – they don’t prevent the harm from happening

The Breeding Problem

Deliberate over-breeding creates “wastage”

• Dogs are bred specifically to race, with far more puppies bred than will ever compete
• Many don’t even make it to the point of being named
• The industry depends on over-breeding to ensure some dogs will run fast enough to be profitable
• This commodification of dogs treats them as disposable resources rather than individuals

Concentrated breeding operations

• A handful of owners and trainers dominate the scene, often having multiple dogs bred and trained by the same person in one race
• Concerns have been raised about whether animal welfare can be adequately protected in large-scale operations

Substances and Shortcuts

Banned substances found in dogs’ systems

• Recent cases show ongoing use of methamphetamine and other banned substances
• Whether accidental or intentional, these cases demonstrate that dogs’ wellbeing is not being adequately protected
• This reveals a culture willing to put dogs at risk for competitive advantage

Life After Racing

Dogs carry lasting effects

• Many rehomed dogs have poor dental hygiene, mental and physical injuries, and high “prey drive”
• Some suffer blindness from poor deworming treatment
• Race training causes behavioural issues that must be overcome for dogs to become family companions
• These dogs need extensive rehabilitation and support

The Human Cost

Gambling harm affects families and communities

• About one in five New Zealanders experiences harm in their lifetime due to gambling,  their own or someone else’s
• Greyhound racing adds to gambling opportunities in a country already grappling with problem gambling
• From a public health perspective, gambling is a social, economic, and health issue

What New Zealanders Think

The industry has lost its social licence

• 72% of New Zealanders support the Government’s decision to end greyhound racing (Verian poll, 2025)
• 60% of New Zealanders want commercial greyhound racing banned
• Even Prime Minister Christopher Luxon stated before the 2023 election that he believed greyhound racing should be banned
• Labour’s Animal Welfare spokesperson offered bipartisan support to enact the ban

Animal welfare organisations agree

• SPCA, SAFE, Greyhound Protection League, and other organisations have repeatedly called for an end to greyhound racing
• These organisations state the industry “cannot meet its animal welfare obligations and is no longer acceptable to New Zealand society”

Global Movement Away from Dog Racing

New Zealand joins a worldwide shift

• Greyhound racing continues in only a handful of countries: New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and two tracks in the United States
• Since New Zealand announced its ban, Wales, Scotland, and Tasmania have followed suit
• Ending this industry positions Aotearoa within a global movement towards compassion for all animals

Legal Incompatibility

Racing violates the Animal Welfare Act

• Section 10 requires owners to ensure dogs’ physical health and behavioural needs are met
• Section 28A prohibits reckless ill-treatment that causes serious injury, permanent disability, or death
• With 40% of greyhounds suffering injuries, I believe the industry clearly cannot comply with these basic legal requirements

Responding to “What About” Arguments

Pointing at other problems doesn’t excuse racing

You may hear arguments like “What about pounds?” or “SPCA euthanises dogs too”

• This logic suggests one harm excuses another – it doesn’t
• Pointing at other animal welfare issues doesn’t make greyhound racing acceptable
• We can work to improve pounds, shelters, and breeding practices whilst also ending racing
• Two wrongs don’t make a right

Greyhound racing is unique in its predictability

• Racing deliberately puts healthy dogs at risk of injury and death for entertainment and profit
• The harm isn’t accidental or due to lack of resources – it’s built into the system
• Every race creates predictable risk that we have the power to prevent entirely

We support improvements across all animal welfare issues

• Supporting this ban doesn’t mean ignoring other problems
• The Animal Justice Party advocates for reform across companion animal breeding, shelter practices, and more
• Ending one form of harm is progress, not hypocrisy