England and Northern Ireland are lagging behind most of the rest of the world by allowing greyhound racing to remain legal, according to a new report being sent to every MP.
Excessive dog breeding in Ireland “has a notable impact on the rampant overpopulation problem in the UK” and regulations in England do not ensure the animals’ welfare away from tracks, according to the report by GREY2K USA and the League Against Cruel Sports.
Claims of criminality, cruelty and high dog death rates in the industry led both Wales and Scotland to vote last month to ban the sport.
Now Labour is under pressure to follow suit. Last month Green MP Adrian Ramsay wrote to environment secretary Emma Reynolds calling for it to be phased out, after campaigners Animal Aid released footage they said showed greyhounds being held down at an underground race and injected with suspected illicit drugs.
The footage, captured in 2022 and 2025, appeared to show “numerous botched attempts to stick needles into the veins of dogs moments before races began”.
The findings – including “neglect and failures to protect dogs from injury and death” – raised concerns about the transparency and accountability of an industry in which animals experienced widespread harm, Mr Ramsay said.
Broadcaster Sports Information Services this month dropped Oxford and Suffolk Downs stadiums from its schedule, blaming financial issues.
The report, called Reaching the Finish Line: Time to End Dog Racing in the UK, is backed by Labour MPs Irene Campbell and Neil Duncan-Jordan.
Ms Campbell, chair of the all-party parliamentary dog advisory welfare group, said: “The cruelty of every aspect of greyhound racing is clear...
“It is seriously concerning that a minimum of 1,000 retired greyhounds are unaccounted for every year.”
In September, the Green Party became the first UK party to support ending greyhound racing. The party’s newest MP, Hannah Spencer, a greyhound fan, has backed calls for a change in the law.
In the US, greyhound racing is illegal in 44 of 50 states, and operates in just one, while a bill banning greyhound gambling has just passed its first committee.
New Zealand and Tasmania are phasing out tracks, while countries such as South Africa, Jamaica and the Philippines have refused to legalise dog racing, the report says.
Analysis of UK industry figures shows thousands of British greyhounds have been put down for reasons such as veterinary treatment costs being too high and the animals being considered unsuitable for rehoming.
In the seven years from 2017 to 2024, some 1,353 dogs were killed at the side of tracks, according to statistics from the Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
And a further 3,278 dogs were destroyed over that period for reasons that included treatment costs, a vet’s advice, no home being found for them or sudden death and terminal illness.
Some 35,168 injuries were recorded, including 3,809 last year.
Six years ago The Independent revealed a spike in the number of race dogs testing positive for cocaine to make them run faster.
More recently The Independent also reported on a major drug scandal in greyhound racing, involving the illegal sale and widespread misuse of a hormone intended for women.
Racing insiders argue the death rate in the licensed sport has halved to 0.03 per cent, which is lower than in horseracing, while numbers of dogs put down due to treatment costs have fallen by more than 98 per cent. But the activists say greyhound racing and betting are in decline.
A spokesperson for the Greyhound Board of Great Britain said: “Welfare standards are higher than ever in British licensed greyhound racing and provide far greater protections than for pet dogs.
“Over recent years, the efforts of hard-working trainers, kennelhands, owners and vets – together with a thriving group of licensed tracks – have delivered a transformation in our sport.
“Attempts by animal-rights groups to distort the picture by using outdated and misleading information are a campaigning tactic in their pursuit against any use of animals in sport.”
Christine Dorchak, president of GREY2K USA Worldwide said: “The animal welfare community is now united in its calls to wind down dog racing. Independent experts, media outlets and government analysts have each emphasised its irreversible and continued economic decline.”
Emma Slawinski, chief executive of the League Against Cruel Sports, called on the UK government to follow Wales and Scotland, saying: “This report highlights the extensive suffering faced by racing greyhounds and the inherently dangerous nature of this cruel sport which causes so many deaths and injuries.”
A government spokesperson said: “The government recognises concerns on the welfare of racing greyhounds. There are no plans to ban greyhound racing, but robust laws and a strong regulatory body – the Greyhound Board of Great Britain – are in place to ensure high standards and make improvements in greyhound welfare.”
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