AN MSP has said the “writing is on the wall for greyhound racing,” as a bill aiming to ban the sport in Scotland gained enough support to proceed at Holyrood.
Mid Scotland and Fife Green MSP Mark Ruskell said he had won the backing of enough colleagues at the Scottish Parliament to allow his proposed Prohibition of Greyhound Racing (Scotland) Bill to be introduced.
It aims to make it an offence to permit greyhounds to compete in races at tracks in Scotland.
He said: “I am delighted to have received the backing of MSPs from across the political spectrum, and will be pushing ahead with my Member’s Bill.
“I hope that the Scottish Parliament will unite behind my proposed legislation and take the chance to act and to save the lives and limbs of countless greyhounds in future.”
Data from 2023 showed 109 greyhounds died trackside in the UK, an increase on the number for 2022 – with a further 4238 greyhound injuries reported.
Injuries include all forms of wear-and-tear sustained by the racing greyhounds, including small grazes and broken nails.
Data for the number of more serious injuries, such as broken bones, was not recorded separately.
Ruskell (above) said: “My bill aims to protect greyhounds from the many risks that come from being forced to race around tracks at high speed.
“With industry figures showing that the death rate is going up across the UK, it’s time to take action.
“Public opinion is on our side, and I am heartened by the support that my bill has received so far.
“I urge racecourse owners and the wider industry to listen hard and to stand up for Scotland’s greyhounds by putting paws before profit and ending the races for good.
“You can tell a lot about a society from how it treats voiceless animals. I believe that we are a nation of dog lovers, and that is why we need to ensure they are protected.
“The writing is on the wall for greyhound racing in Scotland, it’s time for us to put the wellbeing of these wonderful dogs ahead of gambling company profits.”
The Greyhound Board of Great Britain said the data logged by the Greens was misleading and inaccurate, namely because the number of minor, non-serious injuries are recorded alongside more serious injuries.
A spokesperson from the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB), which is the regulator for licensed greyhound racing, said: “We note the Scottish Green Party’s statement on the status of their proposed bill.
“We also note that the Scottish Government has recently said, at this time, they are not persuaded of the need to ban greyhound racing in Scotland.
“Scotland currently has no licensed greyhound racecourses and we continue to work with those in Holyrood to set out the extensive welfare protections that would be offered under our own existing regulatory regime.”
