The future of greyhound racing is under threat if a powerful body at Holyrood backs calls for a crackdown on the sport.
The death knell for “the dugs” could come within days if the Scottish Government’s advisory group on animal welfare recommends a ban to the Scottish Parliament’s rural affairs committee. The Scottish Animal Welfare Commission (SAWC) is expected to side with charities such as Dogs Trust and the Scottish SPCA who have been calling for the sport to be outlawed.
Calls for a ban were branded “ludicrous” by those involved in the traditional sport but campaigners say it is “inherently cruel” to the dogs. An all-out ban would require a change in the law but the Scottish Government last night said it was open to “all options”, including new legislation and said it “shared concerns” over the welfare of dogs.
