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Scotland expected to ban greyhound racing
The Scottish Animal Welfare Commission will respond by Wednesday, 9 November.
Government commission to issue recommendation.

The Scottish government could outlaw greyhound racing, as a government commission is set to discuss a 13,160-strong petition seeking a ban on the practice.

Following the significant response to the petition, the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission (SAWC) will issue a 'pivotal recommendation' on greyhound racing. If the SAWC advises against the practice, the government could then set a ban in motion.

Scotland Against Greyhound Exploitation (Sage) submitted the petition, and demanded a response this week, as Dogs Trust, Scottish SPCA, RSPCA and Blue Cross have called for an end to the sport.

Sage chairwoman Gill Docherty told The Times: We believe that they will say we think it should be banned in Scotland. Wednesday is pivotal, if they come out and ban it, the government is going to have to act on that. I’m feeling very optimistic.

“If you stripped away all the concerns about how [the dogs are] kept, that they’re drugged, that they’re discarded at the end, dogs will still die on the tracks. You can’t remove that risk so it needs to go.”

In September, the RSPCA, Dogs Trust and Blue Cross highlighted data from the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB), which showed that over 2,000 greyhounds died from racing between 2018 and 2021 in the UK.

The same data also revealed that almost 18,000 injuries were recorded between 2018 and 2021, with further injured on independent tracks.

Speaking to The Times, Paul Brignal, owner of the unregulated Thornton greyhound stadium in Fife, discussed his position: “Sage keeps banging on about there being 18,000 injured dogs and 3,000 deaths but we only have about 70 dogs left in racing. We’ve had two serious injuries this one year and one dog sadly died. But accidents can happen in every sport.

“My main concern is Sage takes stats that come from all of the UK and the reality is that big tracks in England operate entirely differently to Scotland. In Scotland we’re lucky to get 1,000 runs from all Scottish dogs in a year.”

The SAWC has been given an extension for their response, which will be published on Wednesday, 9 November.

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Webinar to explore history of KC breed registers

News Story 1
 A free webinar exploring the development of the Kennel Club's registration system and the evolution of closed breed registers has been announced.

Hosted by Dr Alison Skipper, veterinary and research advisor at the Kennel Club, the webinar will delve into the development of the registry and how the changing landscape of scientific knowledge has shaped breeding practices. It will also look at what this means for the future of pedigree dogs.

The session will culminate with a look at The Kennel Club's ongoing and future engagement in this area, with a chance for attendees to put forward their thoughts and questions for discussion.

This event takes place on Microsoft Teams on Tuesday, 10 June at 7pm. To learn more, visit events.teams.microsoft.com  

Click here for more...
News Shorts
UK's BSE risk status downgraded

The WOAH has downgraded the UK's international risk status for BSE to 'negligible'.

Defra says that the UK's improved risk status recognises the reputation for having the highest standards for biosecurity. It adds that it demonstrates decades of rigorous animal control.

Outbreaks of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, also known as mad cow disease, have previously resulted in bans on Britain's beef exports.

The UK's new status could lead to expanded trade and better confidence in British beef.

Christine Middlemiss, the UK's chief veterinary officer, said: "WOAH's recognition of the UK as negligible risk for BSE is a significant milestone and is a testament to the UK's strong biosecurity measures and the hard work and vigilance of farmers and livestock keepers across the country who have all played their part in managing the spread of this disease.