Welsh greyhound racing ban faces legal challenge
Greyhound racing could be banned in Wales as soon as April 2027.
The Welsh Senedd has voted in favour of banning greyhound racing in Wales, despite controversy about the consultation process.
The Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) has criticised the handling of the Welsh Senedd vote, citing ‘repeated failures in public consultation, evidence gathering and overall due diligence’.
The Welsh government voted on the proposed ban on 17 March 2026, with Senedd members voting in favour of a ban on greyhound racing with a 39-10 majority. Two Members of Senedd abstained from the vote.
Under the legislation, greyhound racing could be banned in Wales as soon as April 2027.
However the legislation now faces a legal challenge, amidst claims that ministers did not consult on it properly. Civil servants are said to have told the Welsh government that there was not enough evidence to support the ban.
Meanwhile the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) has strongly criticised the Bill, saying it has ‘disgraced the ethical and legislative processes from start to finish’.
The GBGB says that the Welsh Government acted against officials’ advice that showed there was ‘insufficient evidence and consultation’ to justify the ban. It states that the Bill has proceeded despite two ‘damning’ Committee reports and whilst judges consider whether it is lawful.
Mark Bird, CEO of GBGB, said: “From the very beginning, the Welsh Government had the choice to opt for a regulated industry – one which upholds high standards of welfare and provides far greater protections for its racing greyhounds than for any domestic pet dog.
“The only thing this Bill will do is destroy people’s jobs, family-run businesses and community touchpoints not to mention cause significant loss to the Welsh economy.”
He added: “We remain resolute in our fight against this Bill process and await the court judgements.”
Meanwhile Dogs Trust, which has been working with the Cut the Chase coalition for many years to secure a ban on greyhound racing across the UK, has celebrated the Welsh Senedd’s decision to ban the practice.
In response to concerns about the consultation, the charity says the evidence ‘speaks for itself’ every time it sees the physical and behavioural issues of ex-racing greyhounds entering its care. It also cites GBGB’s own data, which it says records 4,000 greyhound deaths since 2017 as a result of the racing industry.
A spokesperson for Dogs Trust said: “It has been a monumental week for animal welfare, with Wales announcing a ban on greyhound racing on Tuesday and Scotland following suit on Wednesday.
“We hope that this will be a catalyst for change across the UK, and that this outdated and inhumane practice will be put to bed.”
Asked about GBGB’s proposals of a regulated industry, they added: “No further regulation would stop the unnecessary suffering caused to greyhounds from running around the track at high speed. A ban on greyhound racing is the right way forward”.
Image © Shutterstock.com/chrisbrignell
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