Calls for track closure after another dog death

A SECOND greyhound death at a Bendigo Greyhound Racing Association meeting this year has prompted renewed calls from welfare advocates for the track to be closed.

Members of the Coalition for the Protection of Greyhounds described the Bendigo track as “inherently dangerous” and claimed the greyhound racing industry ignored its own research that showed curved tracks are more lethal than straight tracks.

But an industry spokesperson defended greyhound racing, saying that fatalities in Victoria were down by nearly 50 per cent over the past five years.

“The Bendigo track should be closed down,” the coalition’s Victorian director Dr Harry Rothenfluh said. “Every race risks a greyhound’s life.”

The coalition is a nationwide group of volunteers that publicises what it describes as the “cruelties” of greyhound racing.

“The Bendigo track is inherently dangerous. The racing industry ignores its own research that curved tracks are more lethal than straight tracks,” Dr Rothenfluh said.

“Victorian greyhound racing continues with the same killing of young dogs that we saw last year.

“Son of Brock’s recent death has now doubled last year’s toll at Bendigo.”

The coalition statement said that according to a stewards’ report for race 12 at the 28 June meeting, four-year-old Son of Brock faltered on the home turn and pulled up in the home straight, suffering a right tarsal fracture.

He was euthanised by the on-track vet.

The coalition said that in race 11 on the same night, greyhound Idaho Evie also suffered a tarsal fracture and a 90-day stand-down period was imposed.

It said that earlier this year, greyhound In Range died after suffering left and right radius fractures at the 16 February race meeting.

One dog died at Bendigo in February last year after a right humerous fracture.

According to the coalition, 25 dogs have died at Victorian tracks so far this year and 1538 injured – 281 of which were classed as serious.

Last year’s total was 31 fatalities and 3414 injuries, 671 of which were classed as serious, it said.

The Bendigo Greyhound Racing Association was approached for a response to the coalition’s statement but referred enquiries to Greyhound Racing Victoria.

“The serious injury or loss of any greyhound is both tragic and distressing for our industry and particularly for the owners, breeders and trainers,” a GRV spokesperson said in a statement.

“As with any incident that leads to a fatality on track, the circumstances will be formally reviewed by the Greyhound Racing Integrity Unit.

“The incidence of greyhound racing fatalities in Victoria are down more than 70 per cent over the past five years.”