GRNSW is committed to reforming the sport of greyhound racing through a considered and evidence based approach. GRNSW acknowledges that further investment in research is required to inform its future policy approach and promote best practice to ensure the welfare of greyhounds is safeguarded and better support participants.

As part its commitment to evidence based decision making, GRNSW engaged Working Dog Alliance to produce a landmark report which details best practice methods in the care, welfare, education and training of all racing greyhounds.

Whilst providing valuable insights in best practice methodologies, the review suggested that further investment in research was necessary, including with respect to greyhound motivation to chase, lure design and track design.

A substantial research agenda is being prepared by GRNSW to guide industry thinking, inform GRNSW’s policy direction and contribute to a national knowledge library and promote a richer dialogue for the betterment of the sport.

GRNSW is committed to investigating, developing and implementing initiatives to improve career longevity for greyhounds while enhancing its current Masters Racing scheme.

Masters Racing is currently only for greyhounds aged 3 and a half or older, providing these greyhounds with a suitable level of racing to extend their racing career. This form of racing is targeted at older greyhounds that are no longer competitive in standard races, providing them with opportunities to compete and extending their racing careers.

GRNSW has recently undertaken a review of Masters Racing that will form part of the overall Grading Policy Review aimed at promoting the highest standard of racing while encouraging greater diversity of competition and career longevity for racing greyhounds.

GRNSW is committed to ensuring all industry participants and facilities are registered, contribute to the costs of regulation and benefit from improved industry supervision.

This will see GRNSW develop competency based accreditation for all greyhound racing participants including trainers, breeders, rearers, whelpers and educators. This will provide a new foundation level of collective knowledge for all participants and assist the development and implementation of best practice across the sport.

The comprehensive licensing arrangements will be competency based and include mandatory education packages to receive and maintain a licence prior to receiving their licence thus provide an opportunity for new and existing participants to be educated about all aspects of each facet of the industry.

GRNSW released a revised Code of Practice for Breeding, Rearing and Education as part of GRNSW’s licensing of breeders that came into effect on 1 July 2015.

The Code provides an overarching framework for breeders, rearers and educators by specifying the minimum standards of accommodation, management and care to uphold the welfare of all greyhounds located at breeding establishments.

These minimum standards cover a range of areas including health and veterinary care, nutrition and greyhound housing size.

The overriding theme of the Code is that the wellbeing of the greyhound must be the primary consideration of participants and be safeguarded by GRNSW. It was developed with the assistance of animal welfare experts and existing standards imposed on breeders by the NSW Government.

GRNSW accepts that the design and surface material of a greyhound racing track impacts greyhound welfare and contributes to the risk of injury.

As such, GRNSW is committed to undertaking a comprehensive review of the design of NSW greyhound tracks to assist development of an industry standard for race track design.

While not exhaustive, it is anticipated that the review will consider optimum track length, shape, and other variables such as track surface and box positioning in order to maximise the safety of racing.

In addition, the review will tie in with other planned research on greyhound chase motivation and lure design as recommended by the landmark report conducted by Working Dog Alliance on best practice methods in the care, welfare, education and training of racing greyhounds.

GRNSW is developing a new Industry Supervision Strategy to assist with its transition to an intelligence led and risk based compliance approach with a clearer focus on outcomes and performance monitoring to improve industry performance and accountability.

Once activated, GRNSW’s Industry Supervision Strategy will improve awareness and guidance activities and target more serious failures or misconduct for escalated enforcement action including referral to other regulatory authorities where appropriate.

The Industry Supervision Strategy will position GRNSW to better supervise industry including improved engagement and guidance, as well as more robust monitoring and assurance activities to deter wrongdoing and ensure participants found to have breached compliance obligations are held to account.

GRNSW is continually enhancing the integrity of swabbing operations for racing greyhounds both in and out of competition. Former NSW Police Deputy Commissioner David Madden was engaged to undertake an independent operational review of GRNSW’s drug testing program to assist identifying any vulnerabilities in current practices or opportunities to adopt best practice.

As a result of the review, GRNSW anticipates substantially enlarging its substance detection program including increasing the number of samples and investing in research and education to identify and address known and emerging risks.

As part of this process, GRNSW has begun a select tender process for the provision of forensic testing services as part of its continued efforts to enhance integrity within the greyhound racing industry.

It is anticipated this provision of services will deliver contemporary best practice in forensic testing and assist GRNSW in providing greater guidance to stakeholders around known and emerging risks to the sport.

GRNSW is repositioning the organisation to ensure welfare is at the centre of everything we do.

A Chief Veterinary Officer has been appointed to lead the investigation, development and implementation of GRNSW’s policy and education initiatives to deliver improved welfare outcomes, assist recovering community confidence and move the sport towards a sustainable future.

In addition to driving welfare reform, the Chief Veterinary Officer will review GRNSW’s veterinary services to ensure the sport is recognised as providing contemporary best practice and further develop GRNSW’s Greyhounds as Pets program.

GRNSW, in partnership with Service NSW, established the independent Greyhound Welfare and Integrity Hotline to encourage the public to report any concerns they may have about the conduct of NSW greyhound racing.

The hotline is accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with concerns able to be lodged either over the phone or online via an e-form.

The dedicated hotline is an important measure that signals improved accountability and affirms animal welfare and integrity are the principal focus of GRNSW going forward.

People can lodge a concern with the greyhound welfare and integrity hotline by calling 1800 680 174 or by visiting www.greyhoundwelfare.com.au.

GRNSW has adopted a national approach to breeding that will reduce the number of unsuitable greyhounds being bred, and to ensure the decision to breed a litter of greyhounds is a considered one.

The new breeding controls are one of the measures contained in the National Greyhound Welfare Strategy and are designed to ensure the health and fitness of a greyhound is not adversely affected, as well as preventing the ongoing breeding of a dam that has not produced successful offspring.

Other initiatives that have been undertaken under the National Greyhound Welfare Strategy are as follows:

• Ending the Blue Paws NSW Breeders and Owners Incentive Scheme on 30 June 2015.
• The introduction of new breeder’s licences and breeding restrictions from 1 July 2015.
• Rule amendments requiring persons to seek the approval from GRNSW to breed dams over the age of eight and to breed a fourth litter or more.
• Limiting the frequency of litters for an individual dam to two litters in any 18 month period and requiring the registration of all dams to GRNSW.

Greyhounds As Pets is a not for profit industry initiative coordinated by GRNSW. The objective is to improve animal welfare in the greyhound racing industry by providing homes for greyhounds after they finish their racing careers.

This financial year will see a 86% increase in funding for the Greyhounds As Pets program, aimed at expanding promotion of the greyhound as the perfect urban pet and achieving increased adoptions.

GRNSW commissioned an independent review of its Greyhounds As Pets re-homing program. The review identified opportunities to further develop and enhance the program to ensure it is able to successfully re-home increased numbers of greyhounds as urban pets.

Further, a portion of the money raised via the $1.1m Welfare and Integrity Fund will be channelled towards the program to drive efficient operations and increased adoptions.