March for dogs killed by the greyhound racing industry rally – SUNDAY 24 JULY 2016
In cities across Australia and the UK, greyhound owners and animal welfare groups will take to the streets to march for dogs killed by the greyhound racing industry.
In NSW, the March will also remember the 70,000 healthy greyhounds killed over the past 12 years for being too slow, drowned at birth or euthanised after injuries.
On 7 July 2016, the NSW Premier Mike Baird announced it will be illegal to race and breed greyhounds in NSW from 1 July 2017, following the findings of the Special Commission of Inquiry into the Greyhound Racing Industry in NSW. The Premier described the Commission’s report into greyhound racing as “chilling”, uncovering an industry of deceit and a stonewall of silence about the barbaric goings on within its own industry.
NSW is the first state in Australia to ban greyhound racing, with ACT following suit. Australia is one of eight countries in the world where commercial greyhound racing is practiced. Forty states across the USA have made greyhound racing illegal and five states have shut down active race tracks. Statistics taken from the available GRNSW steward reports over 2016 show that during 440 race meetings there have been 1017 injuries and 38 recorded track deaths. Out of the 1017 injured greyhounds, over 40 others have been listed as ‘retired’ and many others no longer active racers.
The Anti Greyhound Racing Network is urging NSW to march with the support of the Animal Justice Party, the Greens NSW and Animals Australia to remember the greyhounds exploited by an industry in the name of profit and push for the ban to go through parliament on August 2 2016.
“The March of the Murdered Million will highlight the plight of the thousands of greyhounds silently killed each year in NSW and across the globe, at the cost of being too slow for an industry focused only on profit,” says greyhound rescuer Nora Anderson.
“The public cannot continue to provide enough homes for the sheer volume deliberately farmed by the industry in the hope of finding a winner. The ban must be passed,” added Nora.
The rally is being held on Sunday 24 July 2016 at 11.00am in Hyde Park, Sydney.
More information about the Sydney Rally and other cities around Australia can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/events/606617949501717/.