In Context: Prohibition of Greyhound Racing (Scotland) Bill

What is the controversy over greyhound racing? 

According to the latest data from the Greyhound Board of Great Britain, the sport’s regulator, 109 greyhounds died trackside in the UK in 2023. A further 4,238 injuries were recorded. 

The general living conditions many greyhounds experience are also a cause for concern. Often, they are raised in racing kennels, which generally consist of multiple dogs locked in cages for many hours. It’s also not uncommon for them to have parts of their body tattooed to make them easier to identify.  

Animal welfare charities have also raised concerns of owners euthanising greyhounds they deem unfit to race. This can be due to age, injury or being seen as surplus to requirements.  

What is the current state of greyhound racing in Scotland? 

The sport has historically thrived in Scotland and the rest of the UK. In the 1940s, there were more than 70 tracks in the UK, including more than 20 in Scotland. Attendances peaked at 70 million in 1946, but have been on the decline across the UK  since the middle of the 20th century.  

The sport is now on pause in Scotland, with the two last remaining tracks closing their doors recently.

Shawfield in Rutherglen was closed in 2020 due to the pandemic, after which it became derelict. Efforts are now underway to redevelop the site. Thornton Stadium in Kirkcaldy closed until further notice in March after it was unable to find a betting partner, attributed to the proposed ban. 

There are less than 30 remaining greyhound racers left in Scotland. And without a track to race, the sport appears to be close to extinction.  

What has been the response elsewhere in the UK? 

In February, the deputy first minister of Wales, Huw Irranca-Davies, announced his government will prohibit the sport “as soon as practically possible”. At Westminster, the UK Government said it has no plans to outlaw the sport in England. 

What is happening at the Scottish Parliament? 

In September 2022, Green MSP Mark Ruskell lodged a motion in the Scottish Parliament highlighting welfare concerns in greyhound racing and called for action. Eighteen months later, he launched a public consultation on the proposed Prohibition of Greyhound Racing (Scotland) Bill, aiming to make it an offence to permit the racing of dogs at racetracks. It closed with 790 responses, and a summary was published which reflected significant public support for the proposed ban.  

In June last year, Ruskell formally lodged the proposals for the bill and secured the support of 24 cross-party MSPs giving him permission to bring the bill forward. Last month, the bill was formally introduced to parliament. 

What exactly is being proposed at this stage? 

It proposes to make it an offence to permit greyhounds to race at racetracks in Scotland and would treat the offence with the same seriousness as the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act. 

While the penalties are not set out specifically in the proposed legislation, penalties for serious offences in the animal welfare legislation can range from a large fine or up to five years in prison. Offenders can have their animals seized and be banned from owning or working with animals for a specified period or indefinitely.  

Less serious offences, such as not meeting an animal’s basic welfare needs, can result in up to six months in prison or a fine of up to £5,000.  

What has been said? 

Mark Ruskell: “My bill aims to protect greyhounds from the many risks that come from being forced to race around tracks at high speed. With industry figures showing that the death rate is going up across the UK, it’s time to take action. Public opinion is on our side, and I am heartened by the support that my bill has received so far. I urge racecourse owners and the wider industry to listen hard and to stand up for Scotland’s greyhounds by putting paws before profit and ending the races for good.” 
Mark Bird, chief executive of the Greyhound Board of Great Britain: “Unfortunately, this is a confused and ill-thought-out piece of legislation with implications that go well beyond the remit of racing greyhounds in Scotland. It says more about Mark Ruskell’s vested interests than the wellbeing of animals and any ban would simply jeopardise the welfare of greyhounds.”

Owen Sharp, chief executive of the Dogs Trust: “While we worked closely with the greyhound industry for many years to try to improve welfare conditions for the dogs, progress has not been made quickly enough or on a big enough scale. It is simply not acceptable that in the UK over 2,700 greyhounds died or were put to sleep over the past six years, all in the name of entertainment.”