Greyhound clubs jump out of the box with campaign to counter misinformation
Australia’s greyhound clubs have received tremendous backing from within the industry for their new online information portal and social media accounts that outline “the facts about Australian greyhound racing”.
Greyhound Clubs Australia spokesperson Luke Gatehouse said many people are misinformed about greyhound racing and it was important to correct misperceptions.
He said the sport is loved by millions of Australians and is not only extremely safe, but is leading the way in animal welfare.
“Our sport is a family, and the most important, pampered, and respected members of our family are our dogs.
“The dogs are loved and cared for by their owners like they’d care for one of their children, and we’ve seen owners and trainers proudly start to tell their stories on our social media accounts.”
Greyhounds are the only dog breed where strict and detailed welfare guidelines are enshrined by regulation, and Mr Gatehouse pointed out that, “tracks are the safest they can be with considerable and ongoing investment into track rebuilds and improvements carried out across Australia in recent times.”
“Over the past six years the sport has also implemented some of the tightest policies around animal welfare ever seen.”
He said the number of greyhound injuries are far less than the injuries and deaths of other dogs and pets across Australia through accidents, sickness, injury and mistreatment.”
The online portal – www.greyhoundfacts.com.au – is a bold initiative that asks and answers questions around a multitude of subjects including track safety, animal living conditions, injuries, a dog’s lifespan and rehoming practices.
Mr Gatehouse said he hopes the website and social media will help encourage more people to become interested in the sport.
“Our goal is to inform the public with truth and facts, and then they can make up their own mind.
“Many people may not realise that owners raise their pups from birth and many keep them as pets after their racing days are behind them. Those that can’t ensure they are rehomed to a loving family.”
The greyhound industry contributes $1 billion annually to the economy, and indirectly employs over 30,000 people.
“I’d encourage anyone to go to a race meeting and see for yourself. Greyhounds love to run and are the champion athletes of the sport of racing.
“They don’t race because they have to, they do it because they love it.”
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