The Welsh Government has published the Prohibition of Greyhound Racing (Wales) Bill, which outlines plans to end greyhound racing in Wales as soon as 2027.
The Bill has been welcomed by the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, Dogs Trust.
James Fitch, public affairs manager at Dogs Trust, said: “The publication of the Prohibition of Greyhound Racing (Wales) Bill marks a significant step towards ending greyhound racing in Wales, and we are pleased that the Bill will also prevent the training and trialling of greyhounds for racing in other locations.
“While the majority of the Bill is a step in the right direction, we would like it to go further and prevent the breeding of greyhounds in Wales for racing elsewhere.”
Mr Fitch added that Dig’s Trust also has some concerns around the timeframe outlined in the bill.
“It’s great news that the Bill could bring an end to greyhound racing in Wales as early as 2027, but we see no reason for it to continue until 2030, which the Bill outlines as a possibility,” Mr Fitch said.
“Every additional year puts more dogs at risk of death or serious injury. Dogs Trust, along with many other organisations in the animal welfare sector, is already prepared to rehome the dogs affected, so any delays are unnecessary.”
Since 2017, 4,034 greyhounds have died or been put to sleep because of their involvement with racing, while there have been more than 35,000 injuries.
