Our Keep Welfare On Track campaign is calling for the government to introduce a statutory levy on bookmakers to ensure an increased reliable level of funding to protect greyhound welfare.

As regulator, the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) ensures that greyhound welfare remains the highest priority for everyone involved in the sport.

To demonstrate what a statutory levy would help to fund, we are shining a spotlight on some of the best practice which takes place as part of the GBGB’s ‘A Good Life For Every Greyhound’ welfare strategy which aims to further protect and enhance the welfare of racing greyhounds:

Greater veterinary support

• A new position of GBGB Veterinary Executive was created in July 2022 to oversee the implementation of the Welfare Strategy and provide greater central support for racecourse veterinarians.
• A new field team of five GBGB Regional Regulatory Veterinarians (RRVs) has been established to oversee all GBGB-licensed racecourses and trainers.
• RRVs carry out routine kennel visits, and from 2025 the RRVs will take over the responsibility for conducting the Annual Veterinary Kennel Inspection of their trainers’ residential kennels.

Increased welfare checks

• Each GBGB licenced greyhound trainer receives a minimum of four visits to their residential kennels each year – including an unannounced inspection by a GBGB stipendiary steward; an unannounced kennel visit from their RRV; an Annual Veterinary Kennel Inspection by their RRV; and an audit inspection by an independent auditors, SCI, as part of the UKAS-approved external independent inspection scheme for residential kennels.
• All racecourses receive regular unannounced inspections by GBGB Stipendiary Stewards, in addition to unannounced visits by the RRVs. During these visits, there is an inspection of the facilities and observation of the various procedures involved in the operation of a race meeting.

Strengthening regulation

• Every greyhound trainer licensed by GBGB is required to have their kennels inspected annually by external auditors.
• All trainers must have suitable air-conditioning in any vehicles used to transport greyhounds. Ongoing trainer compliance with this Rule of Racing continues to be monitored by GBGB RRVs and stipendiary stewards.
• GBGB has further strengthened its procedures for checking on the progress of newly retired greyhounds. This includes four to six monthly check-ins on any greyhounds that are remaining at their trainer’s kennels while they wait for a place in a homing centre to become available and follow-up calls at two, six and twelve months on greyhounds which have been homed privately. 

Investing in greyhound welfare

• GBGB has commissioned several research projects which are currently underway as part of the Welfare Strategy. This includes:
• A project with Professor Emmeline Hill to better understand the genetic factors influencing resilience and longevity in racing greyhounds.
• Research into greyhound nutrition led by Dr Teresa Hollands which will inform evidence-based recommendations about optimal nutrition for a racing greyhound at each stage of its life.
• Two MRes projects at the University of Nottingham, on (i) The causes of injury in racing greyhounds and (ii) How modern technologies can be used to detect sub-clinical injuries.
• To support trainers in improving their kennel and paddock facilities, GBGB has awarded over 115 Trainer Development Grants in 2024 totalling over £480,000. 

Retirement and re-homing

• Since the launch of the Greyhound Retirement Scheme (GRS) in 2020, over £5 million has been remitted to GRS-approved homing centres to assist over 12,500 greyhounds with their homing journey.
• GBGB has launched a new campaign – Share Your Life With A Greyhound – that matches potential greyhound adopters with network of approved Greyhound Retirement Scheme (GRS) homing centres. 

Track safety

• Inspections by external track experts take place quarterly rather than every six months, and tracks are now supported with a new Track Maintenance Guide to support ground staff in preparing the safest possible racing surfaces. 

Stakeholder education

• A range of tailored welfare-focused events and demonstrations are held throughout the year, covering pregnancy and whelping, through to nutrition and behaviour. These events are led by GBGB’s education manager, and are well attended by trainers, kennel hands, track staff and veterinary surgeons. 

International collaboration

• In April 2023, GBGB hosted an inaugural meeting of international greyhound racing regulators to drive forward collaboration and best practice in greyhound welfare across the globe.
• This international forum has resulted in the ongoing sharing of research into risk factors for injury, track design and greyhound nutrition, as well as current work to align export policies internationally. The forum will continue to collaborate on an ongoing basis and to meet regularly to share best practice and research findings on all aspects of greyhound welfare.

A statutory levy has a crucial role to play in securing high standards of greyhound welfare in the long-term.

The first step to achieving this is by securing a debate in parliament, and we are asking you to play your part by signing our petition to make this a reality.