New Zealand Will End Greyhound Racing in 2026

This week New Zealand announced it would end greyhound racing, citing an “unacceptably high” rate of injuries. The government will wind down the industry over the next year and a half, while it helps find homes for nearly 3000 dogs and new jobs for more than 1000 humans.

The new law was passed with unanimous support from Parliament and little opposition anywhere. “Despite significant progress made by the greyhound racing industry in recent years,” racing minister Winston Peters said in a statement, “the percentage of dogs being injured remains persistently high and the time has come to make a call in the best interest of the animals.”

It’s about time. Over the past three years, about 250 racing greyhounds have died and nearly 3500 have suffered injuries. The lone dissent for the new law comes from Greyhound Racing New Zealand, an industry association. “The greyhound racing community is left reeling from the announcement, with many voicing concerns over the potential cultural and economic void this decision will create,” said association chair Sean Hannan.

Attached to the new law are provisions to prevent greyhound owners from euthanizing their dogs, now that they will no longer turn a profit. Anyone trying such a heinous act will face a $50,000 fine and/or a year in prison. Peters said the bill would ensure the safety of dogs and prevent them from being “needlessly put down.”

Soon there will be only four countries where commercial greyhound racing is allowed: Australia, Ireland, the UK, and the US – and it is not very popular in any of these places. There are only two racetracks operating in the US, both of them in West Virginia. Attendance is way down at these lowly venues, but online betting has kept the industry afloat.

Photo credit: Grey2K USA