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Nick Hancock wasn’t surprised when the Government recently announced it would ban greyhound racing, but he’s disappointed it’ll be phased out over 20 months.
Hancock stood as the Animal Justice Party’s candidate in the Pakuranga electorate at the 2023 general election.
The former Bucklands Beach resident and outspoken animal welfare advocate has been campaigning against New Zealand’s greyhound racing industry for more than three years due to the frequency of injuries the dogs suffer during races.
“I saw it coming and my initial thought was that it wasn’t soon enough,” he says of the proposed ban.
“The industry has been on notice since 2013. Three reports have come out and every report since then has said there’s far too high a level of injury and death. They should ban it right now.”
When Racing Minister Winston Peters announced the proposed ban in December last year, he said the decision wasn’t taken lightly and was driven by protecting the welfare of racing dogs.
“Despite significant progress made by the greyhound racing industry in recent years, 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.”
Peters acknowledged work done by Greyhound Racing New Zealand (GRNZ) to improve safety, but said while fewer dogs are dying, injury rates, while down slightly, have plateaued and remain unacceptably high.
It’s intended greyhound racing will be wound down over a 20-month period to enable the rehoming of racing dogs and to provide a transition period for people involved in the industry.
The Government will introduce a Bill under urgency to prevent the unnecessary killing of racing dogs and a select committee process will allow people to share their view on the proposed ban.
Hancock says he has fears about what may happen to racing dogs that are no longer needed.
“They had to pass a law to say they’re going to make it illegal to kill these dogs if they can’t rehome them. That speaks volumes and I’m glad it’s being banned.”
He encourages people who oppose greyhound racing to make their voices heard during the select committee process.
In a statement, GRNZ chairperson Sean Hannan says the organisation is “devastated” by the proposed ban.
He describes it as a “devastating blow” to the industry, which has “invested significantly in reforms”.
“We’re extremely disappointed the Government has not recognised the work the industry has done to address areas of concern, to the extent it now leads the wider racing industry with its commitment to animal welfare.”
In recent years, GRNZ has implemented stringent regulations governing breeding, rehoming, and euthanasia, aiming to exceed the standards set by New Zealand’s animal welfare legislation, he says.
Hannan emphasises the organisation has placed animal welfare at the core of its operations, advocating for the continuation of greyhound racing under strict oversight.
“We’re extremely concerned for the future of the industry’s greyhounds, which may no longer be a breed seen in New Zealand.”
New Zealand is one of only five countries where commercial greyhound racing is still permitted and practiced, alongside Australia, Ireland, the United States and United Kingdom.
