Bill to ban greyhound racing flies out of the traps
A Scottish Greens MSP is to push ahead with a Bill to ban greyhound racing in Scotland after politicians from across Holyrood backed his bid.
Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Mark Ruskell needed 18 names from across different parties to press ahead with the Bill, which he achieved in less than 24 hours.
The proposed Prohibition of Greyhound Racing (Scotland) Bill seeks to promote the welfare of the animals by introducing an offence of permitting a greyhound to compete at racetracks in Scotland.
The penalties being proposed are analogous to the penalties for a person committing offences under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 and will be treated with the same seriousness.
Mr Ruskell said: “Too many dogs are injured and die as a result of racing in the UK. The inherent risks of forcing greyhounds to race around tracks at high speed have not gone away.
“Given the weight of evidence, I believe it is now time to follow many other jurisdictions around the world and to end greyhound racing for good.
“It cannot be right that hundreds of dogs are injured or die as has been happening across the UK, including right here in Scotland.
“I am humbled and grateful for the huge levels of support from MSP colleagues for my Bill so far, and hope it sends a clear sign that the Scottish Parliament will unite behind this proposed legislation to save the lives and limbs of countless greyhounds in future.”
Mr Ruskell has been a long term campaigner on the issue and worked closely with animal welfare charities including the Scottish SPCA, Dogs Trust, One Kind and others.
Data showed 17,930 recorded injuries among registered greyhounds and 2412 deaths between 2018 and 2021 across the UK.
Scotland has one remaining greyhound racetrack, the unregulated Thornton near Kirkcaldy in Fife, which has so far stubbornly resisted calls to close.
A previous petition by Scotland Against Greyhound Exploitation to End Greyhound Racing in Scotland became the most signed in the history of the Scottish Parliament with 28,450 signatures and representations from animal welfare charities.