SNP urged to join Welsh Government in backing ban on greyhound racing
Scottish Green MSP Mark Ruskell has urged the Scottish Government to take inspiration from Wales by backing his Member’s Bill to end greyhound racing for good.
The Welsh Government has said that the cruel gambling-led sport will be banned "as soon as practically possible."
Mr Ruskell’s 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.
Mr Ruskell has received crossparty support to progress his Bill, but it is yet to secure the support of the Scottish Government.
Mr Ruskell said:
“This is a really welcome move from Wales, and I hope that the Scottish Government will join them in backing a ban.
“The reality is that Scotland is increasingly isolated, and is becoming an international outlier by allowing this cruel gambling-led sport to continue taking place
“You can tell a lot about a society by how it chooses to treat voiceless animals. If we are a nation of dog lovers then we need to back that up by ensuring that they are protected.
“There is no humane way to force dogs to run around an oval track at high speed. It is dangerous for the dogs and has led to thousands of serious injuries and totally avoidable deaths.
“My Bill will be presented in the months ahead. I hope that the Scottish Government will do its bit to protect these gentle dogs from injury and death by supporting the call and ending greyhound racing for good.”
Data from 2023 showed that 109 greyhounds died trackside in the UK, an increase on the number for 2022. A further 4,238 greyhounds were injured during racing in 2023.
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.