Wales passes landmark Bill to ban greyhound racing

Stephen Price

A landmark bill to ban greyhound racing in Wales has been passed by the Senedd this evening.

The Senedd voted in favour of protecting greyhounds in Wales from the harms of racing, with a new bill which will prohibit greyhound racing in Wales.

A transition period to allow the industry to wind down responsibly, strengthen rehoming arrangements for retired greyhounds, and prepare enforcement bodies and local authorities for the change which will see the prohibition brought into effect between 1 April 2027 and 1 April 2030.

According to the Welsh Government, the bill reflects a clear policy choice: that the injuries, fatalities, and poor post-racing outcomes associated with greyhound racing can no longer be justified. Despite efforts within the industry, harm to greyhounds has remained a consistent reality.

Huw Irranca-Davies, Deputy First Minister with responsibility for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, said: “Wales is a progressive nation, committed to ethical standards and forward-thinking legislation. This Bill strengthens our reputation as a leader on animal welfare and delivers the standards that the people of Wales rightly expect.”

Thousands of members of the public, campaigners, and stakeholders contributed to shaping this legislation through campaigns, petitions, and personal testimony. Their voices have been central to its development.

Commenting on the news that the greyhound racing ban has been passed by the Senedd, Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds MS, who has spearheaded the campaign, said: “This is a massive victory for animal welfare, and I’m proud that the Welsh Liberal Democrats have helped deliver it.

“Today, Wales has made a clear statement about the kind of nation we want to be: compassionate, forward-looking, and willing to act when the evidence demands it.”

“Cruel from the cradle to the grave”

National animal welfare charity the League Against Cruel Sports has welcomed the successful passage of the Prohibition of Greyhound Racing (Wales) Bill, and urged the Welsh Government to “implement the ban as soon as possible”

The League supported the Cut the Chase coalition, led by Hope Rescue Wales, which was the main driving force behind the ban.

A similar vote is taking place in the Scottish parliament tomorrow [Wednesday 18 March] to also ban greyhound racing north of the border. League campaigners are now urging the UK Government to take the necessary steps to ban this dangerous sport in England.

Jamie Adair, the League’s public affairs officer for Wales, said: “Greyhound racing is cruel from the cradle to the grave, so we welcome this ban in Wales and call on the Welsh Government to name a date for it to be implemented.

“The death and injury toll of greyhound racing is quite simply shocking, and goes beyond what people see at the racetracks.”

Figures released annually by the industry’s governing body the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) show that in England and Wales, a staggering 1,357 greyhounds have died at the trackside from racing since between 2017 and 2024, and 35,168 have sustained injuries.

A 2018 report conducted by Professor Andrew Knight, a veterinary professor of animal welfare affiliated with a number of universities in England and Australia, established racing greyhounds around oval tracks is inherently dangerous, putting huge strain on the dogs’ bodies.

The League is calling for the Welsh Government to move quickly and announce the date for the ban to take hold ahead of the Senedd election in May.

The League mobilised hundreds of its supporters to take part in the consultation the Welsh government held in advance of the bill.

Jamie added: “The successful bill to ban greyhound racing in Wales is a testament to the Welsh Government’s commitment to strong animal welfare laws in the country, backed by the general public.

“We now call on the Scottish and UK governments to follow suit and ban the cruel sport of greyhound racing in both Scotland and England.”

Welfare charities respond

Owen Sharp, Chief Executive at Dogs Trust said: “Today’s vote in Wales is a landmark moment for dog welfare and a huge step towards ending the needless suffering of greyhounds. For too long, dogs have paid the price for this outdated form of entertainment, with injuries and deaths that are entirely preventable.

“While Wales is leading the way, we cannot afford to rest on our laurels. With the vote on the future of greyhound racing in Scotland imminent, and racing still permitted in England and Northern Ireland, there is much more to do to end the needless deaths of dogs across the UK.”

Chris Burghes, Chief Executive at Blue Cross added: “We are absolutely delighted that legislation to end this cruel so called ‘sport’ has been agreed by Members of the Senedd and will soon become law.

“For the past four years we have been raising concerns with the Welsh Government and Senedd Members that the significant improvements needed to protect the welfare of these dogs have not been made and we do not believe ever will be. The death of just one racing dog is one too many so we welcome the news in Wales, the first UK nation to reign greyhound racing to the history books.

“We would like to reassure animal lovers that Blue Cross is ready to help with rehoming ex-racing greyhounds. Working alongside other pet welfare organisations, we are committed to getting every single dog the veterinary and behavioural care they may need and finding them all loving new homes to prevent any need for the dogs to be abandoned or put to sleep.”

Claire James, Chief Executive at Greyhound Rescue Wales shared: “After 25 years of tireless campaigning to improve the welfare and regulation of greyhounds and the racing industry, Wales has taken the historic and transformative decision to end the antiquated, cruel and repugnant practice of Greyhound Racing once and for all.

“As a nation, we can hold our heads high and stand shoulder to shoulder with New Zealand, Italy, Argentina and much of the US in passing legislation to ensure greyhounds will no longer be harmed in the interests of gambling. Our hope is that Scotland soon joins us, and that both Wales and Scotland will pave the way for the rest of the UK.”

Vanessa Waddon, Chief Executive at Hope Rescue said: “Having witnessed first-hand the catastrophic injuries suffered by greyhounds racing in Wales through our Amazing Greys project, I am delighted that Welsh Government has put animal welfare first and Wales has become the first U.K. nation to ban greyhound racing. We are proud that our petition gathered so much public and cross-party support, and that the hard work of the #CutThe Chase coalition has resulted in this historic win for animal welfare. We look forward to a future where greyhounds in Wales no longer face the prospect of injury or death every time they race.”

Jo Rowland, Chief Executive for the RSPCA added: “Greyhound racing is inherently dangerous for the dogs involved, so today’s vote is a historic moment for animal welfare in Wales.

“The industry’s own data shows that – across England and Wales – thousands of injuries have occurred in recent years as a result of racing, while hundreds of dogs have lost their lives – that level of suffering, purely for the purpose of entertainment, is simply unacceptable.

“Wales has now taken decisive action to prioritise animal welfare. We now hope that England and other nations across the UK – who are now among only a handful of countries globally where greyhound racing persists – will follow suit and end this needless risk to greyhounds.”