SENEDD Members reiterated cross-party calls for a ban on greyhound racing due to “horrendous cruelty” at the last remaining track in Wales.

Carolyn Thomas told the Senedd the future of greyhound racing has been high on the agenda since a 2022 petition calling for a ban was signed by more than 35,000 people.

Ms Thomas said the Hope Rescue charity founded by Vanessa Waddon, who submitted the petition, has first-hand experience of horrendous cruelty at the Valley Greyhound Stadium.

She warned that dogs have lost their lives and regularly suffered life-changing injuries at the greyhound racing track in Ystrad Mynach.

Ms Thomas said: “Hope Rescue started when Vanessa found Last Hope back in 2004, a greyhound from the Valley track found shot with a captive bolt gun, with its ears hacked off. 

“This was so he could not be identified by his tattoos. At the time, his tail was still wagging.”

Ms Thomas, who chairs the Senedd cross-party group on animal welfare as well as the petitions committee, thanked the “Cut the Chase” coalition of campaigning charities.

She pointed out that two-thirds of respondents to a Welsh Government consultation were in favour of a phased or imminent ban on greyhound racing.

Ms Thomas said: “We must not ignore the significant majority of people who acknowledge that the welfare of racing dogs must come before entertainment.”

The former councillor, who represents North Wales, raised concerns about the frequency of race meetings increasing from one to three times a week between 2023 and 2024.

She said: “604 dogs have raced at the track during this period, of those 140 have been involved in incidents and injuries – that’s nearly a quarter of them.”

Leading a debate on February 12, Ms Thomas told the Senedd that 389 dogs involved in racing on British tracks died in 2023, a 44% increase on the previous year.

Warning that rescue centres are struggling, she pointed to statistics showing 2,500 retired dogs were residing in trainers’ kennels while waiting to be rehomed in July 2024.

The Labour politician stressed: “Greyhound racing is a cruel, unsustainable, out-of-date industry which we must resign to the past.”

Urging Welsh ministers to bring in a ban before next year’s election, she said: “The longer we wait to act, the more dogs will be injured or sadly lose their life at the Valleys track.”

She pointed to plans for a ban in New Zealand, where the industry is worth £73m a year and employs 1,000 people, due to injuries and the deaths of dogs.

Welsh Lib Dem leader Jane Dodds, whose first rescue greyhound called Arthur died in 2023, said she suffered online abuse following a previous debate on calls for a ban.

“He was only with us for three years because of the injuries and trauma he’d experienced,” she said, adding: “I hope we get this ban because in my head it’ll be Arthur’s law.”

Plaid Cymru’s Luke Fletcher warned it remained unclear whether the Welsh Government would heed calls for a ban following a long consultation process.

The Conservatives’ Altaf Hussain said: “I wholeheartedly agree that we need to end the cruelty that is greyhound racing and we need to end it today.”

Joyce Watson pointed out that the UK is one of only four countries in the world – alongside Australia, Ireland and the US – “refusing” to ban greyhound racing.

Mick Antoniw, a fellow Labour backbencher, said: “The reality of greyhound racing is that the industry cannot exist without systematic animal cruelty.”

Huw Irranca-Davies, the Deputy First Minister who is responsible for animal welfare policy, acknowledged the strength of feeling across the debating chamber or Siambr.

He said: “I recognise that this is a complex and emotional issue and I want to ensure ongoing improvement to wellbeing and that’s why I am considering issues around licensing and a ban as part of the consultation.

“Although there are strong feelings on this in the consultation and a high level of support for considering a gradual ban, we also ask for evidence to confirm such views. We have taken time to review this additional evidence.”

Mr Irranca-Davies told Senedd Members that the next steps will be shared in the spring as part of the development of a wider national model for the regulation of animal welfare.

Following the debate, the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) disputed some Senedd Members’ comments.

Raising 2023 data, which was independently verified by law firm Barnes Roffe, GBGB emphasised that the track fatality rate remained consistent with previous year’s at 0.03%.

A spokesperson said this was half the level in 2018, with 109 greyhounds being put to sleep at licensed stadia on veterinary advice.

They clarified that the figure of 389 greyhounds dying in 2023, which was referenced by Ms Thomas, included those put to sleep on veterinary advice for reasons unrelated to racing.

GBGB criticised the “misleading” depiction of the consultation, pointing out that 40% of responses backing a ban were duplicates from the League Against Cruel Sports.

Addressing claims of cruelty, GBGB said: “Ms Thomas’ only evidence behind this claim was a reference to a welfare incident witnessed by Hope Rescue more than 20 years ago, long before the track was licensed. 

“It is wholly inaccurate to suggest this experience in any way reflects the welfare standards in place at the Valley in the present day, especially as it is now a GBGB-regulated track.”

Valley Greyhounds achieved its GBGB licence in 2023 after investing more than £2m in bringing the track up to the regulator’s standards.

The spokesperson said: “This included upgrades to the kennelling facilities, the sight lines at the bends, the track surface and the veterinary facilities at the track.

“The track must also have a veterinary surgeon on site for all racing and trialling who thoroughly checks each greyhound before, during and after each race.”