27 Nov 2013

More protection sought for greyhounds

4:26 pm on 27 November 2013

A parliamentary select committee wants to strengthen welfare codes for greyhound racing but won't go as far as recommending it be banned, as requested by a petitioner.

Aaron Cross from the Greyhound Protection League of New Zealand spoke of mistreatment, drug-feeding and the euthanasia of greyhounds, saying that 10,000 are unaccounted for.

Greyhound Racing New Zealand disputed his statements, telling the Government Administration Committee on Wednesday it now has an animal welfare committee.

Select committee chairperson Ruth Dyson says the committee is recommending that standards for the welfare of greyhounds, including a code for euthanising them as well as a database that would track them from birth until death.

Ms Dyson says the Government will now respond to the committee's recommendations.