Animal welfare advocates are sounding the alarm once again following the death of another dog at the Wentworth Park greyhound racing track in inner Sydney. This incident marks the third dog death at the facility this year. Activists are urging the government to adhere to its previously announced plan to phase out racing at this location, emphasising the need for urgent action to prevent further tragedies.
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00:00 Race 10 on Friday night and three-year-old Self Sync suffers a catastrophic spinal fracture.
00:07 We've blurred the video.
00:10 That is a really violent, horrible death for any dog to suffer.
00:15 And to be withering in pain, not able to stand up, spasming, this is violent, this is barbaric.
00:21 It's the third dog to die at Wentworth Park this year,
00:24 while nationwide animal welfare advocates say 51 have already died at tracks in 2024.
00:31 I'm sorry to hear about this incident.
00:34 It is on top of other incidents in the past.
00:37 Each of them is carefully examined.
00:39 In 2016, the Baird government tried to end greyhound racing
00:43 after revelations of live baiting and other abuses.
00:46 The only humane response is to close that industry down.
00:54 But when faced with opposition, it retreated.
00:57 We got it wrong. I got it wrong. The Cabinet got it wrong.
01:03 It established the Greyhound Welfare Integrity Commission to clean up the industry.
01:07 The commission's told the ABC that five dogs died at NSW tracks in the first three months of the year,
01:13 which for the number of starts is a record low.
01:17 The previous government planned to end greyhound racing here at Wentworth Park in 2027
01:22 to make way for more green space.
01:25 But the Labor government is now considering extending the racing industry's lease here.
01:30 There's a lot of lobbying going on to extend that lease by greyhound racing NSW.
01:35 And we're asking the government to stand up and be strong and listen to people,
01:39 listen to what the community wants.
01:41 Because this is an industry that doesn't meet community standards.
01:45 The ABC contacted Greyhound Racing NSW and the Breeders' Owners and Trainers Association for comment.
01:51 They didn't respond.
01:53 [ Silence ]