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Posted: 2nd October 2023

Blue Cross launches anti-greyhound racing campaign
The advertisements have appeared on billboards, digivans and streethubs with the slogan 'How to pick a winning greyhound'.
The spoof ad advises ‘how to pick a winning greyhound’.

The animal welfare charity Blue Cross has launched a spoof greyhound racing advertisement, as it campaigns to ban greyhound racing in the next five years.

The advertisements have appeared on billboards, digivans and street hubs with the slogan ‘How to pick a winning greyhound’. However, closer inspection shows that it highlights the characteristics that make greyhounds good pets, rather than racing animals.

It forms part of the charity’s campaign to ban greyhound racing within the next five years, due to the charity’s concerns for the welfare of greyhounds that are part of the greyhound racing industry.

The group believes that racing greyhounds risk serious injury and death with every race, as well as living a lonely life in kennels. They quote racing statistics that 2,239 dogs died between 2018 and 2022, alongside 22,284 reported injuries.

A survey from Blue Cross also revealed that 91 per cent of the British public do not follow greyhound racing, with 14 per cent considering it a part of British culture.

Becky Thwaites, head of public affairs at Blue Cross, said: “There are only 10 countries in the world where greyhound racing is still legal, four are in the UK. The avoidable injury or death of just one dog is a tragedy and that is why this so-called ‘sport’ has to end.

“Instead of many puppies forced to grow up alone in a cold kennel with an inevitably miserable future before their retirement, let’s see them grow up in loving homes as much-loved pets where they can enjoy a cuddle on the sofa.”

The Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) has criticised the Blue Cross’ campaign, which they say is based on ‘misleading and outdated information’.  They say that the board’s ‘A Good Life for Every Greyhound’ strategy sets out how they are enhancing welfare standards across the sport, and ensuring greyhounds are cared for throughout their lives.

They have also attacked the charity’s use of donations on a ‘disingenuous’ campaign during a cost-of-living crisis, rather than on ‘overwhelmed’ dog homing centres.

A spokesperson for GBGB said: “Welfare is absolutely paramount within licensed greyhound racing and the care and wellbeing of greyhounds is prioritised above all else. Our annual data demonstrates the constant improvements in welfare which are being achieved and our approach has been endorsed by Defra.

“Blue Cross’s use of our own published data against us is not to show the significant and continued reduction in deaths over the past few years. They have merely consolidated five years’ worth of data to promote emotive arguments rather than look at the evidence-based reductions that the sport is achieving and will continue to aim for.”   

Image © Blue Cross



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