Thursday, 25 February 2021:
Racing greyhounds in NSW will be electronically tracked for their entire lives as part of a new measure to ensure the dogs are not slaughtered and dumped.
Better Regulation Minister Kevin Anderson said the government would spend $3.6 million on the e-tracking of registered greyhounds.
This would enable the Greyhound Welfare and Integrity Commission to track the location of racing greyhounds for their whole lives.
Stewards would also be able to electronically register dogs on race days.
"(This) will make a huge difference in protecting the welfare of racing greyhounds across the state and put an end to speculation that animals have disappeared," Mr Anderson said in a statement on Thursday.
"Once the new technology is implemented in the second half of this year, registered greyhounds will be sighted, scanned, and accounted for on an annual basis."
Last June, the NSW government released a code of practice for the welfare of greyhounds used in the racing industry, which came into effect in January.
It was described by Mr Anderson as being a "significant turning point" for the sector after the ABC's Four Corners in 2015 exposed live baiting on Queensland, NSW and Victoria tracks.
The program showed footage of small animals being tied to mechanical lures where they were chased, caught and savaged by greyhounds.
There was also evidence of dogs being slaughtered and dumped in an industry tainted by the culling of failed racers, as well as over-breeding.
The Greyhound Welfare and Integrity Commission in December revealed that 52 greyhounds died suddenly or were euthanised after injury in 2019/20.
That was the lowest ever rate of catastrophic injuries among racing greyhounds in NSW, down 58 per cent since 2016/17.
But the total injury rate - including less serious injuries - has increased since 2016/17.
A NSW upper house committee is conducting an inquiry into the Greyhound Welfare and Integrity Commission's performance as an independent regulator, with public hearings yet to be scheduled.
Former NSW premier Mike Baird announced in July 2016 the sport would be banned across the state but backflipped three months later.
