>An MSP has said the ‘writing is on the wall for greyhound racing’ after a Bill introduced to ban the sport in Scotland gained enough support to proceed at Holyrood.
>Mid Scotland and Fife Green MSP Mark Ruskell said his Member’s Bill had won the backing of enough colleagues at the Scottish Parliament to allow it to be introduced.
>The Bill aims to make it an offence to permit greyhounds to compete in races at tracks in Scotland.
>Data from 2023 showed 109 greyhounds died trackside in the United Kingdom, which was up from 2022 and a further 4,238 were injured last year.
>He said: “I am delighted to have received the backing of MSPs from across the political spectrum, and will be pushing ahead with my Member’s Bill.
>“I hope that the Scottish Parliament will unite behind my proposed legislation and take the chance to act and to save the lives and limbs of countless greyhounds in future.
>“My Bill aims to protect greyhounds from the many risks that come from being forced to race around tracks at high speed.
>“With industry figures showing that the death rate is going up across the UK, it’s time to take action.
>“Public opinion is on our side, and I am heartened by the support that my Bill has received so far.
>“I urge racecourse owners and the wider industry to listen hard and to stand up for Scotland’s greyhounds by putting paws before profit and ending the races for good.
>“You can tell a lot about a society from how it treats voiceless animals. I believe that we are a nation of dog lovers, and that is why we need to ensure they are protected.
>“The writing is on the wall for greyhound racing in Scotland, it’s time for us to put the wellbeing of these wonderful dogs ahead of gambling company profits.”
Small, good news. There isn’t a lot of greyhound racing in Scotland — just one, unlicensed and unregulated track – but the dogs deserve better.
Good. Horse racing next.
PARKLIFE!
In case anyone is wondering, retired racing greyhounds are generally fantastic pets, and anyone thinking about a dog should consider adopting a greyhound.
The [Greyhound Trust](https://www.greyhoundtrust.org.uk/) is a good place to start, but there are also smaller charities around Scotland rehoming greyhounds.
That is a start. Hope the sentiment also gets to England / Wales.
I’m not pro-greyhound racing at all but I wonder how this will affect Speedway racing. I know that Edinburgh share their grounds with a dog track.
Glasgow was the same but hasn’t shared with a dog track for decades.
7 comments
>An MSP has said the ‘writing is on the wall for greyhound racing’ after a Bill introduced to ban the sport in Scotland gained enough support to proceed at Holyrood.
>Mid Scotland and Fife Green MSP Mark Ruskell said his Member’s Bill had won the backing of enough colleagues at the Scottish Parliament to allow it to be introduced.
>The Bill aims to make it an offence to permit greyhounds to compete in races at tracks in Scotland.
>Data from 2023 showed 109 greyhounds died trackside in the United Kingdom, which was up from 2022 and a further 4,238 were injured last year.
>He said: “I am delighted to have received the backing of MSPs from across the political spectrum, and will be pushing ahead with my Member’s Bill.
>“I hope that the Scottish Parliament will unite behind my proposed legislation and take the chance to act and to save the lives and limbs of countless greyhounds in future.
>“My Bill aims to protect greyhounds from the many risks that come from being forced to race around tracks at high speed.
>“With industry figures showing that the death rate is going up across the UK, it’s time to take action.
>“Public opinion is on our side, and I am heartened by the support that my Bill has received so far.
>“I urge racecourse owners and the wider industry to listen hard and to stand up for Scotland’s greyhounds by putting paws before profit and ending the races for good.
>“You can tell a lot about a society from how it treats voiceless animals. I believe that we are a nation of dog lovers, and that is why we need to ensure they are protected.
>“The writing is on the wall for greyhound racing in Scotland, it’s time for us to put the wellbeing of these wonderful dogs ahead of gambling company profits.”
Small, good news. There isn’t a lot of greyhound racing in Scotland — just one, unlicensed and unregulated track – but the dogs deserve better.
Good. Horse racing next.
PARKLIFE!
In case anyone is wondering, retired racing greyhounds are generally fantastic pets, and anyone thinking about a dog should consider adopting a greyhound.
The [Greyhound Trust](https://www.greyhoundtrust.org.uk/) is a good place to start, but there are also smaller charities around Scotland rehoming greyhounds.
That is a start. Hope the sentiment also gets to England / Wales.
I’m not pro-greyhound racing at all but I wonder how this will affect Speedway racing. I know that Edinburgh share their grounds with a dog track.
Glasgow was the same but hasn’t shared with a dog track for decades.