Greyhound racing to be banned in Wales

The announcement has been welcomed by animal welfare charities

Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies announced plans to wind down the sport, which has been criticised for harming dogs.

The ban would be a first for the UK.

No timeline has been announced for the ban, but Irranca-Davies said it is not 'impossible' it could come in before the next Welsh Parliament election in May 2026.

There were cross-party calls for the ban, a government consultation and a petition that attracted 35,000 signatures.

There is just the one dog-racing track in Wales - the Valley Stadium in Ystrad Mynach.

A host of animal welfare charities welcomed the news including the Dogs Trust, which encouraged England, Scotland and Northern Ireland to follow suit.

In a statement they said: "Greyhound racing is inherently dangerous for the dogs involved, and running at speed around oval tracks causes significant injury to many dogs.

"In some cases, the injuries are so severe that it is necessary to euthanise the dog."

The RSPCA were also delighted with the news saying it would protect dogs from the 'inherent risks that come with competitive racing'.

However, the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB), which regulates the sport, said the announcement had 'nothing to do with greyhound welfare and everything to do with pressure from the extreme animal rights movement'.

It slammed the Welsh government saying they had failed to meet with those in the industry in Wales and added that its own consultation 'highlighted the lack of evidence to support the case for a ban'.

Chief executive Mike Bird said: "We have engaged in the consultation process in good faith as regulator for the sport, but this statement is hugely disappointing."

Irranca-Davies had initially said an announcement would come in the spring, however, six days later he said that now was the right time to ban greyhound racing in Wales.

Back in December, New Zealand made a similar move to ban the sport.

While no date has been confirmed Irranca-Davies said: "I want a ban to come into force as soon as practicably possible.

"There will be work to do in ensuring the dogs, their owners, and those involved in the industry around the racetrack, can wind down from this activity while still protecting the welfare of dogs currently within the industry, the local community and the local economy."