Rebecca Manzi By August 2026 there will be no more greyhound racing in New Zealand: the number of injuries and deaths among dogs is too high
New Zealand is about to make a leap in animal welfare: the government has announced plans to ban greyhound racing, with the industry expected to shut down completely by August 2026.
This comes amid the high number of racing dog injuries and fatalities. Racing Minister Winston Peters announced the move, saying, “While the industry has taken some steps to improve its operations, the rate of injuries remains unacceptably high, and this decision is necessary to protect the animals.”
A long-standing controversy
Greyhound racing has long been a contentious part of New Zealand’s sports culture and betting industry. In 2021 alone, 232 greyhound deaths and around 900 injuries were reported—figures that have fueled growing public outrage. Despite reviews and reforms over the years, the industry has failed to address these fundamental issues, ultimately leading to the proposal to ban it entirely.
Emergency law to protect greyhounds
The move has divided opinion. Animal rights groups like SPCA and Safe called the announcement a historic victory. They thanked the government for taking up a tough stance. But Greyhound Racing New Zealand, the association representing the industry, said it was disappointed with the decision, and it will have economic and cultural consequences.
The greyhound racing sector accounts for approximately 8.5% of New Zealand’s racing industry and employs over 1,000 full-time workers.
To handle the transition, government allowed a 20 months’ time to re-house the 2,900 active greyhounds as well as for the employee to find alternative employment; on top of this, an ’emergency law’ has also been issued which prohibits such greyhound euthanasia unnecessarily and only the recommendation by a licensed vet can only do this killing of the dogs.
Greyhound racing on decline across globe
Greyhound racing has gone into decline globally. In many countries, it was banned or considerably restricted. For the time being, Australia, Ireland, the UK, and the US are only a few countries where this type of racing is permitted commercially. Even in those countries, the number of operating tracks has been drastically reduced in recent years.
In this, New Zealand sends a very strong message: animal welfare is more important than the entertainment of some. Advocates hope this move will serve as an example for other countries to follow suit and place the protection of animals above outdated and controversial traditions.
