"Be on the right side of history": read this greyhound advocate's powerful speech on Western Australia's greyhound racing industry
As part of a peaceful demonstration in May, Free the Hounds President Alanna Christiansen gave a compelling speech explaining the impact of greyhound racing on the dogs and local community
On May 12 of this year, greyhound welfare advocates in Western Australia presented an 11,500-signature petition to the Hon Alison Xamon MLC requesting that the WA State Government ban greyhound racing, which was then tabled in WA Parliament.
The petition allowed for a 2 year phase out period, in which industry participants could be assisted to re-skill and racing dogs could be re-homed.
As part of that petition handover, a group of 50 supporters of greyhound rights and welfare gathered at Parliament House to show their support for a ban on greyhound racing.
Alanna Christiansen, the president of a volunteer Western Australian greyhound welfare and awareness group, Free the Hounds, gave a speech at Parliament House that day.
With her permission, Christiansen’s speech has been published in full below.
“Firstly I would like to, on behalf of Free the Hounds, acknowledge the people who are the traditional custodians of this land. I would also like to pay my respects to Elders past and present, and I extend that respect to other Indigenous people who are present.
I’d like to say a big thank you, on behalf of Free the Hounds, to everyone who has come out today to represent the 11,000 people who signed this petition to end greyhound racing in WA. Thank you to every single person who signed the petition and those who encouraged their friends and family to sign, thank you to all the businesses that displayed the petition, and of course thank you to our incredible volunteers for giving up numerous hours and weekends to get out into the community to collect signatures.
Collecting 11,000 handwritten signatures in 11 months is an extraordinary effort given the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on our activities and supporting businesses and groups. This is a record for us, in fact triple the numbers from previous petitions. This demonstrates the increased public awareness of greyhound racing and the issues associated with it. This is the third time we have tabled this petition—the first two times it was tabled by Greens MLC, Lynn McLaren.
The second time coincided with the wind down of a relentless campaign by us, which resulted in a greyhound welfare working group being set up by racing minister Paul Papalia. We had the opportunity to give direct feedback to the racing industry regarding welfare reforms that needed to be made. Many changes were made, not because they cared about the welfare issues but because of the constant pressure and public scrutiny and the threat of a ban after the short-lived ban in NSW, and the ban in the ACT.
This time around we will not settle for anything but a complete ban and we will continue to campaign until it’s done.”
“No amount of reform will ever make this industry acceptable. Reform is no real solution. Reform does not work. This industry is fundamentally cruel and will never meet modern animal welfare expectations.
Reform will not eliminate the routine killing of young innocent greyhounds.
Reform will not eliminate the mass overbreeding and inbreeding of greyhounds.
Reform will not eliminate the injuries: the muscle tears, the fractures (100 each year), the blows to the head, the lacerations, and more. Racing is inherently dangerous. If you’ve ever had a car accident travelling 60km an hour, you know what sort of trauma this has on these dogs fragile bodies when they collide and fall.
The injuries schemes have proven to be a total failure. What was an initiative to improve the industry’s image has done just the opposite. Dogs are having major complications with surgery sites, plate replacement, plate infection, muscle wastage, back and hip problems, and chronic pain.
The instructions unknowing adopters are sent home with is absolutely appalling. No recommendations for rehab, no follow ups—just to ice the site should the dog become lame. Adopters of these dogs are angry and joining the movement to end greyhound racing.”
“Reform will not eliminate the confinement of dogs to barren isolated kennels for extended periods of time, the deprivation, denial of any sort of real experience, the lack of enrichment, stimulation, socialisation and human interaction.
Anyone who has fostered greyhounds knows the impact kennel life has on these dogs: the rotten teeth, the kennel coat, pressure sores, worn down teeth from chewing on kennel bars out of stress & frustration, fly bitten ears, hiding in a corner of the house because they’re so overwhelmed by new environment, and anxiety so severe, many simply cannot adapt to the world outside of racing.
Reform will not stop hundreds of dogs being discarded like disposable rubbish year after year because they’re no longer profitable, majority of those dogs fall on charity groups that are expected by the racing industry and our Government to deal with the industry's endless supply of unwanted, neglected & damaged greyhounds.
Even when these dogs are lucky enough to be rehomed, their first few years of life have been robbed from them and many never overcome the physical and psychological trauma the industry has caused them.
To put this into perspective: there are more foster carers in Greyhound Adoptions Western Australia than there are trainers in this industry.
Why do racing people continuously receive protection and special treatment by our Government, yet the selfless members of the community filling their homes with foster greyhounds at their own expense are ignored time and time again?”
“If racing were banned, participants (of which 90% are hobbyists), will no doubt play the victim/livelihood card like we saw in New South Wales, but we all know the real victims are the rescuers and the dogs.
There is no real financial benefit to the state by allowing greyhound racing to continue. The money generated from racing goes back into the industry. It’s a micro economy where money is constantly moving around but contributes nothing outside of the industry. The Government only receives the wagering tax, which is around 11 million, yet part of that goes back into the industry too.
When greyhound racing was banned in NSW, TAB Corp noted in its annual report that they expected betting to move to another sport.
That is exactly what will happen if greyhound racing is banned: punters will simply move on to something else. Punters will gamble on anything.
Our governments continued unnecessary support of this financially unviable, tiny, unsustainable industry is appalling.
Every greyhound that suffers and dies is on them.
In years to come, as a society, we will look back on greyhound racing with shame and embarrassment. We urge our Government to be on the right side of history and ban this callous and barbaric industry now.”
—Alanna Christiansen, May 12, 2021