Dog Track Group Tries to Muzzle Adopted Greyhounds

In Australia, adopted greyhounds must be muzzled at all times in public because of antiquated laws. This government mandate is nonsensical, and makes it more difficult to find homes for greyhounds leaving the racing industry. With an estimated 18,000 racing dogs dying each year across the country, repealing these muzzling laws must be a priority.

Thankfully, a coalition of humane groups led by the Greyhound Equality Society is fighting for the end of greyhound muzzling in the state of Victoria. Their campaign has made tangible progress and has a good chance of success.

Enter Greyhound Racing Victoria (GRV), a group that both regulates and promotes commercial dog racing. Although GRV acknowledges the need to reform other parts of the racing industry, it has doubled down on the failed policy of muzzling adopted greyhounds. In a submission to the Victoria government, GRV claims that it is necessary to muzzle adopted greyhounds because they are inherently dangerous:

"Greyhounds are large, strong, extremely fast and can kill ... Unfortunately, instinctive behaviour is very resistant to the influences of training and behaviour modification."

The submission also rhetorically asks whether "all greyhounds are suited to being family pets" and states:

"The short answer is NO."

To justify these ridiculous positions, GRV refers to a behavior assessment program created in America by Dr. Amy Marder, who it refers to as "one of the leaders in the field of Shelter Medicine." However, Dr. Marder has submitted her own testimony to the government which refutes many of the claims made by GRV. Her submission points out that the behavior assessment program she created does not apply to predatory behavior at all:

"The evaluation part does NOT include a test for predatory behavior ... I have seen predatory behavior in a number of dogs, but never in a greyhound."

Finally, Dr. Marder weighs in on the government mandate that adopted greyhounds be muzzled in Australia:

"I do not support compulsory greyhound muzzling both because I do not think it is necessary to protect the public, but also because it may be preventing the rehoming of very nice animals."

On this point, Dr. Marder is in good company. Every major animal protection group is opposed to this flawed policy, including RSPCA Australia. Its position is clear, concise, and on point:

"There is no evidence to show that greyhounds as a breed pose any greater risk to the public compared to other dog breeds or mix of breeds ... [T]he misconception that greyhounds need to be muzzled has major ramifications for greyhound rehoming, preventing many greyhounds that are discarded by the racing industry from finding a new home. Removing muzzling laws would significantly help improve the image of greyhounds and thus increase rehoming rates."

GRV is trying to start a new chapter when it comes to commercial greyhound racing in Victoria. Its position that the government should mandate the muzzling of adopted greyhounds is a serious misstep, and one the group should reconsider.