No more greyhound racing in NSW beginning July 2017

New South Wales Premier Mike Baird ordered on Thursday a stop to greyhound racing in the Australian state beginning July 2017. The order is a result of the livebaiting scandal confirmed through a Special Commission of Inquiry report submitted to Baird last week.

ABC, which blew the whistle on the practice of livebaiting in 2015, reports that the commission found between 48,000 and 68,000 greyhounds bred for racing were culled in the past 12 years when the dogs became uncompetitive. For the greyhounds that were still competitive, live animals were used to train the dogs, according to footage taken by ABC.

Besides the ban, Commissioner Michael McHugh recommended the shutdown of the industry. Baird explains, “As a humane and responsible government, we are left with no acceptable course of action except to close this industry down.”

The premier describes the 800-page report as “chilling, confronting and horrific. He adds that McHugh’s recommendation “shone a light on an industry that has seen the slaughter of tens of thousands of healthy dogs whose only crime was not being fast enough,” quotes the Sydney Morning Herald.

Baird says last greyhound meeting would be held on June 30, 2017, after which more than 1,000 people employed would lose their jobs as the industry closes. The premier acknowledges the need by NSW to wrestle with the positive impact of the move on 1,000 NSW residents and almost 6,000 registered owners of greyhounds.

NSW is the first Australian state to ban greyhound racing which is legal now in only few countries. These are Ireland, Macau, Mexico, Spain, UK and other Australian states.

VIDEO: Wentworth Park greyhound racing