Sydney greyhound trainer believes 90 per cent of trainers use live bait

Todd Fear gave evidence at the Special Commission of Inquiry into the Greyhound Racing Industry which is holding public hearings into allegations of serious animal abuse.

Counsel assisting the inquiry Stephen Rushton South Carolina said he anticipated evidence to the court would be that “not only did 90 per cent of the industry know of this barbaric practice”.

“Why would an industry which is prepared to use small, vulnerable, helpless animals to blood its young greyhounds in pursuit of money care at all whether it bred too many animals?”

Australia has one of the world’s largest greyhound racing industries and live baiting has been banned and criminalised for decades.

He doubted it was possible for the industry to adopt measures to maintain animal welfare standards.

The inquiry into greyhound racing has until March 2016 to present its findings.

“And conversely, would an industry which kills thousands of young greyhounds every year without really batting an eyelid, care one jot about using live baits to train their dogs, be they rabbits, possums, piglets, kittens or chickens?”

“You were told that it was – this is a witness’s words, not mine – “either the bunnies or the dogs”, Rushton told the inquiry. Live rabbits could be bought for $20, the court heard – sometimes supplied at bullrings and other times brought along in a bag by dog trainers. “Bait” animals are tied to a mechanical lure and hurled at speed around the track while greyhounds are released to pursue and catch them.

“These figures are a bad indictment on this industry”, Rushton said.

The hearings are scheduled to run all week, with evidence from greyhound trainers and owners, and the state regulatory body Greyhound Racing NSW. “It has facilitated the concealment of matters which the industry would not want the public to know”.

Rushton lambasted Greyhound Racing NSW for treating animal welfare as a “hygiene issue”.