Greyhound racing ban, Medowie and Myall owners shocked FEATURED by News Of The Area - Modern Media - August 16, 2016August 19, 2016 Mick Worth with his much-loved greyhound Bella. LOCAL greyhound owners expressed outrage and disappointment last week as the bill to ban greyhound racing in NSW moved swiftly through State Parliament’s Upper House. Bulahdelah greyhound owner and trainer Mick Worth said the ban on the “traditional iconic Australian pastime, hobby and social activity” was “un-Australian” and will affect many people’s lives. “There will be over ten thousand jobs lost statewide and many of these will be in smaller communities such as our own,” he said. “A number of owners and trainers in our area are still in shock and disbelief that their love, life, hobby and in some cases livelihoods surrounding these wonderful animals will be taken forever.” Want your business advertised online with the News Of The Area? With 11,383 page-views over the last one month, you’ll reach your online audience & customers. Email us today for a quote: ads@mcnota.com.au Mr Worth said most races bring prize money of around $350. “It’s not hard to see that it’s not about the money, but for the love of this beautiful canine and the lifetime involvement of friends and family that comes with it,” he said. “In many rural areas greyhound racing is nothing more than a social outlet for people, with friends and family coming together and occasionally winning a race.” Mr Worth said there are over thirty participants within a fifty kilometre radius of Bulahdelah including a trainer who had recently moved to the area. “He has spent thousands turning his property into his dream to now realise he may have to tear it all down,” Mr Worth said. Premier Mike Baird announced the decision to ban greyhound racing in NSW last month after a report from a Special Commission of Inquiry showed systemic animal cruelty including mass greyhound killings. Mr Worth said Baird’s decision was based on a report that was full of incorrect information. “The report states that 68,000 dogs were slaughtered over a twelve year period, however a separate report done by Greyhound Racing NSW shows that approximately 6500 were humanely euthanised or re-homed in that period. That’s quite a difference,” he said. “Statistics from the RSPCA show 11,000 domestic dogs are euthanised in NSW every year, but people aren’t stopped from owning dogs as pets even though not everyone is fit to be a pet owner.” Mr Worth said there are irresponsible individuals in any area, “but it’s the majority of people who are doing the right thing that are being penalised for the actions of a few.” Once the ban is in place, Mr Worth said many local businesses will be affected. “Greyhounds need the best of everything, including food, vitamins, transport, kennels, veterinarian care and many other accessories,” he said. “Bulahdelah is an ideal stopover place for participants traveling to race venues, they let their dogs out, fill up with fuel and grab a coffee or something to eat, but this will end once the ban is endorsed.” Liberal MP Duncan Gay said he appreciates this decision has caused stress and angst for many people. “The passage of this bill will see a definite end date to greyhound racing in NSW,” Mr Gay said in Parliament. Under the ban, the entire $350 million industry will be shut down by 1 July next year. Should Greyhound racing be banned in NSW? Mick Worth with his much-loved greyhound Bella.
That’s right The report is bullshit, the decision is wrong, Baird does not care about this he just wants more people out of NSW. He does not know what greyhound racing is, it is for family and love, and he thinks it is cruel. BULLCRAP GREYHOUND RACING WILL NOT BE SHUTDOWN IN MY OPINION THEY CAN NOT DO IT. IT IS WRONG AND EVERYONE LOVES THE SPORT, THEY WONT BAN IT THINK ABOUT THAT BAIRD GIVE US A CHANCE TO SHOW YOU WHAT GREYHOUND RACING REALLY IS Reply
Don’t believe the racing industry’s lies. RSPCA NSW statistics show 3,435 dogs euthanized in fiscal year 2014-15 – not the 11,000 claimed by Mr. Worth. And GRNSW has for the past several years been giving publicly the estimate of 3,000 greyhounds euthanized per year (even though they didn’t actually keep statistics on euthanasias). Even accepting that conservative estimate, it’s 36,000 greyhounds killed over 12 years, not the ridiculously low 6,500 figure. (including re-homings!) that Mr. Worth cites. The racing industry in fact kills more greyhounds than the RSPCA kills of all other dogs breeds combined! Reply
DOGS EUTHANISED BY RSPCA NSW IN PAST FIVE YEARS 2010/11 in NSW 19583 2011/12 in NSW 14211 2012/13 in NSW 10355 2013/15 in NSW 14078 Total in 5 years 58277 or 966 a month, 32 a day and 4 an hour Mondat to Friday. On average 11,000 a year. Cats over 5 years was a mind blowing 114,181. These are correct figures off RSPCA records. After Mr Baird announced his figures from the report , owners and trainers in NSW were encouraged to report/ record all retired dogs or dogs that were supposedly to slow to be any good for anything even though they make the best pets ever and it was found that thousands were still alive and very well cared for. My girl BELLA is ten on 6th October. She only won one race at Armidale but has been with me ever since even though statistically she is presumed dead. Lucky my other greyhound was sadly euthanised at the vets last year as a result of kidney failure. Lucky was 12 and was also statistically dead. Many facts and figures used in the report used to ban greyhound racing were very misleading to say the least. It is now a known fact that the Thoroughbred Industry knew of the impending ban back in April, two months before the announcement which was made ironically just after the very close election results were known. If only the thousands of greyhound people and general public were elite enough to have the same information the results WOULD OF been very different. If this is not planned corruption than I’m not an Aussie. Reply
Please Prime Minister step in and stop the madness currently going on in NSW. You won the Federal Election on a Jobs & Growth platform but your NSW counterpart is making you look like a fool Reply
Mick Worth’s statistics are not for RSPCA NSW, they’re for RSPCA Australia – they’re national figures. Reply
