New Zealand will ban greyhound racing from 2026 due to “unacceptably high” rates of injuries and deaths among the dogs, the government has announced.
Greyhound racing has existed in New Zealand since the late 19th century, but the industry has faced growing public criticism over its treatment of racing dogs in recent years. Multiple independent reports have found a high number of healthy dogs had been euthanised by their trainers or suffered serious injuries on the track, and in 2021, the then Labour government put the industry on notice to either make improvements or face closure.
Deputy prime minister and racing minister Winston Peters told media on Tuesday the decision to wind down the industry was not taken lightly and was driven by wanting to protect the dogs’ welfare. Clubs and tracks will be closed by the end of 2026.
“Despite significant progress made by the greyhound racing industry in recent years, the percentage of dogs being injured remains persistently high and the time has come to make a call in the best interest of the animals,” Peters said.
The industry will be wound down over the next 20 months to allow a transition period and enable the rehoming of racing dogs. Legislation to prevent the unnecessary killing of racing dogs is being introduced to the house on Tuesday, while legislation to end racing will be introduced in 2025. The select committee process will allow any interested parties, including the greyhound industry, to make submissions on the legislation.
An advisory committee has been appointed to manage the rehoming of 2,900 racing dogs and the government will work with animal welfare groups to support this, Peters said.
New Zealand is one of a handful of countries where commercial greyhound racing is still permitted, including Australia, Ireland, the US and the UK. There are seven greyhound race clubs and six tracks in New Zealand, and there were approximately 4,800 races in the 2023/24 year.
Posting to social media, the industry body, Greyhound Racing NZ, said it was devastated by the news, saying it had invested heavily in reforming its practices.
“We are extremely disappointed that the government has not recognised the work the industry has done to address areas of concern – to the extent it now leads the wider racing industry with its commitment to animal welfare,” said its chair, Sean Hannan.
“This decision is not just about the sport – it affects families, businesses, and communities who have dedicated their lives to caring for and racing greyhounds,” Hannan said.
The government estimates there are just over 1,000 people employed on a full-time basis in the industry.
But animal welfare groups – which have long pushed for change – and opposition parties, Labour and the Greens, praised the move.
“Labour is willing to work with the government to ensure a timely implementation of the ban,” said Tangi Utikere, its racing spokesperson.
The Green party’s animal welfare and racing spokesperson, Steve Abel, said he was happy the government had listened to the public.
“Successive reports highlighting the cruelty, mistreatment and neglect in the industry were left to gather dust as successive governments kicked the can down the road,” he said. “We acknowledge the decisive decision by Minister Winston Peters to do what should have been done years ago.”
Dr Arnja Dale, chief scientific officer at animal welfare charity the SPCA, also welcomed the decision. “Thank you for listening to evidence, experts and the New Zealand public. Thank you for paving the way for these dogs to live a good life,” Dale said in a statement.