Live animals continue to be secretly used to train greyhounds in Victoria, the state's racing integrity commissioner says.
Sal Perna says it would be naive to think live baiting is only occurring at a private Tooradin training facility where 15 people have been suspended.
"The weight of information from industry participants indicates that the practice continues to occur as a clandestine method of educating, breaking in and training of greyhounds for racing," Mr Perna said on Wednesday.
He said there was no evidence the Greyhound Racing Victoria board and senior management knew about the practice or that there was any cover-up at the organisation.
Mr Perna said while there was so far no direct evidence of live baiting occurring at any registered Victorian greyhound facility apart from the Tooradin Trial Track, indications from the industry were that it had been occurring.
"There's a general acceptance that it's part and parcel of the culture of the industry going back generations," Mr Perna told reporters.
But he said he believed it was a small group of people who were conducting unlawful activity and not representative of the industry.
"I am at a loss to understand the acceptance by some industry participants of the use of live animals in the training of greyhounds," Mr Perna said.
GRV could not have been expected to know about the practice given its lack of powers regarding entering and inspecting properties, he said.
He is recommending GRV get increased powers to ensure trainers comply with animal welfare standards.
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