Live baiting disgusting, GRV says

Greyhound Racing Victoria chairman Peter Caillard says allegations of live baiting is disgusting, filthy and criminal.

Greyhounds during a race

The Race three field during the Wimbledon Greyhound Derby at Wimbledon Greyhound track, Wimbeldon..

Disgusting, filthy and criminal is how Victoria's peak body of greyhound racing has described evidence of live baiting in the sport.

Greyhound Racing Victoria chairman Peter Caillard said it has suspended 10 trainers and the Tooradin Trial Track in the wake of the allegations.

GRV has also cancelled a Victorian industry awards night scheduled for Friday.

He said the GRV wanted anyone found guilty of the live baiting to be suspended from greyhound racing.

"It was disgusting is the best way to put, it was filthy, it was criminal conduct and from a greyhound perspective there's absolutely no place for that sort of conduct or that sort of action," he said.

He said GRV would match the $3 million the Victorian government has promised to help it beef up its investigations.

The GRV has also asked the government to provide investigators with increased powers to inspect training facilities.

The greyhound racing industry employs 3000 people in Victoria and is worth tens of millions of dollars.

An ABC Four Corners report showed covert footage of some of Australia's most prominent greyhound trainers using live pigs, rabbits and possums as bait to train some of Australia's most successful greyhounds.

Victorian Racing Minister Martin Pakula said the alleged conduct was completely unacceptable and put future of the industry at risk.

"This is cruel and outrageous behaviour. It is putting the future of the industry in great jeopardy," he said.

"The Victorian people will quite rightly not tolerate this kind of behaviour in the greyhound industry and if the industry does not get its shop together then there are very dark days ahead of it."

He said the government would consider a request by the GRV to extend its powers to inspect greyhound facilities.

"If it's within our capacity to give them that power, it's certainly something that I am favourably disposed towards.


Share

2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world