Western Australia's most senior greyhound racing figure says he's shocked by the decision to ban the sport in NSW, but believes the local industry is "squeaky clean" and well regulated.
While the scenes of live baiting that were exposed last year were gut-wrenching, Thursday's announcement by NSW Premier Mike Baird was a surprise, WA Greyhound Racing Association chief executive David Hobbs said.
"Seeing that handed down is certainly a shock and just goes to show if you don't have your business model right and you don't have things in place, it can go pear-shaped," Mr Hobbs told 6PR radio.
"It's hard to fathom - what do you do with all those dogs that have been bred? Do they become domestic pets or do some of them look at coming west to race?
"We don't know what the impact will be."
He said WA's much smaller industry was easier to manage.
"You've got some 28 tracks in Melbourne and 30 something in NSW, and you can't control that: breeding gets out of control, obviously rules and regulations are stretched to the limit.
"Here in WA, we've got three tracks. We only breed some 500 dogs in this state. We have cameras at every track. Stewards in WA have more power than police.
"You can't get involved in things like live baiting or cruelty to animals - it just doesn't happen here."
But he could not completely rule out bad conduct in WA.
"I can't be everywhere - all I know is the people controlling racing in Western Australia, which is Racing and Wagering WA, their integrity department (is) working day-in day-out to make sure our sport is squeaky clean, and I believe that that is the case.
"If anything came out about live baiting, it would certainly be news to us here."
Acting Racing and Gaming Minister Mia Davies said the Special Commission of Inquiry report on the industry, overseen by former High Court judge Michael McHugh, would be digested and any implications specific to WA would be considered in due course.
"The NSW premier's announcement of the cessation of greyhound racing in July 2017 has come without notice," Ms Davies said.
"It is significant and will have ramifications for the broader national racing industry."
The report found that between 48,000 and 68,000 greyhounds were killed in the past 12 years because they were deemed uncompetitive.
