The Unbound the Greyhound coalition, which is working to end greyhound racing in Scotland, has condemned the Greyhound Board of Great Britain’s (GBGB) celebratory National Greyhound Week, which begins today (25th August). 

The week that GBGB says is to “celebrate the importance of greyhound racing” comes as GBGB’s 2024 track injury data revealed that 346 dogs died last year and 3,809 were injured. The number of dogs who died at GBGB tracks increased for the first time in 2 years, despite fewer dogs racing in 2024 than the previous two years. 

This means, that since 2017, when GBGB death and injury records first began, 3,957 greyhounds have died in the UK’s licensed greyhound racing industry, and 35,168 injuries have been recorded. 

OneKind’s Head of Campaigns & Media, Eve Massie Bishop, speaking on behalf of the Unbound the Greyhound coalition, states: 

“What is there to celebrate about an industry that is responsible for the deaths and injuries of so many dogs?  

“GBGB talks about its “sporting legends”, but greyhounds didn’t choose to be exploited for entertainment and financial gain. Many of these sensitive dogs are made to spend up to 95% of their days in concrete kennels, which can be dank and dirty, and those kept in pairs are almost constantly muzzled. They're then made to race, which is inherently dangerous due to the risk of injuries and death – 123 greyhounds died trackside last year.  

“And once they are no longer profitable to their owners? While the lucky ones will find warm, enriching homes with loving and patient families, others will be kept in barren kennels until their death, exploited to breed more dogs for this dire industry, shipped off to Ireland to be raced or bred there, or even be killed. In 2019, it was uncovered that a dog who had been raced at Glasgow’s Shawfield Stadium had been sold to breeders in China, a country which has no laws to protect these dogs.” 

“It is totally archaic that an industry that causes such profound harm to these incredibly gentle dogs is still legal in 2025.” 

On the current situation in Scotland, Eve continues: 

“Scotland's greyhound racing industry is on its last legs, with just one inactive track remaining. This is very welcome news, but it is also imperative that MSPs and the Scottish Government support the Greyhound Racing (Offences) (Scotland) Bill to ensure that the industry isn’t re-established further down the line.” 

Notes to editor 

1. The coalition includes OneKind, GREY2K USA Worldwide, Say No To Greyhound Racing in Scotland, Scotland Against Greyhound Exploitation (SAGE), the League Against Cruel Sports, Hope Rescue, the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, All-Party Parliamentary Dog Advisory Welfare Group (APDAWG) and Animal Concern. You can learn more about the campaign here. 
2. More than 10,500 individuals have written to their MSPs and the Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity in support of the Bill. 
3. The proposed Prohibition of Greyhound Racing (Scotland) Bill can be seen here.