SteelKrtan
02-28-2007, 11:17 PM
AN animal welfare group has called for dog hurdle-racing to be banned in Tasmania after a greyhound smashed into a barrier and died on the track.
The dog slammed into the second hurdle at high speed during trials for the Hobart Greyhound Racing Club on Tuesday night.
Witnesses at the Elwick racetrack in Hobart said its back was broken and skull smashed.
"The death of this greyhound is a reminder of why greyhound hurdle racing takes place in no other state in Australia, other than Tasmania," said Against Animal Cruelty Tasmania (AACT) spokeswoman Emma Haswell.
Last August, a dog at the same track died when it careered into a rail, raising concerns over a lack of a safety fence.
Ms Haswell said greyhounds converted to hurdle racing were generally considered past their prime and have always been used to running on flat tracks.
"These gentle and graceful dogs have never seen an uneven surface let alone a jump," she said.
"On top of this, many have been trained using live baits such as possums and rabbits.
"The dog's eye is on the lure and lure only. Hurdle racing is an accident waiting to happen every time and the AACT wants it banned immediately.
The Tasmanian Greens, who described the latest death as "shocking" and "avoidable", are calling for all dog races and trials to be suspended until a safety rail is installed at the track.
A spokesman from TOTE Tasmania said it would hold its own investigation into the incident.
Hobart Greyhound Racing Club chair Denise Fish said she was not considering a ban on greyhound hurdle racing.
"The chief steward is holding an investigation which is normal procedure. We are not considering a ban and will wait and see what comes out of the inquiry," she said.
"This was a racing accident, nothing more than that. A dog has clipped a hurdle and fell.
"It's just one of those unfortunate things. Like any other fall, you may or may not hurt yourself. You never want to see an animal get hurt but it happens."
The dog slammed into the second hurdle at high speed during trials for the Hobart Greyhound Racing Club on Tuesday night.
Witnesses at the Elwick racetrack in Hobart said its back was broken and skull smashed.
"The death of this greyhound is a reminder of why greyhound hurdle racing takes place in no other state in Australia, other than Tasmania," said Against Animal Cruelty Tasmania (AACT) spokeswoman Emma Haswell.
Last August, a dog at the same track died when it careered into a rail, raising concerns over a lack of a safety fence.
Ms Haswell said greyhounds converted to hurdle racing were generally considered past their prime and have always been used to running on flat tracks.
"These gentle and graceful dogs have never seen an uneven surface let alone a jump," she said.
"On top of this, many have been trained using live baits such as possums and rabbits.
"The dog's eye is on the lure and lure only. Hurdle racing is an accident waiting to happen every time and the AACT wants it banned immediately.
The Tasmanian Greens, who described the latest death as "shocking" and "avoidable", are calling for all dog races and trials to be suspended until a safety rail is installed at the track.
A spokesman from TOTE Tasmania said it would hold its own investigation into the incident.
Hobart Greyhound Racing Club chair Denise Fish said she was not considering a ban on greyhound hurdle racing.
"The chief steward is holding an investigation which is normal procedure. We are not considering a ban and will wait and see what comes out of the inquiry," she said.
"This was a racing accident, nothing more than that. A dog has clipped a hurdle and fell.
"It's just one of those unfortunate things. Like any other fall, you may or may not hurt yourself. You never want to see an animal get hurt but it happens."