Gales será el primer país del Reino Unido en prohibir las carreras de galgos
Esta práctica se prohibirá «tan pronto como sea posible», afirmó el gobierno galés en lo que sería una novedad en el Reino Unido.
No se ha anunciado un cronograma para la prohibición, así que hay que mantener la presión para que pongan fin a las carreras de galgos lo antes posible.
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Greyhound racing to be banned in Wales
Greyhound racing will be banned «as soon as practically possible», the Welsh government has said in what would be a first for the UK.
Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies announced plans to wind down the sport, which has been criticised for harming dogs.
No timeline has been announced for the ban, but Irranca-Davies said it is not «impossible» it could come in before the next Welsh Parliament election in May 2026.
It follows cross-party calls for a ban, a government consultation and a petition that attracted 35,000 signatures.
Wales only has one dog-racing track: the Valley Stadium in Ystrad Mynach.
The news was welcomed by a coalition of animal welfare charities including the Dogs Trust, which said England, Scotland and Northern Ireland should follow suit.
«Greyhound racing is inherently dangerous for the dogs involved, and running at speed around oval tracks causes significant injury to many dogs,» it said. «In some cases, the injuries are so severe that it is necessary to euthanise the dog.»
The RSPCA said it would protect the dogs from the «inherent risks that come with competitive racing».
But the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB), which regulates the sport, said the announcement had «nothing to do with greyhound welfare and everything to do with pressure from the extreme animal rights movement».
It said the Welsh government had failed to meet the industry in Wales or its regulator, and said its own consultation «highlighted the lack of evidence to support the case for a ban».
«We have engaged in the consultation process in good faith as regulator for the sport, but this statement is hugely disappointing,» said chief executive Mark Bird.
Ministers have been under pressure to ban the sport, including from their own Labour members.
Last Wednesday Irranca-Davies said he would make an announcement «in the spring», but six days later he said «now is the right time to move to ban greyhound racing in Wales».
«I’m pleased to share with the Senedd today that I have seen the strength of feeling on this, and I have listened,» he said.
Irranca-Davies pointed to bans in other countries, including New Zealand where the government announced a ban in December.
No date has been announced for a Welsh ban, but the deputy first minister said: «I want a ban to come into force as soon as practicably possible.
«There will be work to do in ensuring the dogs, their owners, and those involved in the industry around the racetrack, can wind down from this activity while still protecting the welfare of dogs currently within the industry, the local community and the local economy.»
Wales would be the first UK nation to ban the sport.
The government will ask an «implementation group» to flesh out proposals and learn from other countries.