Public pressure builds as new petition calls time on Greyhound racing in Tasmania
Media release
Dogs’ Homes of Tasmania today welcomed the tabling in the Legislative Council of a new e-petition calling for an end to Greyhound racing in Tasmania.
The petition — initiated by Dogs’ Homes of Tasmania and sponsored by Cassy O’Connor MLC — attracted 4997 signatures in a matter of weeks and is the latest in a series of public appeals to phase out the industry.
It follows a petition in 2021 which remains the largest e-petition to Parliament in Tasmania’s history, with 13,519 signatures. Combined with a 2024 petition and an earlier 2016 paper petition, more than 25,000 Tasmanians have now signed petitions opposing Greyhound racing, making it possibly the most petitioned issue in state history.
Ms O’Connor said the petition reflected an overwhelming community call for change. “Every time we table one of these petitions, it’s an expression of democratic will,” she said. “Tasmanians want an end to Greyhound racing — they want the major parties to show some leadership like the New Zealand government did.”
“We look across the Tasman to New Zealand, where a conservative government made the decision to ban Greyhound racing. So, we wont give up.”
Citing EMRS polling from 2022, Ms O’Connor highlighted that 79 per cent of Tasmanians disapproved of taxpayer funding for the industry, and only 11 per cent expressed any support at all.
The petition event comes just months after New Zealand announced a national ban, with Wales following suit this year. Australia remains one of only four countries where commercial greyhound racing continues, alongside the UK, Ireland, and the USA — which now has just two tracks remaining.
“We are not activists — we run animal shelters,” Dogs’ Homes of Tasmania CEO Mark Wild said.
“But when you’re on the frontline and you see the cruelty, the injuries, and the number of Greyhounds discarded by this industry, it’s hard to stay silent.
“The public support to end Greyhound racing is not going away. We’ve seen it again and again — and today’s petition is more proof. Eventually, the major parties will have to listen to the decent majority and act.”
Mr Wild described the industry as “inherently cruel and inhumane”, pointing to growing veterinary opposition and the number of Greyhounds arriving at shelters in poor condition.
“These dogs often come to us underweight, with dental issues, and completely lacking socialisation. Their reward for a life of racing is often to be abandoned to a shelter.”
He also warned that Government claims of reform miss the point. “Recent changes follow media pressure, but they don’t touch the core problem — that this is a system built on risk, injury, and death. Racing dogs in packs at 70km/h is Russian roulette. There’s no way to make it safe.
“Wagering is down. Public support is gone. And the cruelty is plain. It’s time to stop the suffering and stop funding it with taxpayer dollars.”
Dogs’ Homes of Tasmania is calling for a just transition that supports industry participants while ending the cycle of cruelty — and ensuring ex-racing dogs are rehomed with the care they deserve.
