New Zealand prohibits greyhound races: a new home for 2,900 animals!

New Zealand prohibits greyhound races: a new home for 2,900 animals!

The New Zealand government has announced a courageous step: From 2026, greyhound races in New Zealand, one of the few countries where these competitions are still legal, are to be banned. The decision is followed by continuing criticism of the greyhound racing industry, which is repeatedly criticized for inadequate animal welfare measures. Minister Winston Peters emphasized in a statement that, although the number of dogs dying in the races, the injury rates are still considered unacceptable. This enables a fundamental reform of the racing encounters that have been under observation for many years, as well as tt.com reported.

To ensure that the estimated 2,900 racing dogs find a new home, the races are carried out over a period of 20 months. In addition, the government has presented a draft law to prevent the unnecessary killing of these animals. The combination of political changes and the pressure of animal rights activists seems to have had a decisive influence on this decision, which has already been recommended in three reviews of the industry in the past ten years, so vienna.at .

New Zealand is thus part of the list of countries that rely on modern, animal -friendly practices and put animal welfare in the foreground. In addition to the closure of this controversial sport, this step shows that there is a rethink in society in relation to the good of the animals. It remains to be seen how industry and the affected animals will master the upcoming changes.