Last week, the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) co-hosted the third meeting of the International Greyhound Regulators’ Welfare Forum to explore standards of greyhound care worldwide.

Held virtually, the meeting was attended by representatives from Great Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. Participants shared updates on the state of the sport within their jurisdictions, the latest research and the impact of recent welfare initiatives. The Forum forms part of GBGB’s ongoing Welfare Strategy – A Good Life for Every Greyhound – and aims to foster global cooperation between regulators to harmonise welfare and veterinary standards and share best practices.

GBGB provided updates on its recent homing initiatives for retired greyhounds, along with progress on ongoing research into greyhound genetics and injury prevention.

Professor Madeleine Campbell, GBGB Independent Director, said:

“It was a fascinating morning listening to our counterparts from across the world. There is so much we can each learn from one another, and the discussions offered valuable insights and clear actions to take forward. Alongside opportunities for collaboration, the Forum also serves as a moment to reflect on the substantial progress our sport continues to make globally in safeguarding and enhancing greyhound welfare. This makes it all the more frustrating to hear of non-evidence based political developments, particularly in relation to the current situation in New Zealand.”

Dr Steven Karamatic, Greyhound Racing Victoria (GRV) Chief Veterinarian, said:

“It was yet another constructive and informative session, with encouraging developments shared across jurisdictions to allow us to learn from each other’s progress. It’s uplifting to see such a strong and shared commitment across the world to improving greyhound welfare through collaboration and evidence-based approaches.”