Welsh Government Advances Greyhound Racing Ban Despite Official Warnings
Welsh government ministers have proceeded with plans to ban greyhound racing despite warnings from officials last year advising against such a decision, according to recently revealed documents.
The Welsh government aims to pass legislation in the Senedd on Tuesday to prohibit greyhound racing. However, the bill faces legal challenges and allegations that ministers did not conduct proper consultations.
It has emerged that civil servants advised Rural Affairs Secretary Huw Irranca-Davies last year that licensing greyhound owners would be a preferable approach, stating that the evidence gathered was insufficient to justify a ban.
Ministers declined to comment due to ongoing litigation.
Animal Welfare Concerns and Political Context
Animal welfare organizations have called for the sport to be banned, citing its inherent dangers and claiming that thousands of greyhounds in the UK have died in recent years as a result of racing.
The Welsh government’s decision to pursue a ban was part of an agreement with Welsh Liberal Democrat Jane Dodds to secure budget approval in the Senedd last year.
Currently, there is only one greyhound racing track in Wales: Valley Greyhounds in Ystrad Mynach, Caerphilly county.
Official Advice and Legal Challenges
Officials warned Secretary Irranca-Davies of a "high risk" of legal challenge regarding the ban.
The Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) has initiated a judicial review, which was heard in Cardiff last week, with a judgment expected in the coming weeks.
GBGB alleges that the Welsh government failed to conduct a lawful consultation and seeks to have the ban overturned even if the legislation is enacted.
Irranca-Davies announced the policy on 18 February 2025, one day after receiving ministerial advice from the Welsh government civil service.
BBC Wales obtained the advice after GBGB requested it through the judicial review process.
The advice outlined several options, recommending licensing owners instead of imposing a ban, which officials stated would provide "the best balance of welfare gains" for the greyhounds involved.
Consultation Findings and Evidence Assessment
The Welsh government conducted an animal welfare consultation in 2024, seeking evidence on a phased ban of greyhound racing.
Most respondents supported a phased ban.
Officials informed the minister that the consultation responses indicated the industry's current status in Wales and the conditions of racing dogs "are not fully understood."
The advice noted that the submitted evidence was "not robust enough to support a definitive decision," consisting mainly of anecdotal case studies and summaries of welfare concerns related to commercial greyhound racing.
Officials stated that the consultation "did not provide enough robust evidence on which to justify or negate a phased ban on welfare grounds."
Furthermore, ministers were advised that they had "not consulted on imposing a phased ban," and that a ban carried "reputational risks" for the Welsh government due to the absence of a relevant consultation.
Officials cautioned of a "democratic deficit" if ministers proceeded without proper consultation.
Reactions from Stakeholders
Mark Bird, chief executive of GBGB, said: "Ministers chose to pursue this misguided dodgy bill even while being told by officials that there was insufficient consultation or evidence to support it."
A Welsh government spokesperson stated: "As this is ongoing litigation and we are awaiting the court's judgment, it would not be appropriate to comment further at this stage."
Upcoming Legislative Decision
On Tuesday, the Welsh Parliament will decide whether to enact legislation banning greyhound racing, with the ban to take effect no earlier than 1 April 2027 and no later than 1 April 2030.
The Cut the Chase Coalition, a group of animal welfare organizations, reported that a petition supporting the ban has previously gathered over 35,000 signatures.
Owen Sharp, chief executive of the Dogs Trust, said: "Over the past six years, more than 2,700 dogs have lost their lives in the UK in the name of entertainment, with many more suffering serious or life-changing injuries. This is unacceptable, and we are pleased the Senedd is ready and willing to take decisive action to prevent further deaths and injuries."
Liberal Democrat MS Jane Dodds said: "Passing the law would make a clear statement about the kind of Wales we want to build - a compassionate nation that takes animal welfare seriously and acts on the evidence placed before it."
Labour MSs are expected to support the legislation, while members of Plaid Cymru, the Conservatives, and Reform parties are anticipated to have a free vote.
The bill has passed all previous stages with support from members of Plaid and Conservative MS Altaf Hussain. If this support continues, the legislation is likely to be approved.
