LIMITING greyhound races to six starters to curb injuries is worth considering, Taree Greyhound Club president Des McGeachie said.
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Mr McGeachie was replying to claims from the Coalition for the Protection of Greyhounds (CPG) following the death of Smart Treasure at a Taree meeting on Friday April 23.
"Smart Treasure was a young greyhound running in her first race. She was killed due to the inherent dangers on the racetracks - oval tracks, races with too many dogs, and greyhounds being euthanased with treatable injuries," CPG president Dennis Anderson claimed in a statement to the Times.
"Like most greyhounds that die at the tracks, she fell at a turn after colliding with other dogs, and was euthanased with a broken leg," Mr Anderson continued.
"The only way to stop the suffering of these beautiful dogs is to ban greyhound racing. Until that happens, the industry should act on what its own research recommended in 2017, that six-dog races and straight tracks are safer alternatives," he said.
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Racing industry research in 2017 showed six-dog races cut death and injury rates by 50 per cent, he further claimed.
"A 50 per cent rise in greyhound deaths makes a mockery of NSW racing minister Kevin Anderson's claims about high animal welfare standards," Mr Anderson continued.
Mr McGeachie said cutting the number of starters per race from eight to six is under consideration by the code's ruling body.
"Some countries limit to number of starters to six,'' he said.
However, he said the industry does everything in its power to ensure the safety of the dogs.
"The CPR wants all racing to be on straight tracks. But the fact is that some dogs prefer tracks with one turn, others prefer two turns, others like a straight track,'' Mr McGeachie said.
"Not every dog is the same.
"I've got a five-year-old greyhound at home and he's never raced. But he still gets injured occasionally from just running around. Pets get hurt - vets are full of pets that have hurt themselves.
"No-one wants to see it, but unfortunately we don't live in a perfect world.''