Illegal Greyhound Racing and Betting in India
Across the world, commercial greyhound racing is declining — tracks have closed in the United States, the UK, Ireland, and Australia. But while the industry shrinks, a darker trend has emerged: exported greyhounds are being used in underground and unregulated racing in parts of China, where animal-welfare protections are weak or nonexistent.
Because gambling is heavily restricted in China, these races operate covertly. The lack of regulation means that many greyhounds endure poor conditions, injuries, and in some cases slaughter when they are no longer profitable.
ABC Invetigation into Greyhounds being sold to China
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Australian greyhounds are being purchased for up to $220,000 each and exported to China where they are fuelling an underground racing industry by exploiting loopholes in Australia's regulations.
ABC Investigations has uncovered a sophisticated supply chain where the dogs are sold by local agents to buyers in China who breed them for lucrative fees.
An online breeding site, Greyhound YY, lists records from more than 700 Australian greyhounds obtained by breeders in China, dating back to 2006.
These greyhounds, some from good bloodlines, are in high demand in China for illegal racing with claims that some wealthy Chinese owners are betting millions a night on their offspring, despite gambling being prohibited in the country.
State based greyhound authorities don't allow racing dogs to be exported to China by industry participants because of poor welfare standards.
While exporting greyhounds to China is not illegal, it can breach industry rules set down by racing regulators, unless participants obtain approval before exporting a dog.
In 2016, a New South Wales Special Commission of inquiry called on the federal government to have greater oversight and control of exports to China and other destinations.
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ABC Investigations has tracked several dogs which were exported to the United Kingdom, United States and South Africa but later sent to China and advertised on the Greyhound YY breeding site.
Greyhound Australasia's CEO Simon Stout told ABC Investigations: "Most greyhound exports occur within the passport system, though we acknowledge there are some bad actors who try to get around the system."
One good example is the case of Australian greyhound Katoby, which in September 2020, was exported to South Africa, according to microchip records obtained by greyhound welfare group Free the Hounds.
