Dogs suffer injuries and death at racetracks
In the United States and across the world, greyhounds routinely suffer broken legs and other serious injuries.
From 2015 through 2023, a total of 7,523 American greyhound injuries have been documented. The most commonly reported injury was a broken leg. Other injuries included head trauma, electrocution, and broken backs.
At two West Virginia dog tracks, 5,171 greyhound injuries were reported from 2015 through 2023, including at least 113 dogs that died or were destroyed.
In Texas where dog racing is no longer active, 396 greyhound injuries were reported from 2015 through 2020, with seventeen deaths.
A racing dog with a fractured leg is led by a kennel hand in the US state of Alabama. (Sharon Steinmann)
Crystal B Disco died when she hit the rail and suffered a crushed skull. (Sanford Orlando Kennel Club)
SDR Boogie Man as a puppy and falling on the track at one year old. (Greyhound-Data/bestbet Jacksonville)
Since 2010 over 10,000 injuries have been reported at US tracks. Sonny, shown here, was injured in the US state of Arkansas.
At Southland Greyhound Park in Arkansas which is no longer active, 899 greyhound injuries were reported from 2015 through 2022, including at least nine dogs that died or were destroyed.
In Iowa where dog racing is no longer active, 307 greyhound injuries were reported at Iowa Greyhound Park from 2015 through 2022, with at least four deaths.
In Florida where dog racing is now illegal, only one track was ever required to disclose injuries to the public. At the Sanford Orlando Kennel Club, 169 greyhound injuries were reported from May 2017 through March 2020, including at least eleven dogs that died or were destroyed.
Greyhounds suffer injuries around the world
Greyhound racing injuries have also been documented in other countries. In Australia, from 2016 through 2023, 55,732 injuries were identified, and 19,207 greyhounds have been reported dead by the industry.
Tracks in the United Kingdom were not required to make injury information public until 2017, but GREY2K USA Worldwide conducted an analysis of injury information obtained from the social media accounts of leading industry members. A total of 276 specific greyhound injuries dating from 2006 to June 2014 could be documented. As in other racing jurisdictions, bone fractures were overwhelmingly the most frequently reported injury.
The Greyhound Board of Great Britain’s 2017-2023 reports identified 31,359 injuries, including 2,530 greyhounds killed due to injury.
In Ireland, between 2015 and 2023, 3,041 injuries were documented, including 1,125 track fatalities.
New Zealand identified 2,622 injuries during the 2020-2021 and 2022-2023 financial years. From 2014 through 2023, 2,937 greyhounds were reported dead.
Stay up to date and learn how you can help.