For decades, greyhound racing seemed untouchable.
Despite repeated concerns about high injury rates, doping scandals, and uncertainty over what happens to dogs once they leave the track, the industry managed to carry on, especially in countries like Australia. But recently, things have changed dramatically—and fast.
In December 2024, New Zealand announced a nationwide ban on greyhound racing.
Just two months later, in February 2025, Wales followed suit with its own plan to end the sport.
Now, Tasmania has committed to phasing out racing by 2029. In less than two years, three regions that once supported racing have decided to end it altogether.
This wave of bans is about more than shutting down a gambling industry. It reflects a major cultural shift in how we think about dogs—and, more broadly, how we view animals.
Society is moving from simply wanting to protect dogs from harm to expecting that they live good lives. Science has helped drive this change, showing us that dogs experience emotions, form close relationships, and deserve opportunities for happiness, not just survival.
The question now is: what does this mean for other dogs in our lives?
Beyond the pets we love on our couches, there are dogs working in airports, guiding people with disabilities, comforting students in schools, and searching for survivors in disaster zones. The public’s expectations for their welfare are rising too.
Most people say they care deeply about dog welfare, but we rarely stop to think about what daily life looks like for these working animals.
We might admire a detection dog on television or donate to an assistance dog charity, but few of us ask whether these animals get enough rest, play, and freedom in their daily routines.
The collapse of greyhound racing is a reminder of how quickly public trust can vanish when animal welfare is in doubt.
The organizations that thrive under scrutiny tend to share some key qualities.
They treat welfare as a genuine priority, not just a box to tick. They are open to independent monitoring, they listen to concerns, and they make meaningful changes when needed, even if it means rethinking long-standing practices. Transparency builds trust in a way that defensive or secretive behavior never can.
But there is also a warning here. Surface-level improvements—sometimes called “welfare washing”—are no longer enough. The public is increasingly skilled at spotting when change is more about image than reality. The rapid bans on racing show how quickly momentum can build once people feel they are not being told the full story.
Looking ahead, the future of our relationship with dogs may depend on how seriously we take these lessons. If we view dogs only as tools or workers, we risk losing public support for using them at all. But if we treat them as partners—with agency, choice, and opportunities for joy—then we can build a more sustainable and respectful future.
On International Dog Day, we are reminded not just of the pets who share our homes, but also of the countless other dogs who support human lives in quiet, vital ways. They deserve more than promises of care—they deserve proof.
The greyhound industry’s decline shows how high the cost can be when that proof is missing. Those who can show truly happy, healthy dogs will continue to thrive. Those who cannot may find themselves following greyhound racing into history.
