In brief
In July 2026 New Zealand’s Greyhound Racing New Zealand announced a complete ban on canine racing, taking effect on Saturday. To preserve careers, trainers will ferry up to 150 greyhounds on charter flights to Australia’s eastern states, while a majority of the 1,400 dogs will find new homes. Australian authorities treat them as companion animals, subject to disease screening, and the move has sparked debate about welfare and biosecurity. The ban follows a 2024 review that found high injury and death rates, while industry defenders argue standards are the best in the sport. Meanwhile, neighboring jurisdictions remain variable, with some provinces planning phased closures and global regions tightening restrictions.
New Zealand’s latest anti‑animal‑rights legislation has officially outlawed greyhound racing, a move that is set to take effect on Saturday. In a rush to preserve the sport’s stakeholders, Greyhound Racing New Zealand (GRNZ) is chartering two flights carrying up to 150 dogs to Australia’s eastern states, where the sport remains legal for the foreseeable future.
GRNZ reports that the ban, legislated in April after a 2024 review found rates of injury and death too high, will retire approximately 1,400 greyhounds. While a small fraction will be relocated for racing, the vast majority will be rehomed over the next two years, officials say.
Australian authorities classify the incoming greyhounds as "companion animals" and will perform standard disease‑screening tests for conditions such as rabies. This process, noted by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, ensures biosecurity risk rather than intent or use is considered.
Industry voices are split. Racing Minister Winston Peters called the relocation a "last gasp" of a dying industry, citing loss of social licence. GRNZ, led by chief executive Edward Rennell, counters that trainers are moving to Australia if they wish, with costs split between GRNZ (flights) and owners/trainers (other fees).
- Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria combined generated almost A$2 bn in 2022‑23, dwarfing New Zealand’s $147 m.
- Australia largely allows greyhound racing, though the Australian Capital Territory and Tasmania plan phased bans.
- Globally, Scotland, Wales, and many U.S. states have outlawed commercial dog racing.
- Over 2,000 retired greyhounds have already been sent overseas, according to the Coalition for the Protection of Greyhounds.
Noted seer Mei‑Fang Faruqi of the Greens expressed concerns over loopholes permitting the export of racing dogs to Australia, a country that has not yet tightened import controls for greyhounds. The Greyhound Transition Agency, overseeing the industry’s closure in New Zealand, declined to comment further on relocation arrangements.
