At a Racing Integrity Board penalty listening to on Monday, the Darfield-based coach was dealing with a disqualification of 12 to 18 months.
His canine Alpha Riley was discovered to have the drug in its system after routine testing.
Investigators additionally say one other canine, Impressive Isla, was present in “clear and visual ache and misery” in October final yr.
McInerney was additionally investigated in 2022 after handing 11 greyhounds over to a rehoming kennel. Eight introduced with extreme indicators of neglect and mistreatment.
He has beforehand been prosecuted and fined after 5 of his dogs suffocated to dying inside a van on a Cook Strait crossing.
He additionally has a protracted historical past of his dogs testing optimistic for banned substances, with incidents occurring in 1997, 2001, 2010, 2013, 2017 and 2023.
Animal rights group SAFE says the greyhound racing system in New Zealand is “clearly not working and a ban on the trade is overdue”.
“Greyhounds are abused time and again and by the identical trainers, and the penalties do nothing, the group’s marketing campaign supervisor Anna de Roo stated.
“It’s not stunning that that each Labour and National dedicated to banning greyhound racing within the leadup to the election. It’s the one technique to defend greyhounds.”
The latest fees towards McInerney are a part of a broader sample of abuse throughout the trade, she stated.
“Just 4 months in the past one other coach was charged after throwing a greyhound with sufficient drive that they hit their head on the again of a kennel, and throwing one other greyhound a metre from the lure,” she stated.
“This coach additionally had a earlier methamphetamine cost. The trade is rife with hurt and abuse. Once greyhounds are handled as commodities, animal welfare goes out the door.”
De Roo stated the general public overwhelmingly helps a ban on the trade, with an impartial ballot stating 74 per cent of New Zealanders would vote to ban greyhound racing in a referendum.
“The finish to greyhound racing can’t come quickly sufficient. Incoming Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has already dedicated to banning greyhound. As quickly as a brand new authorities is fashioned, they have to take pressing motion to guard greyhounds.”
Greyhound Racing NZ chief government Edward Rennell informed Newshub: “There isn’t any place in our trade for individuals who breach animal welfare requirements, or for individuals who use medication like methamphetamine within the neighborhood of racing dogs.”
He stated racing greyhounds had been commonly drug examined and there had by no means been a case of deliberate administration of methamphetamine to a racing canine, solely meth contamination.
It was not clear but how the canine was contaminated however the listening to was informed McInerney’s son, who taken care of the dogs, had a historical past of drug points.
With McInerney disqualified, Newshub reported work had begun to switch possession of the dogs to his different son.
