Kirstie Bear took a job rehoming greyhounds, however now she’s blowing the whistle on what she says are poor welfare requirements and bullying within the racing business.
Warning: This story incorporates content material that will misery some readers.
Key factors:
- Kirstie Bear stated she felt compelled to talk publicly about disturbing remedy she witnessed
- Her feedback coincide with the discharge of extra than 100 pictures of dogs in poor situation
- The MP who tabled them in parliament described them as “graphic and regarding and disturbing”
As a veterinary science pupil in Queensland, Ms Bear began working in that state’s greyhound adoption program earlier than transferring to South Australia.
“I like the greyhounds — I fell in love with them immediately. I ended up adopting two,” she stated.
“When I noticed the position come up in Adelaide I assumed, ‘Yes, I need to progress extra, do extra for them’, and that is why I got here right down to Adelaide to do this.”
Ms Bear stated the greyhound adoption program (GAP), run by means of Greyhound Racing SA, did numerous good work discovering properties for former racing dogs.
But she noticed many dogs coming into this system in poor situation.
That included emaciated dogs, with rotten enamel, eye illness and sores.
“The welfare staff went to a coach’s property and found a canine so malnourished that they instantly needed to rush the canine to the vet,” Ms Bear stated.
“They deemed it needed to be euthanised so it undoubtedly was a much bigger subject than seeing a couple of ribs.”
The South Australian authorities launched an impartial inquiry into the greyhound racing business in July, following allegations of abuse of dogs on a Murray Bridge property, and an earlier stay baiting case.
Greyhound Racing SA stood by its document however welcomed the inquiry, saying it’s at all times searching for methods to enhance, in keeping with commitments to welfare, transparency and accountability.
Photos of sick, emaciated dogs tabled in parliament
As a part of a push for the inquiry to be arrange, Greens MP Tammy Franks echoed a few of Ms Bear’s allegations, utilizing parliament to desk greater than 100 pictures of dogs in poor situation, together with kennels lined in faeces, inexperienced stagnant water and rotten meals.
Ms Franks described the pictures as “graphic and regarding and disturbing”.
Many of the pictures have been taken by Ms Bear throughout her time working on the GAP, whereas others have been taken throughout inspections by welfare officers.
The ABC has not been in a position to independently confirm when or the place the images tabled in parliament have been taken, however many are too graphic to point out.
In an announcement to the ABC, Greyhound Racing SA (GRSA) stated its welfare officers make common visits, each focused and random, to kennels throughout South Australia.
“To guarantee every property and participant is upholding excessive welfare requirements,” it stated.
“Last yr alone, this staff carried out 629 kennel inspections.”
The organisation says its rehoming obligations are the strictest of any state.
Adoption program employees have been generally bullied, whistleblower says
Ms Bear stated it was not simply the situation of dogs coming in that she struggled with throughout her time at GAP.
She stated if dogs in this system failed early socialisation checks, they’d return to their trainers for additional work.
She stated that generally led to GAP employees being bullied, as a result of trainers didn’t need to take them.
“A variety of trainers would get fairly indignant and pissed off with the GAP staff,” she stated.
“We must face numerous abuse from trainers making feedback like, ‘Gone are the great old days once we may simply put a bullet within the canine’s head’.”
Ms Bear stated between 400 and 500 dogs would undergo GAP annually, however that didn’t account for the roughly 700 which are bred.
Ms Franks instructed parliament there look like methods trainers can get round re-homing guidelines.
“An investigation was requested to be held when a coach ensured that his dogs have been euthanised through the use of what has been referred to as a ‘loophole’ within the guidelines,” she stated.
“The coach retired his greyhounds into his identify after which took them to the vets to be euthanised.”
Greyhound Racing SA (GRSA) stated any dogs rehomed with trainers have been nonetheless topic to welfare checks.
It stated it now has intensive retraining packages to assist dogs turn out to be higher socialised, which means euthanasia for behavioural causes has been diminished to round one occasion per yr.
“GRSA maintains strict oversight of the retirement and rehoming course of, whether or not by means of our main Greyhounds as Pets program or privately between house owners,” the organisation stated.
Greens MP flags whistleblower considerations
Ms Franks stated she was bringing the considerations to parliament as a result of anti-greyhound racing teams have been skeptical about an inquiry into the industry that was announced recently.
Submissions to the inquiry have now closed, however Ms Franks instructed parliament folks hoping to provide proof have been involved they’d not be given authorized protections.
“It’s not solely the animal advocates which have come to me asking for whistleblower safety,” she stated.
“It can also be … trainers themselves who’ve sought safety to allow them to blow the whistle on what’s going on inside Greyhound Racing SA.”
Ms Franks instructed parliament the Coalition for the Protection of Greyhounds had tried to take its considerations to Racing Minister Katrine Hildyard.
“They have been refused conferences prior to now so I don’t maintain nice religion that this inquiry must be reporting to the minister,” she stated.
“I urge the premier to tackle the job of receiving the report from the impartial inquiry.”
A authorities spokesperson stated it has met with the Coalition for the Protection of Greyhounds and it’s “preferrred” that confidentiality of those that have made submissions to the inquiry is preserved.
Adoption program provides racing its ‘social license’ to function
Ms Bear left her position with Greyhound Racing SA’s GAP in October 2022.
She stated she is now talking publicly about what she noticed within the business as a result of she feels extra must be executed to guard the dogs.
“GAP is certainly the social license for greyhound racing to proceed,” she stated.
“I undoubtedly suppose if that GAP program have been eliminated, the general public as an entire would come down in greyhound racing so much more durable.
“There’s so much that the business is overlaying over by saying, ‘Look at how fantastic it’s that we rehome all these dogs’ and there is a lot that is not being stated in that.”
