Inquiry into WA greyhound racing industry now open
21 October 2025
An inquiry into the greyhound racing industry in Western Australia is now underway.
Anyone can have their say by making a submission. All West Australians with an opinion about the industry and its future are encouraged to contribute.
Submissions to the Parliament of Western Australia inquiry are open until 17 November 2025.
RSPCA WA considers that there are significant ongoing animal welfare problems in the greyhound racing industry:
- Too many dogs are bred and subsequently passed on which overwhelms rehoming groups.
- High rates of injuries and deaths.
- Lack of transparency and accountability in the industry.
- Racing and Wagering WA both regulates and promotes greyhound racing — a clear conflict of interest that undermines independent oversight.
Australia is one of only seven countries in the world that still has a commercial greyhound racing industry.
The others are:
- New Zealand (to be phased out in 2026)
- England (60% of tracks have gone) Wales and Scotland have recently banned it.
- Ireland
- USA (1 track left)
- Vietnam (however no current operational tracks)
- China
- Mexico
The WA Greyhound Racing Industry’s own data shows an increasing trend in major injury and on-track euthanasia in the last 6 years.
In 2024-25, 16 dogs died on the track in WA, 12 due to fractures, two after collapsing, and two as a result of suffering trauma. Seventy-four greyhounds suffered serious injuries, 67 of which were fractures.
So far, this financial year, four dogs have died on WA tracks.
How to have your say
Visit the WA Parliament website and make your submission by clicking here: Parliament eSubmission Form
Learn more about RSPCA WA’s concerns
Click here to read more about our concerns: RSPCA WA Greyhound Racing Issues
Official Government Media Release
Click to read the official government media release about the inquiry here: Parliamentary Inquiry Announcement (PDF)
Posted on in Animal welfare