Greyhound Clubs Victoria has thrown its weight behind a renewed focus to remove rogue trainers from the industry, so greyhounds remain protected.

The support follows a Greyhound Racing Victoria investigation of alleged luring and baiting offences involving a trainer from Lara near Geelong.

According to Greyhound Clubs Victoria CEO Brett Jones the focus is that participants doing the wrong thing will be charged, prosecuted and eventually banished from the entire industry.

“Our Industry is full of participants who love their dogs they also completely condemn any abhorrent conduct. Furthermore, they want it stamped out and those involved prosecuted and banned from the sport.” Mr Jones said. 

He added, “Many thousands of people earn a living from this great industry, so we take any breaches of the law, the greyhound racing rules, the code of practice or mistreatment of any animal, by a small few, extremely seriously.”

Mr Jones said, “This is a concrete illustration of GRV's Greyhound Racing Integrity Unit effectively fulfilling its role by promptly addressing these instances involving participants. Any participant who fails to uphold the principles of animal welfare and racing integrity has no rightful place within the sport.”

Over the past few years, a multitude of constructive initiatives have been implemented, leading to substantial enhancements in animal welfare, track maintenance, governance, and subsequently elevating the sport's reputation and spectacle. 

The true stars of the sport are the greyhounds themselves, and the Clubs take great pride in advocating for their welfare, especially in collaboration with GRV and participants who endorse the concept of transitioning from racing to rehoming. 

Greg Davies, Chair of GCV, noted, "While it's appalling that these incidents have transpired, they align with my observations spanning 37 years in law enforcement. There will always be individuals in society willing to flout the law for financial gain. It is imperative that the system's integrity and racing regulations are steadfastly upheld, and the GRIU is commendably overseeing this aspect of the sport." 

He added, “The notion that any participant perceives such behavior as acceptable is to be condemned. They have no place in the sport.” 

The Greyhound industry plays a significant role in supporting the Victorian public, being entirely self-funded without relying on taxpayer subsidies. Furthermore, supporting local community initiatives and charitable endeavors is also a cornerstone of Clubs' activities.

Crucial to achieving this vision is the collection of any information that may point to unlawful or inappropriate activity within the industry. GCV urges anyone with such knowledge, whether they are part of the greyhound community or not, to come forward and provide it to the Greyhound Racing Integrity Unit (GRIU) for investigation.

People can submit information online via this link, or call the Investigations Hotline on 1300 856 109. If people prefer to remain anonymous, they have the option to fill in just the 'information' section of the form and submit it discreetly.