UPDATE: The High Court has rejected a bid by the greyhound racing industry to stall the implementation of the ban in New Zealand.

The full judicial review of the ban is now scheduled for 1 December 2025. In the meantime, work to prepare for the ban can continue as planned. We look forward to working with the Committee, Transition Agency, GRNZ rehoming partners and other stakeholders to ensure every greyhound gets the safe, loving future they deserve. Read more in this article

SPCA wholeheartedly thanks Deputy Prime Minister Peters for recognising the inherent risk to greyhound welfare that comes from commercial racing and congratulates the government on their commitment to end this cruel sport.

The industry is to close by 31 July 2026, giving a generous 20 month transition period to allow for people to exit the industry and rehoming of greyhounds. SPCA is committed to working with the Ministerial Advisory Committee, GRNZ and other stakeholders to support responsible rehoming.

Animal welfare issues include: breeding practices that lead to poor welfare outcomes; physical overexertion, distress or injuries that result from excessive demands being placed upon the animals during racing or training; inadequate socialisation, housing and environmental enrichment; poor nutrition; positive tests for banned or unregistered substances; the fate of unwanted greyhounds and the difficulties in rehoming greyhounds once their racing career is over.

SPCA worked for years with the industry in an attempt to improve welfare outcomes for greyhounds. However the Greyhound Racing Industry in New Zealand has a demonstrated history of being unwilling or unable to adequately address the significant animal welfare concerns. We ultimately reached the conclusion that the only way to prevent the inherent welfare harms associated with commercial greyhound racing was to end the practice entirely.

Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters has announced a ban on greyhound racing in New Zealand! Greyhound racing is due to end 31 July 2026.

2025

• September the High Court rejected a bid by the greyhound racing industry to stall the implementation of a greyhound racing ban in New Zealand. The full judicial review is now scheduled for 1 December 2025. In the meantime, work to prepare for the ban can continue as planned.
• July The 2024/2025 racing season concluded on 31 July 2025. This season claimed the lives of 16 greyhounds making it the deadliest racing season since the industry was placed on notice.
• May The greyhound racing industry launches a judicial review into the government's announcement of a ban.

2024 Ban announced! Emergency legislation, which will make it an offence to kill a greyhound without a vet and for reasons other than justified health or behaviour passed under urgency.

2024 New survey shows sustained public support for an end to greyhound racing in New Zealand. SPCA and other animal protection organisations commit to facilitating the industry rehoming their greyhounds should greyhound racing be banned

2023 Decision on the future of commercial greyhound racing delayed until after the election, pushing the decision further into the future while greyhounds continue to suffer.

2022 SPCA submitted in support of a petition calling for an end to greyhound racing. SPCA submitted in writing and in an oral presentation to the Petition Select Committee to support of the petition of Aaron Cross which was signed by more than 38,000 people.

2022 SPCA announces support for a ban on greyhound racing and launches our 'No More Chances' campaign. Results of a survey on the NZ public’s opinion of commercial greyhound racing, commissioned by SPCA, show strong support for a ban. This survey has been published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

2021 Robertson Review released and Racing Minister puts greyhound racing on notice. The Robertson review was released and highlighted ongoing concerns related to data recording, transparency, and animal welfare. The Racing Minister has placed the industry 'on notice', giving the greyhound racing industry until the end of 2022 to demonstrate meaningful improvement in areas of concern or face closure.

2021 Racing Minster, Grant Robertson, announces third independent review into industry. Due to GRNZ’s refusal to continue providing progress reports, and multiple high profile incidents resulting in injury or deaths to racing greyhounds, the Government announced the third independent review into the industry, led by Sir Bruce Robertson. SPCA met with Sir Bruce Robertson to discuss welfare concerns as part of this third review into the greyhound racing industry.

2020 Greyhound Racing New Zealand (GRNZ) ends reporting of progress to Government. GRNZ chose to stop reporting progress against the Hansen Report’s recommendation to the Government, declaring all recommendations had been “successfully implemented”. The National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee expressed concerns that GRNZ had provided insufficient information to support this decision, prompting Ministers Robertson and Whaitiri to request GRNZ continue reporting. GRNZ declined.

2017 Hansen Report released. SPCA met with Hon. Rodney Hansen to flag welfare concerns as part of the second review into the greyhound racing industry. Hansen noted in his review, “Greyhound racing is inherently dangerous” but advised a number of recommendations to mitigate some welfare concerns.

2016 SPCA joins the GRNZ Health and Welfare Committee An SPCA scientific advisor sat on the Health and Welfare Advisory Committee, following the recommendations of the WHK report for independent membership by experts in animal welfare. An SPCA scientific advisor sat on this committee to provide advice on welfare until late 2020, when GRNZ chose to exclude SPCA from future meetings.

2013 WHK report published The first independent review of animal welfare in the greyhound racing industry. This report highlighted multiple animal welfare concerns, with a particular focus on the high levels of euthanasia due to lack of population management concerns and injuries.