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Australian state of Victoria to stamp down on "barbaric" practice of live baiting in greyhound racing

Xinhua, June 11, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Australian state of Victoria has announced a crackdown on the use of live bait in its greyhound racing industry.

Labeling the practice as "barbaric", state ministers outlined drastic changes to the sport's welfare measures on Thursday.

The greyhound racing industry came under fire earlier this year after it was revealed that live baiting was being used by trainers to encourage better performances from their dogs.

Animals, such as rabbits, pigs and possums, were being attached to lures by their legs and being chased around the track by the dogs, later often being mauled when dogs caught up with the lure.

But the Victorian government approved a raft of measures on Thursday which it said would reinstate confidence in the state's controversial racing industry.

Among the changes, the government will increase fines and penalties for live baiters, bolster the powers given to inspectors and open up channels with law enforcement authorities, and outlaw the presence of certain animals at racetracks around the state.

Any discovery of live baiting or animal welfare breaches must also be reported to relevant authorities such as Victoria Police and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ( RSPCA).

More than 68 recommendations were put to the government, which agreed with them all in principle. It said it would "work through the practical implications of their implementation".

Victoria's Racing Minister Martin Pakula said the changes were a necessity if the racing industry was to survive.

"A practice as barbaric as live baiting has no place in Victoria's greyhound racing industry -- full stop," he said in a statement on Thursday.

"An independent integrity regime is not just inevitable for Victorian racing, it's necessary. That's why I've appointed Mr Paul Bittar to steer the path forward for a new integrity model across all three codes."

Bittar, who has previously served as CEO of the British Horseracing Authority and CEO of New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing, will consult with the three racing codes before proposing an integrity model to be put to government next year. Endi