By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
AN INVESTIGATOR who helped capture damning footage of live baiting at Tooradin Trial Track has called for a halt to greyhound racing until the sport’s integrity can be proven.
Animals Australia chief investigator Lyn White also called for Greyhound Racing Victoria to protect the welfare of dogs suspended over the scandal.
The dogs were owned and trained by 10 people, who are under-investigation, suspended and potentially facing life bans over alleged live baiting.
Ms White feared for the dogs’ welfare – now that they didn’t return a “financial dividend”.
“Those dogs have to be at extreme risk. It’s known from statistics that 18,000 (greyhound) dogs are killed each year – they may be puppies or retired dogs. They are dealt with in quite a ruthless way.
“GRV has the capacity in spending to rehabilitate and re-home these dogs, rather than them being killed.
“It would be the best thing for GRV to do from a PR perspective.”
Ms White called for the suspension of races, being sure that there were still unidentified racing dogs boosted by the illegal practice.
She said live-baiting was systemic, confirmed by the former GRV staffers, leading trainers and respected veterans implicated in the live-baiting ring as well as chatter on greyhound forums and talkback radio this week.
This is at odds with GRV’s stated opinion that the Tooradin ring was isolated.
“How can GRV suggest the practice isn’t systemic when they haven’t been able to detect it in the first place?” Ms White said.
“No other code would continue in this situation. It’s a matter of racing integrity.”
Ms White took aim at GRV for failing to detect live-baiting at Tooradin.
“They clearly had information on Tooradin, judging by all of the inspections they’ve done recently.
“If they had the information, they should have found a way.
“You have a regulator with such a conflict of interest – they are promoting the industry and bearing the responsibility of determining trainer illegality and immoral behaviour.”
Ms White was confident the Tooradin track footage filmed on cameras “on public land” and on the track would withstand legal challenge.
“I’m really pleased that clearly the Australian community is as outraged and shocked as we were.”
GRV chairman Peter Caillard, in a statement, refuted claims that live baiting was widespread.
“To the best of our knowledge, this disgusting and illegal behaviour is isolated in Victoria to the privately owned training facility at Tooradin,” Mr Caillard said.
As well as suspending trainers, GRV has matched the state government’s $3m bolstering of its inspector regime, and banned the use of carcasses at training.
“Any person engaged in live baiting can expect to be disqualified and prosecuted. We have zero tolerance for these individuals” Mr Caillard said.
Casey Council has pledged to help ensure the “full force of the law” is aimed at perpetrators of live-baiting.
The council stated it would write to GRV to express its “grave concern” about the practice and to request a full report from GRV “as soon as possible”.
Mayor Mick Morland said live baiting was “not tolerated in our city” – which is home to the highest number of registered trainers and greyhounds in Victoria.
“We have offered our services to the RSPCA and police to ensure the full force of the law is realised for anyone involved in this practice.”
