Greyhound racing is officially banned in Wales

This is a huge moment for all of us. The new law means we'll no longer see dogs' lives put at risk for entertainment in Wales once it comes into effect. We expect the ban to come into force as soon as next year once it receives Royal Assent.

Our colleagues and our partners in the Cut the Chase coalition have worked tirelessly to reach this point. We also want to thank the Members of the Senedd who listened to the evidence and stood up for these animals. We were joined by our coalition partners and many of the MSs who have helped us reach this point outside of the Senedd ahead of the final vote, where strong support for the ban was clear for all to see.

While we celebrate this victory, our work continues. We're already collaborating closely with the Welsh Government, the industry, and our sector partners to support the dogs currently in the system. Our priority is making sure every greyhound leaving the industry finds a safe, loving home.

We're now taking this momentum across the border. Our focus is turning to England, where we'll keep pushing until greyhounds everywhere are protected from the risks of the track.

Billie-Jade Thomas, Senior Public Affairs Manager for Wales, said: “Greyhound racing is inherently dangerous for the dogs involved, so the passing of the ban on this outdated activity is a historic moment for animal welfare in Wales.

“The industry’s own data shows that thousands of injuries have occurred in recent years as a result of racing across Wales and England, while hundreds of dogs have lost their lives - that level of suffering, purely for the purpose of entertainment, is simply unacceptable.

“Wales has now taken decisive action to prioritise animal welfare and we are delighted with this result. We now hope that England and other nations across the UK - who are now among only a handful of countries globally where greyhound racing persists - will follow suit and end this needless risk to greyhounds.”