Majority of Oxfordshire Rejects Greyhound Racing, New Poll Reveals
Majority of Oxfordshire Rejects Greyhound Racing, New Poll Reveals
Oxfordshire – With greyhound racing reportedly set to return to Oxford Stadium, a new poll commissioned by PETA and the League Against Cruel Sports reveals that most people in Oxfordshire don’t want greyhound racing to return and would not attend the races. Seventy-one per cent of respondents with an opinion on the matter would prefer the stadium be used for another purpose. British Cycling has reviewed the stadium and given the green light for the development of a velodrome that the whole community could enjoy.
“The majority of Oxfordshire residents do not want to see greyhound racing return and would not attend the races, which chew sensitive, intelligent dogs up and discard them like used betting slips,” says PETA Senior Campaigns Manager Kate Werner. “We are calling on local officials to respect the opinion of the people they represent and oppose greyhound racing at Oxford Stadium.”
Emily Lawrence, regional campaigns manager at the League Against Cruel Sports, said: “It is no surprise that the majority of Oxfordshire residents don’t want to see greyhound racing return to the city. Greyhound racing is a cruel and outdated ‘sport’ and people are becoming more aware about the health and welfare implications the sport has on the dogs racing. It is time for the council to do the right thing and listen to the people of Oxfordshire. No dog should ever be forced to race if there is a known chance of injury, or worse, death.”
PETA notes that many puppies bred for greyhound racing are killed in the name of “selective breeding” before they ever touch a racetrack. Those who do qualify to become racers are typically kept caged and muzzled and suffer from sores and parasites. Once their racing days are over, many are abandoned or killed. A report released by the Greyhound Board of Great Britain revealed that more than 400 racing greyhounds died or were euthanised in 2020, despite COVID-19 restrictions that drastically reduced the number of races. Gaps in official records also suggest thousands of dogs “disappear” every year – these animals are presumed dead.
To date, nearly 30,000 concerned residents and supporters of PETA and the League Against Cruel Sports – including Oxford’s own Miriam Margolyes – have urged Oxford City Council to oppose reopening Oxford Stadium for greyhound racing. The groups hope the stadium will instead host sports that do not exploit animals.
PETA – whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment or abuse in any way” – opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview. For more information, please visit PETA.org.uk or follow the group on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
Contact:
Jennifer White +44 (0) 20 7837 6327; [email protected]
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