Animal welfare strengthened

Greyhound racing has been outlawed in Scotland after Members of the Scottish Parliament voted to approve a nationwide ban, effectively ending the sport’s presence in the country. The decision follows the closure of Scotland’s last active track, Thornton Stadium in Fife, in 2024.

Animal welfare organisations welcomed the move, arguing it would prevent dogs from suffering severe injuries and deaths. Critics, however, dismissed the legislation as unnecessary and ineffective.

The Prohibition of Greyhound Racing (Scotland) Bill, introduced by Green MSP Mark Ruskell, makes it a criminal offence to allow a greyhound to race on an oval track. Offenders could face up to five years in prison and fines of up to £20,000. After the Scottish government withdrew its opposition, the bill passed with 70 votes in favour, 27 against, and 19 abstentions.

Ruskell told parliament that racing at speeds of up to 40mph caused “catastrophic injuries”, insisting the sport was far from a harmless pastime. Supporters of the ban argued that Scotland should not lag behind other countries that have already outlawed greyhound racing.

Once home to more than 20 tracks, Scotland now has fewer than 30 active greyhound racers, all of whom must travel to England, Wales or Ireland to compete. Lorraine Baker of the Scottish Greyhound Sanctuary said the ban was essential to prevent any future reopening of tracks, pointing to data from the Greyhound Board of Great Britain showing 123 dog deaths and more than 3,800 injuries at registered tracks in England and Wales in 2024.

Agriculture Minister Jim Fairlie said the government ultimately concluded that the risks associated with oval‑track racing could not be mitigated through regulation alone, adding that the government was confident that greyhound racing “on oval tracks exposes dogs to significant risks that cannot be eliminated by other measures”.

Scotland joins Wales and New Zealand in moving to outlaw dog racing.