Their lives are not a game
Photo Credit: J0-Anne McArthur / We Animals
Greyhounds don’t have a voice.
But you do.
Here’s how you can help…
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Decision makers need to hear from the community. By sending a letter or email to government representatives and industry leaders, you can help show that South Australians care deeply about greyhound welfare and want to see the cruel greyhound racing industry phased out. Even a short message can help create pressure for meaningful reform.
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Learn the facts about greyhound racing through the official, RSPCA SA-approved Education Hub. Explore research, welfare concerns, statistics, and common misconceptions so you can better understand the realities facing racing greyhounds. By educating yourself, you can also help educate friends, family, and your wider community.
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Join a growing community of people standing up for animal welfare. By signing up to our Changemakers newsletter, you’ll be the first to receive campaign updates, advocacy opportunities, educational resources, and alerts when urgent action is needed.
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Your donation helps power investigations, advocacy campaigns, public education, rescue efforts, and community outreach that protects vulnerable animals. Every contribution helps RSPCA SA continue fighting for stronger welfare standards and a safer future for animals.
Animal welfare concerns have long surrounded greyhound racing in South Australia.
Despite years of reform promises, serious welfare concerns continue.
Dogs are still suffering catastrophic injuries, transparency remains limited, and there is still no guarantee of safety for the animals at the centre of the industry.
Animal welfare and greyhound racing cannot truly co-exist.
While the impact on jobs must be acknowledged, it does not justify ongoing harm. A managed transition is both possible and necessary.
We’re calling for the South Australian Government to prioritise the phasing out of greyhound racing.
Photo Credit: J0-Anne McArthur / We Animals
In South Australia’s 2025 racing season we saw…
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5 deaths on track
“On-track deaths” were only publicly reported if they happen on race day, on the track, in front of the on‑course vet.
What this number didn’t include is all the greyhounds who died or were euthanised off-track due to race injuries.
It also left out all the greyhounds who were injured during trials or training, where the same risks apply but the outcomes are less visible.
Behind this number were dogs whose injuries prove fatal after they left the track - out of sight, and largely unaccounted for.
This meant the true toll of greyhound racing related deaths was likely much higher than what was publicly reported, with many deaths never formally recognised in official figures. -
316 major injuries
Many “major injuries” were never publicly reported, sometimes because the dog died or was euthanised shortly after leaving the track.
This meant the true death toll from racing remained unknown.
Major injuries were often life-threatening or career-ending. They could require long recovery periods (28–90 days) and commonly included injuries such as:
- Fractures and broken bones
- Paralysis
- Severe muscle or tendon damage
- Spinal, pelvic, or skull injuries
- Dislocations.
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1,064 total track injuries
These injuries made up the majority of harm in greyhound racing, yet they were often minimised because they’re weren’t classified as “major.”
They included cuts, bruising, muscle strains, minor fractures, and injuries caused by collisions or falls.
But there was nothing minor about the impact. These injuries still caused pain, required time to heal, and could accumulate over a dog’s racing career, wearing down their bodies race after race.
More importantly, they revealed a deeper truth: the risk is built in.
Injury isn’t rare, it’s part of the system.
Even with regulation, these risks can’t be eliminated, only managed.
