Greyhound Welfare UK – Tracking Greyhounds from Birth to Retirement

An indicator of the level of protection greyhounds have, is that they are the only breed specifically named in the Animal Welfare Act 2006. 

As potential racing dogs they are tracked from birth, through racing to retirement.

Registration from Birth

When born, a litter of greyhound puppies are checked by a vet and registered with the Greyhound Stud Book, which has registered every greyhound bred for racing or coursing since 1882. Paperwork is sent from the Stud Book to the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) so they can track each dog from there on. 

When old enough, the greyhounds are inoculated and microchipped, as any puppy would be, then earmarked. At this stage each puppy is issued with a green form that carries their earmark and breeding details. Soon after this, their breeder receives their Identity Book which they take with them throughout their racing career. They then begin their puppyhood, being raised with their siblings with plenty of freedom to learn to run.

Schooling and Marking Up for Racing

Between the age of 12 and 16 months - 16 months is the youngest age that greyhounds are allowed to race in the UK - greyhounds are “schooled” which means they learn to run behind a lure. 

This often starts with straight runs behind a drag lure, then learning to come out of the traps before going to a schooling track to put all their learning together to run around bends. When ready for racing the greyhounds have to be “marked up” at the track. This entails a track official noting all their markings on dog outlines within their Identity Book which, along with their chip and earmarks, means there can never be any skullduggery to bring the integrity of the sport into question. 

Before they are allowed to compete in races each greyhound has to complete satisfactory trials, two of which are with at least two other dogs.

Welfare Tracking and Race Grades

Tracking allows the welfare team at the GBGB to monitor the greyhounds who do not race at all. No greyhound is too slow to race; there is a grade for every dog, including handicap racing where slower dogs start ahead of others. The only reasons a greyhound won’t make it to the track is if they lack the instinct to chase or should injury intervene. Looking at the registered pups in the litter, the welfare team will ask the breeder what happened to any that didn’t make it to the track. Some will have been homed by homing centres, others by the breeders themselves. Several breeders will tell you that they have a waiting list for the rare occasion that a puppy/young greyhound becomes available for homing. 

During their racing career greyhounds are checked regularly at the track but also by GBGB Stipendiary Stewards as part of regular kennel checks. If a greyhound doesn’t race for six weeks or more the trainer will be contacted by the GBGB to explain why. This could be because they have a slight injury, are being rested or have retired. 

Retirement Procedures and Welfare Follow-Ups

Upon retirement it is a requirement of a trainer or owner to inform the GBGB. They must fill in a Green Form to inform the GBGB of the retirement and the arrangements that have been made for the dog. They may have gone home with the owner, be staying in the kennel, be a brood bitch or stud dog or have been placed into a homing centre. 

Whatever the arrangement, the GBGB needs details. If a dog is homed by the owner or trainer then there is a high chance that the GBGB Welfare team will follow that up and send one of their personnel to check the dog is where it should be. They will also select dogs at random who have gone into homing centres to be sure they have been given the right information. If owners or trainers are found to not be making suitable homing arrangements, then they will be subject to enquiry and could even be banned from owning dogs in future or lose their training licence, respectively.