New Zealand greyhounds bound for Australia as racing ban takes effect

New Zealand's greyhound racing industry is not going quietly. As a nationwide ban takes effect this Saturday, trainers are chartering flights to move as many as 150 dogs across the Tasman Sea to Australia, where the sport remains legal and substantially more lucrative. At least two flights are already scheduled to carry the animals to eastern Australian states, according to information obtained by the BBC.

The exodus represents a last-ditch effort by a small but determined faction of the industry. Between six and ten trainers have expressed interest in relocating their operations entirely, according to Edward Rennell, chief executive of Greyhound Racing New Zealand. Most of these trainers are New Zealand citizens who can move to Australia without requiring special visas. Rennell said his organization would cover the full cost of the chartered flights, while owners and trainers would absorb other expenses. "We will be supporting people that are looking to transfer over," he said. The details of the relocation are still being finalized, with arrangements expected to be locked in within two weeks.

The ban itself has been years in the making. Three independent reviews—conducted in 2013, 2017, and 2021—all reached the same conclusion: injury and death rates in the sport remained unacceptably high. The government first announced the ban in December 2024 and legislated it in April. Approximately 1,400 greyhounds currently in New Zealand will need to be rehomed as a result. Winston Peters, the Racing Minister, dismissed the relocation plans as "the last gasp actions of a dying industry," arguing that dog racing had lost its social license. A spokesperson for Peters noted that while a small number of dogs are being exported, the vast majority will be rehomed domestically over the next couple of years. Rennell disputed the welfare findings, telling the BBC: "I will go to my grave saying that the greyhound welfare standards are the best of any racing code in New Zealand."

Australia presents an attractive alternative. The sport is legal across most of the country and commands far greater commercial value. Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria's combined greyhound racing industries were worth nearly A$2 billion in 2022-23—more than thirteen times New Zealand's A$147 million sector. Dogs arriving from New Zealand are classified as companion animals and must undergo screening for diseases including rabies, but the biosecurity requirements do not distinguish based on intended use. Queensland racing authorities have already been notified of the incoming dogs and potential industry participants. NSW and Victorian officials said they were unaware of specific relocation plans within their jurisdictions.

This is not the first time New Zealand dogs have made the journey. In April 2025, eighty greyhounds were exported to Queensland via chartered flight. One trainer was drawn by what observers described as "the shining lights of the new facility" west of Brisbane. But animal welfare advocates are sounding alarms about Australia's capacity to absorb these animals. Kylie Field, director of the Coalition for the Protection of Greyhounds, pointed out that Australia already struggles to find homes for retired racing dogs. NSW alone has 4,100 dogs awaiting residential placement. The racing industry has attempted to address this crisis by sending more than 2,000 retired greyhounds to the United States and Canada, but the problem persists. Federal Senator Mehreen Faruqi of the Greens expressed deep concern about what she sees as regulatory loopholes allowing the continued export of racing dogs from New Zealand to Australia, with neither country appearing to take responsibility for the consequences.

The broader context underscores how isolated New Zealand's position has become. Scotland and Wales both passed legislation banning commercial dog racing this year. Most US states have imposed bans, leaving only two active racing tracks in West Virginia. Australia's own trajectory is shifting: the Australian Capital Territory has already banned the sport, and Tasmania has announced plans to phase it out. New Zealand's ban, then, is part of a global tide turning against the industry—even as a handful of trainers attempt to swim against it.