Witney and West Oxfordshire MP Robert Courts met with representatives of Oxford Stadium to learn more about its regeneration and discuss greyhound racing’s present-day operation.
Mr Courts was invited by the Cowley venue’s Managing Director Kevin Boothby amid a live campaign by the RSPCA, Dogs Trust and Blue Cross to end UK greyhound racing by September 2027.
The Stadium expressed concerns about the legitimacy of the campaign which to date has been based on claims made without any supporting evidence but backed up by what the RSPCA describes as a ‘comprehensive internal review’.
Oxford Stadium and the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB, governing body) have written to the three charities demanding them to release evidence behind their claims without response.
Representatives of Oxford Stadium also linked Mr Courts with the sport’s very latest retirement, injury and fatality data during the meeting. This included a brief on the GBGB’s all-new Injury Recovery Scheme, Greyhound Retirement Scheme and ‘A Good Life for Every Greyhound’ – the sport’s long-term welfare strategy.
Mr Courts also met the stadium’s veterinary staff, members of the racing office and was given a tour of all facilities including the kennelling area, speedway provisions and the newly launched Frank Bruno Foundation Centre.
Mr Courts said: “Thank you to Oxford Stadium for inviting me to visit the facilities and learn about greyhound racing, including the work being done on prioritising the welfare and care standards of the dogs. I have also responded to a meeting request from The Blue Cross.”
Shaun Reynolds of Fortitude Communications, representing Oxford Stadium, said: “Greyhound racing has made important strides to prioritise welfare and care standards which has prompted all-time high rehoming rates and all-time low injury and fatality statistics.
“However, the sport’s very existence is under threat by campaigns which – to date – are based entirely on claims released without any supporting evidence, deceiving tactics in the media and extremist ideology.
“It is essential elected representatives of Oxfordshire’s constituencies bear witness to greyhound racing’s present-day operation at Oxford Stadium and we thank Mr Courts and his team for their engagement.”
Greyhound racing is the UK’s ninth most attended sport behind equestrian and ice hockey and employs 7,000 people with an estimated annual turnover of £2.6 billion for the UK economy.
The stadium stressed a major aspect of the RSPCA, Dogs Trust and Blue Cross campaign is hooked on the risk of injury (1.23%) and fatal injury (0.03%) greyhounds are exposed to by participating in racing.
It was made clear that risk of injury and death to animals is not, and never will be, exclusive to greyhound racing and applies to other animal-based sports – professional and amateur – plus aspects of everyday life.
Shaun added: “The regeneration of Oxford Stadium has been the feel-good story of the decade locally. Every aspect of the stadium’s operation today is facilitated by greyhound racing which is the venue’s key revenue driver.
“Without racing, Oxford Stadium ceases to exist. It’s why challenging unsubstantiated claims made against the sport while educating key decision makers locally and members of the public is a critical part of our operation.
“If the RSPCA, Dogs Trust and Blue Cross wish to end greyhound racing based on risk associated with participation, we are concerned which aspects of life they will target next.
“The animal-based sports communities must unite and stand up for their operation. Our open-door policy is there for anyone who holds concerns about welfare standards associated with greyhound racing at Oxford Stadium.
“To date, no one has engaged with this open invitation which we believe speaks volumes.”
