Welfare concerns surrounding the greyhound racing industry have thrown the industry's future into question. Photo: 123RF
The Racing Minister is refusing to be rushed on whether the greyhound racing industry should be scrapped.
The sport was told more than a year ago to prove it is making animal welfare a priority, after reports highlighted serious concerns about high injury and death rates among the dogs.
The Minister for Racing Kieran McAnulty told Checkpoint it was clear there needed to be improvements as the status quo could not continue, and a ban was one option on the table.
But he insisted he would not take a position on the industry's ultimate fate before a final report had been submitted and read.
The SPCA is calling for an end to the the greyhound racing industry altogether, and said it did not deserve any more chances.
It has encouraged people to write to McAnulty and tell him that greyhound racing is cruel.
This weekend McAnulty is scheduled to visit greyhound races in Cambridge.
He told Checkpoint he had met with both the SPCA and SAFE about the matter.
"I'm keeping an incredibly open mind throughout this process...," McAnulty said.
"Until we get that final report from the Racing Integrity Board, I'm engaging with stakeholders from across the industry, across the spectre of this issue, so I've got that insight when I get that final report."
The sector has until the end of the year to make the changes.