Greyhounds bred and trained for racing face significant welfare challenges during their careers and in retirement, with thousands requiring rehoming annually.
Racing greyhounds face welfare challenges including intensive training regimes, kennel housing for 20+ hours per day, and musculoskeletal injuries from racing. The sport generates surplus dogs that are difficult to rehome due to public perception that they are difficult pets. In reality, greyhounds are gentle, low-energy couch dogs after their racing days. Some jurisdictions allow euthanasia of retired greyhounds rather than rehoming. The greyhound racing industry in Australia has faced significant scrutiny over live-baiting training scandals and high death rates. Many countries have banned greyhound racing outright.