Greyhound racing is declining globally as welfare concerns about injuries, doping, and post-racing fate have driven public and regulatory opposition.
Greyhound racing welfare spans training conditions, racing injuries, and post-racing fate. Racing greyhounds spend much of their lives in small kennel spaces despite being bred for running. Injuries during racing can be catastrophic and are common. Dogs that are too slow or injured are retired and must find new homes — the scale of annual retirements has historically exceeded rehoming capacity, leading to significant euthanasia. The sharp public and regulatory turn against greyhound racing in Australia and the US reflects genuine welfare concerns and a changing social consensus about the acceptability of animal sports that generate significant welfare costs.