In recent months, animal rights activists have used drones to record the horrific treatment of greyhounds by trainers. The publicity has forced the South Australian government to launch an inquiry into the culture and practices of the industry, and they have appointed former Victorian police commissioner Graham Ashton to run it. The trouble is, Ashton’s family is closely connected to the system: “As a lad growing up in South Australia Ashton spent a lot of time around racing. His dad, Howard, trained pacers and went on to be a revered greyhound racing administrator — eventually being inducted to the Australian Greyhound Hall of Fame.” It’s unlikely that Ashton will be willing to say what needs to be said — the industrial breeding of greyhounds as fodder for the gambling market is inherently cruel and should be banned. (At the very least, governments should stop subsidising it.)
16 August 2023