Greyhound racing banned in Wales
Politicians in the Senedd voted through the Prohibition of Greyhound Racing (Wales) Bill on the 17th of March 2026
Last updated 18th Mar 2026
Politicians in the Senedd voted through the Prohibition of Greyhound Racing (Wales) Bill on the 17th of March 2026.
The main purpose of the Bill is to prohibit greyhound racing in Wales.
The Bill will make it an offence to:
- Operate a stadium or similar venue in Wales and use it, or knowingly permit it to be used, for greyhound racing
- Be involved in organising greyhound racing in Wales
Following campaigning by animal welfare charities, the bill received a majority vote by MS's.
The Dogs Trust and RSPCA Cymru says since 2017, over 4,000 greyhounds have died or been put to sleep across the UK because of their involvement with racing, while there have been more than 35,000 injuries.
A petition launched by Hope Rescue gained more than 35,000 signatures for the ban:
The coalition of charities and groups say "greyhound racing is inherently dangerous for the dogs involved. Running at speed around oval tracks can lead to significant injuries, and in some cases, these injuries are so severe that dogs must be euthanised.
"Beyond the risks on the track, there are also concerns about the welfare of racing greyhounds throughout their lives, including inadequate welfare standards in kennelling and transporting dogs.
"Some racing dogs are kept in barren conditions with little enrichment, fed poor diets, and there are wider concerns about their overall health and welfare.
Earlier in March, the Welsh High Court in Cardiff sat to hear the Greyhound Board of Great Britain's Judicial Review case against the Welsh Ministers regarding their decision to ban greyhound racing.
The basis of GBGB's case is that appropriate consultation was not undertaken prior to the decision to ban, and that the decision and introduction of the Bill was therefore unlawful.
Mark Bird, CEO of the Greyhound Board of Great Britain, said:
Mark Bird, CEO of the Greyhound Board of Great Britain, said:
“This Bill has disgraced the ethical and legislative processes from start to finish.
“All legislators and voters should be alarmed by the repeated failures in public consultation, evidence gathering and overall due diligence in the pursuit of this misguided Bill.
“First, the Welsh Government acted against officials’ advice showing that there was insufficient evidence and consultation to justify a ban on greyhound racing.
“Then, they proceeded in the face of two damning cross-party Committee reports which warned of exactly the same concerns.
“Now, the Welsh Government has decided to press on with their rushed legislative timetable even while judges consider whether it is lawful, as part of the ongoing Judicial Review process.
“Valley Greyhound Stadium has invested around £2million in upgraded veterinary, kennelling and track facilities, all while offering employment and economic vitality for a community that needs it. Anyone who has visited the track knows how deeply trainers, kennelhands and owners love their greyhounds and the lengths they go to in caring for and raising happy, healthy greyhounds.
“We remain resolute in our fight against this Bill process and await the court judgements.”
With a ban now confirmed in Wales, attention will turn to Scotland:
MSPs are expected to vote in the coming days on the Greyhound Racing (Offences) (Scotland) Bill.
If passed, it will become an offence to race greyhounds on oval tracks in Scotland.
Cut the Chase Coalition Responses to the ban:
Owen Sharp, Chief Executive at Dogs Trust - “Today’s vote in Wales is a landmark moment for dog welfare and a huge step towards ending the needless suffering of greyhounds. For too long, dogs have paid the price for this outdated form of entertainment, with injuries and deaths that are entirely preventable.
“While Wales is leading the way, we cannot afford to rest on our laurels. With the vote on the future of greyhound racing in Scotland imminent, and racing still permitted in England and Northern Ireland, there is much more to do to end the needless deaths of dogs across the UK.”