The Greyhound Protection League claim that there are over 10,000 greyhounds unaccounted for in New Zealand at present, with a further one thousand unaccounted for annually. I request that the relevant Ministers use their statutory powers to conduct an independent investigation into New Zealand's greyhound racing industry, and that this information be made publicly available.

I believe that the racing industry "investigating itself" may not provide the public with credible and transparent results, and that the investigation must be done independently.

An independent investigation should make public:

The number of greyhounds bred and imported annually for the racing industry

The number of greyhounds retired annually through the Greyhounds as Pets scheme, other agencies or privately*

The number of injuries which occur annually in all racing-related activities (such as training, trialing, and competing)

The number of greyhounds euthanased annually due to race-related injuries

The number of greyhounds euthanased annually for other reasons (and what these reasons are).

The only way this information can be gathered in a fair and objective manner is through an independent review, which would require that all racing industry records be made accessible for scrutiny by an appointed independent committee of people whose interests are not racing-related.

*Private rehoming can typically fall into two categories: household pets or breeding stock for pig hunting. As the welfare implications of greyhounds as pig hunting stock may be significantly different than those of a household pet, it would be prudent to define whether a "private adoption" is for the purpose of hunting stock or pet.