Please help us as soon as possible to save 14000 greyhound lives. 

I am James Fernie, owner of a large Greyhound Rescue Centre. I have no association with the Greyhound Board of Great Britain except that my kennels take in their rescue dogs, whom I board until I find good homes for them. In 20 years, I have located good homes for 2000 greyhounds. They make great pets. Recently, a petition was set up to close all greyhound racing tracks in Britain within five years.

The object of this petition is to make sure that no more greyhounds die on the tracks from racing injuries. In 2023, 109 greyhounds died on British tracks. These greyhounds would not have died, which is good.

Unfortunately, since all the tracks would have been closed there would have been no place for the 15,000 racing greyhounds belonging to the trainers. Where could they go? Some people would say " into the rescue centres". I live in Scotland. Our rescue takes dogs from Kent, Essex, Warwickshire, Nottingham, Yorkshire, Durham and North East England. Why do I get them from so far away? Because all the English rescues are full. A few dogs might get into rescue centres and trainers might save a handful, Around 14,000 would be left. At £100-£200 per dog euthanased by a vet it would be too costly for trainers. Dogs would be killed in terrible ways. The petition is turning the clock back to the bad old days. This, sadly as the lives of greyhounds were getting a lot better. thanks to a vastly improved welfare system. This is one reason why I am writing my petition.

The other petition stated that the centres would be given five vears to prepare for track closures. Since 100 dogs a year can be saved that means that 500 dogs would have been saved in five years. It still means that on the day that the tracks closed 14000 dogs would have been killed. There is no way that the original petition should be allowed to get through Parliament: I feel bad that 500 greyhounds would have to die but 14000 would live.

I ask the governments of England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland to commit to the ongoing protection of greyhounds by working with the GBGB to maintain their excellent welfare provision in greyhound racing, to ensure the safety of all racing greyhounds, and find them loving retirement homes.

Sign my petition and allow 14,000 greyhounds to have a lovely life with happy families.

I'need 100,000 signatures to gel it into Parliament and challenge the other petition. Tell all your friends and tell them to tell all their friends. Thank you for reading my petition.