Advocacy by the City of Canning Council for the welfare of Greyhounds has had a tangible impact, with significant upgrades and enhancements to the Cannington racetrack now underway.
At the city’s February Ordinary Council Meeting, Mayor Patrick Hall requested the city write to Minister for Racing and Gaming Paul Papalia to raise concerns about animal welfare at the Cannington Greyhound racetrack.
Mayor Hall’s motion followed the death of four dogs at the track in a short space of time, and statistics showing that the Cannington track was rated Australia’s worst track for the number of greyhound fatalities at the time.
The Council voted in support of the motion.
In response to the mayor’s correspondence, the minister emphasised the importance of animal welfare and outlined the measures Racing and Wagering Western Australia (RWWA) is implementing to reduce the risk of injuries to greyhounds.
The Cannington racetrack, managed by the Western Australian Greyhound Racing Association (WAGRA), is undergoing significant upgrades worth $3 million.
The upgrades include adjusting and resurfacing the track, installing new starting boxes, new rail and posts, and enlarging the catching pen area.
The track will be temporarily closed during these scheduled upgrades until October 2024.
City of Canning Mayor Patrick Hall said he was pleased to see the city’s advocacy contribute to a positive outcome and thanked RWWA and WAGRA for their action to improve the facility.
“The welfare of greyhounds is important to our community, and we are delighted to see that our advocacy and that of other organisations has contributed to substantial improvements in animal safety and welfare standards at the Cannington racetrack,” he said.
“We thank RWWA and WAGRA for undertaking these improvements, and Minister Papalia for his consideration of the issue.”
“We will continue to monitor racing at the track, and to collaborate with RWWA, WAGRA, and other stakeholders to ensure that animal welfare remains a key priority in the racing industry,” Mayor Patrick Hall said.
