Greyhounds

In WA, racing greyhounds are registered with Racing and Wagering Western Australia.

When greyhounds are retired from racing, they are deregistered and can be adopted as pets through the Greyhounds as Pets program, or through other animal rescue and adoption organisations.

Greyhounds in public places

The Dog Act 1976 currently requires that greyhounds (both racing and pet greyhounds):

• be on a lead when in a public place;

• wear a muzzle when in a public place, unless they have completed a prescribed training program.

In Western Australia, Greyhounds as Pets undertakes the prescribed training program. Greyhounds that have passed this training are granted ‘green collar status’ and do not have to wear a muzzle in public places.

Proposed changes to greyhound muzzling

The State Government has announced that it intends to change the law to remove the requirement for pet greyhounds to be muzzled in public places. Racing greyhounds will continue to be required to wear muzzles in all public places by application of the RWWA Rules of Greyhound Racing.

The State Government’s announcement follows community consultation on the statutory review of the Dog Amendment Act 2013 in mid-2019.

1192 written submissions and a 2700 signature petition were received during the statutory review advocating for the removal of the requirement for greyhounds to be muzzled in public places.

It is expected the requirement for greyhounds to be muzzled will be removed sometime in 2020.

Greyhounds will still be required to be on a lead when in a public place.

A public awareness campaign will be launched to inform the community on when the provisions will come into effect and how it will affect different stakeholders.