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Five Senedd Members from across the political spectrum have voiced their support for campaign to ban greyhound racing in Wales.

June 2 marks National Greyhound Day, amid ongoing debate over the sport’s future in Wales.

A host of animal welfare charities, including Blue Cross, Dogs Trust, Greyhound Rescue Wales, Hope Rescue and the RSPCA, have joined forces as part of the ‘Cut the Chase’ campaign – which calls for a phased end to greyhound racing in Wales.

Last year, a petition by Hope Rescue calling for a greyhound racing ban in Wales got more than 35,000 signatures and led to the Senedd’s Petitions Committee publishing a report calling for it to be phased out.

A spokesperson for the Cut The Chase Welsh Coalition said: “This National Greyhound Day is the perfect opportunity to draw together the strength of voices in the Senedd and the animal welfare sector.

“We hope to raise awareness for why this industry must end to protect dogs, who have no choice but to take part in dangerous events where welfare is regularly compromised in the name of public entertainment.

“The Welsh Government has listened to the evidence from a wealth of experts in the animal welfare sector and has a unique opportunity here to establish that, in 2023, scrutiny will be taken to ensure no more dogs suffer.

“Now is the time for Welsh residents to band together and back the message to cut the chase and protect the welfare of all racing greyhounds in Wales.”

South Wales East’s Plaid Cymru MS Peredur Owen Griffiths, alongside Labour’s Buffy Williams and Carolyn Thomas, Conservative Janet Finch-Saunders and Liberal Democrat Jane Dodds, has published a joint-statement supporting the campaign.

Mr Owen Griffiths said: “We cannot ignore the mental scars that are left with these animals long after they are retired.

“There is only one track left in Wales and that is in my region. I would like our country to show an example to the rest of the UK by shutting this track down and ending this so-called sport.”

Labour’s Rhianon Passmore and Plaid Cymru’s Delyth Jewell have also voiced their opposition to greyhound racing in the past.

Stadium expansion plans

Valley Greyhounds, in Ystrad Mynach, is the only greyhound racing track in Wales. It has been at the centre of the debate recently.

Valley Greyhounds has submitted a number of planning applications for an additional bar area, a function room, a new judge’s box, and a vets surgery to be built on site.

The plans to extend the stadium is part of Valley Greyhounds’ aim to obtain a professional racing licence by January 2024. Construction work has already begun on site.

The applications have been refused by Caerphilly County Borough Council, under delegated powers, due to an “inadequate” transport statement and a lack of flood consequences assessment.

Malcolm Tams, who runs the stadium, said the plans had been re-submitted and added: “At the end of the day, we have dealt with the two problems, so they can’t refuse it.”

Hope Rescue has said the development of the track would result in an “intensification” of greyhound racing and result in more injuries and deaths.

Mr Tams’ son, David Tams, submitted a petition calling on the Welsh Government to support greyhound racing, attracting more than 10,000 signatures.

Additional reporting by the Local Democracy Reporting Service