Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to put an end to greyhound racing in Scotland.
Petitioner: Gill Docherty on behalf of Scotland Against Greyhound Exploitation
Status: Under consideration
Date published: 11 September 2019
Click here for the full petition
21 November 2019: The Public Petitions Committee agreed to refer the petition to the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee under Rule 15.6.2 of Standing Orders.
Official Report of Meeting 21 November 2019
10 December 2019: The Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee agreed to take evidence on the petition at a future meeting.
Official Report of Meeting 10 December 2019
23 February 2021: The Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee agreed to keep the petition open and include it in its legacy report to its successor committee.
Official Report of Meeting 23 February 2021
20 April 2022: The Committee took evidence from:
Gill Docherty, petitioner
Jacqueline Brown, Secretary, Scotland Against Greyhound Exploitation
The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government. The Committee also agreed to write to the British Veterinary Association, Fife Council, the Gambling Commission, the Greyhound Board of Great Britain, Police Scotland, the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission, the Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Thornton Greyhounds.
Official Report of Meeting 20 April 2022
16 November 2024: The Committee agreed to defer consideration to its next meeting.
Official Report of Meeting 16 November 2024
15 March 2023: (In Private) The Committee considered an approach paper.
29 March 2023: The Committee took evidence from:
Professor Cathy Dwyer, Chair, Scottish Animal Welfare Commission
Mike Radford, Member, Scottish Animal Welfare Commission
Dr Ellie Wigham, Member, Scottish Animal Welfare Commission
Official Report of Meeting 29 March 2023
26 April 2023: The Committee took evidence from:
Mark Bird, Chief Executive Officer
Madeleine Campbell, Independent Director, Greyhound Board of Great Britain
Paul Brignal, Owner and Director, Thornton Greyhounds
Official Report of Meeting 26 April 2023
03 May 2023: The Committee took evidence from
Claire Calder, Head of Public Affairs, Dogs Trust
Gilly Mendes-Ferreira, Director of Innovation and Strategic Relations, Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Sam Gaines, Head of Companion Animals, Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA)
Official Report of Meeting 03 May 2023
20 March 2024: The Committee took evidence from:
Daniel Alcorn registered owner, trainers, and breeders, Greyhound Board of Great Britain
George Stark, registered owner, trainers, and breeders, Greyhound Board of Great Britain
Official Report of Meeting 20 March 2023
22 May 2024: the Committee took Evidence from:
Jim Fairlie, Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity
Andrew Voas, Veterinary Head of Animal Welfare, Scottish Government.
Official Report of Meeting 22 May 2024
26 June 2024: (In Private) The Committee considered a draft report. Various changes were agreed to. The Committee agreed to consider a revised draft by correspondence.
20 November 2024: (In Private) The Committee continued its consideration of a draft report. Various changes were agreed to, and the report was agreed for publication.
Views were gathered on Petition PE1758: End greyhound racing in Scotland.
The call for views closed on 7 April 2023.
View responses to the Call for Views
The Rural Affairs and Islands Committee published an interim report on 27 November 2024
Greyhound Board of Great Britain, 30 May 2024
Scottish Greyhound Sanctuary, 13 April 2024
Scottish Greyhound Sanctuary, 31 March 2024
Michael Connolly, GBGB Licensed Trainer, 27 March 2024
Greyhound Racing Ireland, from the Convener, 15 July 2023
GREY2K USA Worldwide, to the Convener, 28 June 2023
Scottish SPCA, Dogs Trust and RSPCA to the Convener, 25 May 2023
Greyhound Board of Great Britain to the Convener, 6 April 2023
OneKind response to SAWC report, 22 March 2023
GREY2K USA Worldwide, to the Convener, 16 January 2023
Convener to Scotland Against Greyhound Exploitation, 1 December 2022
Scotland Against Greyhound Exploitation to the Convener, 14 November 2022
Scottish Animal Welfare Commission to the Convener, 9 November 2022
Greyhound Board of Great Britain to the Convener, 3 November 2022
Greyhound Board of Great Britain to the Convener, 31 October 2022
Convener to the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission, 4 October 2022
Dogs Trust, RSPCA and Blue Cross to the Convener, 27 September 2022
Scotland Against Greyhound Exploitation to the Convener, 27 September 2022
Thornton Greyhound Stadium to the Convener, 19 June 2022
Scottish Animal Welfare Commission to the Convener, 23 May 2022
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands to the Convener, 16 May 2022
Convener to the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, 29 April 2022
Convener to the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission, 29 April 2022
Convener to Thornton Greyhounds, 29 April 2022
GREY2K USA Worldwide submission, 28 June 2023
League Against Cruel Sports Scotland submission, May 2022
Scottish SPCA submission, 13 April 2022
GREY2K USA Worldwide submission, 11 April 2022
Scotland Against Greyhound Exploitation submission, 4 April 2022
OneKind submission, 30 March 2022
Say No to Greyhound Racing submission, 19 March 2022
All-Party Parliamentary Dog Advisory Welfare Group (APDAWG) submission, 14 March 2022