GWIC: E-Tracking A World First For NSW

MINISTER for Racing Kevin Anderson, today, launched the NSW Greyhound Welfare and Integrity Commission's world first whole of life e-Tracking process.

The e-Tracking system will monitor the location, provide welfare oversight and allow GWIC to track and protect racing greyhounds throughout their careers and into retirement.

"The NSW Government allocated $3.6 million for this revolutionary new technology that puts animal welfare at the heart of the greyhound racing industry," Mr Anderson said.

"This technology will mean every greyhound registered in NSW is able to be monitored and its whereabouts recorded and registered in real time, at every stage of the greyhound's life."

"The e-Tracking capability will make a huge difference in protecting the welfare of greyhounds registered in NSW and put an end to speculation that animals have disappeared."

A central tenet of the HcHugh Special Commission report was an incorrect assertion regarding a greyhound's life expectancy and mortality.

"The evidence that McHugh unfortunately trusted was never based on real numbers, they were wildly inaccurate but greyhound racing administrators were unable to refute the allegations due to no record keeping," Martin Hallinan said.

"This new process will provide all the data to bat back the ridiculous statements anti greyhound racing activists promote.

"We have an e-Tracker here (at Clergate) and all dogs are scanned into GWIC's database when they arrive, scanned out when they leave and then re-entered by the person who takes control of the dog(s)."

The Hallinan family run the most successful commercial rearing establishment in the country and have found great success with their own greyhounds which carry the "Zipping" prefix.

Commission CEO Steve Griffin said greyhounds will be tracked through their ‘contact' with GWIC.

If a greyhound has had no contact with GWIC throughout the year, the greyhound's owner will be sent a request to have the greyhound sighted and scanned.

"Racing greyhounds will need to have contact with GWIC at least every 6 months, and pre-racing or retired greyhounds every 12 months," Mr Griffin said.

"There will be more than 40 locations across the state where greyhounds can be scanned and checked in. Many of these touch points are greyhound racing clubs, major breeder, trainer or educator properties, and industry veterinarians and re-homing organisations."

Since inception in 2018, GWIC has had oversight of integrity, regulatory and welfare matters which had previously been the remit of Greyhound Racing NSW.

"This is a significant milestone and I congratulate (GWIC) for their development and implementation of the e-Tracking system, a world-first in welfare," GRNSW CEO Tony Mestrov said.

"As a collective industry, we have taken major steps in reform since 2017, and welfare is now at the forefront of everything we do at GRNSW, as evidenced by our rehoming programs, injury rebate schemes, track safety upgrades, and the overall care of our animals.

"The e-Tracking system is another great step in not only ensuring the welfare of all greyhounds in the NSW industry."

The  system has been fully tested over two months, scanning 4000 greyhounds and will be officially operational from June 20.