New | Activists urge Australia to ban export of greyhounds to Macau Canidrome

Animal welfare activists have slammed the Australian government for refusing to consider banning the export of hundreds of greyhounds every year to Macau’s Yat Yuen Canidrome, a greyhound racing track notorious for inhumane conditions and brutal extermination policies.

The government has ignored repeated calls from animal welfare organisations, members of parliament and members of the public to stop the exports. The Minister for Agriculture, Barnaby Joyce, said on Wednesday that he was aware of long-running campaigns to ban the trade but that “once exported dogs reach their destination they come under the jurisdiction of the importing country”.

Past investigations have revealed inhumane living conditions, a disregard for dogs’ welfare, and numerous exterminations at the Macau Canidrome, the only greyhound racing track in Asia.

International lobby group Grey2k published a report in 2012 that revealed that more than 300 dogs had been injured over a ten week period. Another 13 were found suffering from vomiting and diarrhoea.