Racing Greyhound Population Trends In New Zealand

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1 Racing Greyhound Population Trends In New Zealand Numbers of greyhounds entering the racing industry come from two sources: Greyhound puppies born in NZ (Need at least 13 months to mature) Mature greyhounds imported from Australia. (Ready to race on arrival) Numbers of greyhounds leaving the racing industry also come from two sources: Greyhounds raced that finish racing (Observed leaving industry records) Greyhounds that never raced (Never entered industry records) Racing Greyhounds Data Analysis of industry race results from January 2010 to January 2017 reveals that the youngest age a dog born in NZ races is 13 months, the oldest 47 months, with the average being 20 months of age. Unlike newborn pups, dogs coming from Australia are able to start racing upon arrival. There are two sources of dogs being introduced to the industry, and they do not commence racing within the same year. So when calculating data, we have to consider a population that comes from two different sources, and enters racing industry records at two different times. There are around 2000 dogs that race every year, and of these some will be racing for the first time (either from Australia or born here in previous years) and some will be racing for the last time. The breakdown of these numbers is shown in this document, as taken from industry website race results and individual dog information which shows country born, and date of birth. For example if a dog has not raced in 2016 but did in 2015, then we have concluded their last race was in We can not determine dogs that have finished racing recently because we do not know if they will race again. We can also identify some racing dogs which have already been rehomed by GAP. GAP list on their website dogs that have found homes, and from this we can get the dogs racing name if raced. This number will increase as time continues and more dogs get rehomed.

2 Racing numbers in and racing numbers out (At March 2017) Example: For the year 2014, there was a total racing population of 2202, of which 864 dogs had their debut race, 906 greyhounds had their last race, and of these, as at March have been rehomed via GAP (at some unspecified stage, could have been rehomed the following year). Using historical industry data, we can illustrate how many greyhounds had their first race: Note: This does not include greyhounds bred in New Zealand for racing who do not ever race for whatever reason. (Unsuitable temperament, lack of ability, death before having first race, etc) See Unraced greyhounds data below.

3 Rehomed greyhounds: Greyhounds As Pets From industry race data and Greyhounds As Pets rehoming website information, we can identify the number of greyhounds finishing racing, and those that get rehomed by GAP (logged by when the dog last raced, not necessarily the year they were rehomed via GAP)

4 Unraced Greyhounds Data Specific to New Zealand bred dogs there is an issue of unraced dogs that are no good for racing and what happens to them. The GRNZ website does not provide data on greyhounds that do not race, however we can use the Greyhounds Australasia racing data to derive the unraced greyhounds. The website has not yet been updated with 2016 data. Based on the number of litters each year in NZ as shown on Greyhounds Australasia (from their website ) and the average number of pups per litter (defined most recently as 6.5) we can estimate to our best ability the number of dogs born each year. Number of whelpings (litters born) per year x Average number of puppies per litter = Annual incoming greyhound population (NZ born dogs only - does not include imported dogs) Of the pups born each year we can identify the number that begin racing (from GRNZ race results) in the years following, as their birth date is displayed on the GRNZ website. We can compare the number of dogs born in a year, to the total number of pups born that year that go on to race in the industry, provided we do that calculation a few years after those pups were born so that the racing history has time to be generated. Number of whelpings that year x average litter (6.5 puppies per litter) - number of dogs born that year with a race history on GRNZ results website. =Number of unraced dogs in a historical year Dogs born in 2013 have almost certainly started racing now as they are over 3 years old and the average age of a dog having their first race is 20 months, so numbers for 2013 and before are as accurate as we can expect. Dogs born in 2014 and 2015 could still start racing so we are unable to determine accurate numbers that did and didn t race yet, but we can use a historical average as an estimate to predict these numbers based on the percentage of dogs not raced in previous years Dogs born in 2015 will now begin to start racing as they are over a year old. As at March 2017, 327 greyhounds born in 2015 have started to race.

5 Numbers in red below are predictions based on 34.7% of greyhounds born who never have race careers (percentage using averaging data from ) Numbers in black are as at March For the years 2014 and 2015 these black numbers will increase as time goes on. * 2014, 2015 ratio of raced/not raced is incomplete and will still change with time.

6 Estimate Of Greyhounds Culled/Missing We are unable to determine exact numbers of greyhounds that get re homed as many organisations rehome greyhounds, some stay with trainers, and some are rehomed privately. GAP provide numbers re homed each year in their financial report (April to March), and some greyhounds will also have been rehomed by other agencies or privately, and an additional number will have been kept by trainers as pets (estimated as 93 annually as canvassed by WHK report). GAP numbers from their 2015 annual report. GAP have not released a similar report for 2016 to show numbers rehomed, but Charities Commission reports indicate this is approximately 213.

7 We asked adoption agencies, and estimated numbers for groups who would not supply information, for the year 2014.

8 GAP = 225 (According to their annual reports, financial year ending 2015) Kept by trainer = 93 (According to WHK report 2013) Other agencies total = 89 Total re homed = 407. To allow for private re homing as well, we will estimate 450 re homed in Any more information forthcoming will only help us all define this with more clarity would have had less re homing as more agencies exist now. GAP = 186 Kept by trainer we still estimate as 93 Other agencies we estimate to have rehomed 60 greyhounds. Total re homed = 339 To allow for private re homing as well we estimate 380 re homed in dogs were introduced in just that year. The outcomes for the majority are unknown. We believe both these rehoming estimates are generous and likely more than there actually is, but we can still prove greyhounds go missing using conservative numbers.

9 Greyhounds euthanased: Part way through 2012 the industry stopped recording euthanased greyhounds at the track on their race reports. We can assume an average on previous uncensored 2010 and 2011 records which in absence of new industry data is the only way to give this category of greyhound outcome (killed at the track) a number. Greyhounds into the industry, out of the industry or deceased, re homed, and missing Comparing 2012 with 2014 taken from the data explained above we observe the following: 2014 is more complete than 2015 due to greyhounds born but not yet raced, or left the industry. While the numbers of greyhounds finding homes is increasing, the estimated number of greyhounds disappearing is still around 600 every year.