The Welfare of Racing Greyhounds Regulations 2010

PART 1 E+W Conditions for the licensee

Condition 1: Attendance of a veterinary surgeon E+W

1.—(1) A veterinary surgeon must be in attendance throughout the duration of a race, trial or sales trial and before a race, trial or sales trial in order to undertake the inspections required under sub-paragraph (2).

(2) Before any race, trial or sales trial—

(a) an attending veterinary surgeon must inspect every greyhound intended to run in that race, trial or sales trial; and

(b) the operator must remove from a race, trial or sales trial any greyhound which the attending veterinary surgeon has ruled unfit to run.

(3) An operator must ensure that a register of attendance of veterinary surgeons is kept at the track, recording—

(a) the date of the race, trial, or sales trial; and

(b) the name, Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons membership number and signature of the attending veterinary surgeon.

(4) The attending veterinary surgeon must attest in the register that, before each race, trial or sales trial, they inspected every greyhound which took part.

(5) The information referred to in sub-paragraphs (3) and (4) must be kept for at least 3 years from the date of the race, trial or sales trial.

Condition 2: Facilities for the attending veterinary surgeon E+W

2.—(1) The attending veterinary surgeon must have access to—

(a) either a room or a mobile facility which—

(i) is clean and has walls and floors with an impervious and easily cleanable surface;

(ii) is lockable;

(iii) is well lit;

(iv) has heating and ventilation;

(v) has hot and cold running water;

(vi) has an examination table suitable for examining greyhounds;

(vii) has a lockable cupboard suitable for the storage of veterinary medicines;

(viii) has a fridge suitable for the storage of veterinary medicines; and

(ix) is located close enough to the area where a race or trial or sales trial is being undertaken to allow quick access in the case of an emergency;

(b) a freezer suitable for the storage of a greyhound carcase; and

(c) a kennel, which complies with the operator’s requirements in relation to kennels and which is within reasonable proximity to the room or mobile facility used for emergency veterinary cases.

(2) The facilities described in sub-paragraph (1) must be for the sole use of the attending veterinary surgeon—

(a) at all times, in the case of a room; or

(b) whenever the veterinary surgeon’s attendance is required under condition 1, in the case of a mobile facility, freezer and kennel.

Condition 3: Kennels E+W

3.—(1) On and after 6th April 2013 kennels must be provided for at least 20% of the total number of greyhounds which are present at the track at any one time for the purpose of taking part in a race or trial.

(2) Each kennel must—

(a) if installed after the date on which these Regulations come into force, be at a minimum 136cm long, 87cm wide and 110cm high internally;

(b) be occupied by no more one than one greyhound;

(c) have walls and floors with a cleanable surface;

(d) be cleaned between use by individual dogs;

(e) have a comfortable area for a greyhound to lie;

(f) be adequately lit to allow the safe examination and handling of a greyhound;

(g) allow a greyhound to be observed when inside;

(h) be constructed so as to minimise any risk of injury to a greyhound;

(i) have a regular flow of clean air, whether by natural or artificial means, to allow sufficient ventilation for a greyhound;

(j) have an ambient temperature suitable for dogs just raced; and

(k) be disinfected and dried between days on which races, trials or sales trials take place.

Condition 4: Identification of greyhounds taking part in races or trials E+W

4.—(1) An operator may only permit a greyhound to enter a race or a trial if it has been checked to ensure that—

(a) if the greyhound was born on or after the date on which these Regulations come into force, it is identified with an earmark in accordance with this paragraph; and

(b) it is identified with a microchip in accordance with this paragraph.

(2) The earmark referred to in sub-paragraph (1)(a) must—

(a) be a tattoo of a unique number located on the inside of the ear pinnae; and

(b) be registered on a database which the operator reasonably believes meets the requirements set out in Part 2 of this Schedule.

(3) The microchip referred to in sub-paragraph (1)(b) must—

(a) have a unique number;

(b) comply with either ISO standard 11784:1996 or Annex A to ISO standard 11785:1996 of the International Standards Organisation’s standards for microchips(1); and

(c) be registered on a database in relation to which the operator reasonably believes the requirements set out in Part 2 of this Schedule are met.

Condition 5: Record of greyhounds taking part in races or trials E+W

5.—(1) An operator must ensure that the following details are recorded in relation to all greyhounds entering a race or a trial at the track—

(a) the name and address of the owner;

(b) the name and address of the trainer;

(c) number on the tattoo if any and microchip; and

(d) the database on which the greyhound’s details are recorded.

(2) Unless the greyhound is entered for a race or trial by a person carrying photographic identity issued to owners or trainers and their employees by a body meeting the conditions set out in regulation 3(2), the operator must require owners to produce—

(a) a photographic means of identification as proof of their name and address each time a greyhound belonging to them is entered in a race or trial at that track for the first time under their ownership, and a copy of the means of identification for the operator’s records, and

(b) proof that they are registered as owner of that greyhound on a database which the operator reasonably believes meets the requirements set out in Part 2 of this Schedule,

and must require trainers to produce a photographic means of identification as proof of their name and address each time a greyhound which is currently trained by them is entered in a race or trial at that track for the first time, and a copy of the means of identification for the operator’s records.

(3) The details referred to in sub-paragraph (1) must be kept by the operator for at least 10 years from the date of the race.

(4) The copies of means of identification referred to in sub-paragraph (2) must be kept for at least the duration of the operator’s licence.

Condition 6: Injury records in relation to races, trials and sales trials E+W

6.—(1) When a greyhound is injured when participating in a race, trial or sales trial the attending veterinary surgeon must make a record which the operator must keep at the track, setting out—

(a) the nature of the injury sustained;

(b) either the microchip number or tattoo number of the greyhound if the greyhound is microchipped or tattooed;

(c) details of any treatment administered to the greyhound;

(d) the distance of the race, trial or sales trial in which the injury occurred; and

(e) the date of the injury.

(2) The information referred to in sub-paragraph (1) must be kept for at least 10 years from the date of the injury.

(1)

ISO Central Secretariat, International Organization for Standardization (ISO), 1 rue de Varembé, Case postale 56, CH-1211, Geneva 20, Switzerland.