Greyhounds board chairman hits out at 'animal rights agenda' of RSPCA

The chairman of the Greyhound Board of Great Britain has accused the RSPCA of being disingenuous in its motives for demanding a ban on greyhound racing in Britain within five years.

The RSPCA dropped a bombshell on greyhound racing in September when it joined forces with Blue Cross and Dogs Trust to call for the sport to be phased out.

GBGB chairman Jeremy Cooper, also a former RSPCA chief executive and Dogs Trust director, was speaking to the Racing Post for a major investigation in Sunday's newspaper which explores whether the leading welfare charity is changing its attitudes towards animal sports in light of that announcement and the potentially catastrophic consequences for horseracing. The Racing Post has also spoken to the BHA, its former chief executive Nick Rust and the RSPCA's welfare expert Dr Samantha Gaines.

The timing of the RSPCA's move came as a particular shock to the GBGB as it came just four months after it had published a well-received new welfare strategy, 'A Good Life For Every Greyhound', put together by its independent director Professor Madeleine Campbell, a highly respected veterinarian and renowned animal welfare expert.

Cooper, who has been GBGB chairman since June 2018, said: "One of the key priorities [when I became chairman] was to devise and implement a groundbreaking welfare strategy to continue this great initial work and drive standards to a level not seen before.

"Professor Madeleine Campbell is one of the few people in the world who is qualified to do the sort of work we asked her to do. What she has produced is probably one of the best animal welfare strategies written. It therefore befuddles me why the RSPCA is calling for a ban. It makes me believe there are other reasons why the RSPCA has taken its position."

Clarifying what he sees as the RSPCA's motive for a ban, Cooper added: "In my opinion, this is all being driven by an animal rights agenda that is not just about greyhound racing – and if the charities and their supporters succeed in pushing this ban forward, do not for one minute think it will end there."

Read more from Jeremy Cooper, Nick Rust, Dr Samantha Gaines and the BHA in The Big Read, available in Sunday's newspaper or online for Members' Club Ultimate subscribers from 6pm on Saturday. Click here to sign up

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