THE DUBBO Greyhound Club has refused to comment on industry claims that 3000 greyhounds were put down each year.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
However Dubbo greyhound owner and trainer Paul Meredith said he was not surprised at the figures and it was only a matter of time until someone realised what happened behind the scenes.
Mr Meredith said it was the big breeders not hobby trainers who were "causing all the trouble".
"They might have 80 litters a year and maybe a quarter end up on the track racing," he said.
"It's the big blokes ruining it for the little blokes."
For the past 30 years of training greyhounds, he said, he only euthanised the dogs if they were injured.
He said he only bred litters he could cope with and he adopts out the dogs as pets if he could not deal with them.
Mr Meredith called on the industry to make the big breeders more responsible and accountable for their litters.
A limit on the breeding of dogs, he said, could reduce the number of greyhound dogs culled each year.
Greyhound Racing New South Wales (GRNSW) should promote and encourage big breeders to use the adoption program.
"I think there is a public awareness problem which plays a part," he said.
"People think greyhounds are just a sport animal but they do make good pets. They are easy to look after, good around children, active, obedient and social."
GRNSW Chief Executive Officer Brent Hogan said in a media interview that almost 3000 greyhounds were put down each year.
"That's a number we understand is too high and it's a number that we're working towards bringing down," he said.
abanob.saad@ruralpress.com