Greyhound Welfare
is and always has been
at the heart of all we do!

Greyhound Racing in Britain is among the world’s best regulated animal activities and directly employs over 7000 people nationwide, plus thousands more in the support services such as the animal feed industry, veterinary services, cleaning products plus many more.

At Yarmouth Stadium welfare is and always has been, our top priority.

Never Been Greyhound Racing?
Concerned about supposed Welfare Issues you may have seen on the Internet?

If Yes, please read on.

Firstly Do Greyhounds Enjoy Racing?
Bred for thousands of years to chase and `back in the day` only owned by Pharaohs and Royalty, the answer is a resounding yes. In 1926 greyhound racing came to the UK, it was a great success, enjoyed by both the public and the racing greyhounds.

Greyhound Racetracks give greyhounds the opportunity to continue their love of chasing, in a safe environment.

Is there an Injury Risk?
As with all athletic activities, including jogging, there will always be a slight risk.

Racing Rules require the greyhound must re-trial, once the trainer is sure the
greyhound is ready to return to racing. Prior to the trial the greyhound is inspected again by the `on track` veterinary surgeon.

Veterinary Assistance was introduced by our `after racing` homing group Yarmouth Greyhound Homefinders in 2000 which the he Stadium Management and Staff fully support and encourage.

Yarmouth Greyhound Homefinders will pay the full costs of veterinary treatment and aftercare for any greyhound sustaining a fracture injury on our track. The greyhound is signed over to Homefinders and once ready to leave its trainers care, the greyhound is then homed as a pet.

In reality 99.95 percent of our racers finish quite sound but if there is a problem, most are of a minor nature, eminently treatable by an experienced trainer, usually resulting in a few days or at most a few weeks, rest and rehabilitation.

The GBGB Rules of Racing require a greyhound to run a satisfactory re-grading trial, if it hasn’t raced for 21 days.

Are Greyhounds are Euthanased or Worse when they’re racing days are over?
Absolutely not! The bond between pet and owner is usually strong, the bond
between a racing greyhound and it’s trainer is even stronger.

They build up a life long attachment, just come and see the excitement when an ex-racer meets his former trainer, even after years apart, they never forget each other.

Were this not the case, since Owners and Trainers have had the support of Yarmouth Greyhound Homefinders Veterinary Assistance Scheme, we operate a zero-tolerance policy on any Trainer or Owner euthanising a healthy greyhound on economic grounds. Such an action would result in a ban from racing at Yarmouth Stadium. We ensure all our ex racers, not kept by their racing owners as pets, find a home through our nationally acclaimed homing scheme, Yarmouth Greyhound Homefinders or other equally reputable homing schemes.

Exportation of greyhounds to China?
It’s not something a Stadium in Norfolk is likely to be involved with. Strangely our
governing body the GBGB is in contact with Caged, one of the most extreme Anti-racing bodies, with the possibility of working together towards a government ban on the exportation of Greyhounds to China.

I’ve been told – Racing Greyhounds are drugged to enhance or hinder speed?

Greyhound racing is as drug free as any sport can be. GBGB stewards take, frequent, unannounced, random, urine samples from trialling and racing greyhounds, they are analysed at a laboratory with the highest possible accreditation.

Such is the power of the testing system, positive samples do come up and can lead to heavy penalties, even when the trainer is innocent, as the GBGB Rules of Racing attest that a trainer is always responsible for his charge.

I’ve been told – If I have an ex-racing greyhound as a pet, It’ll be highly strung and I’ll have to walk it miles every day!

With a history stretching back to ancient Egypt, racing greyhounds are the most stable of any pedigree dog. It’s hard to believe but when their racing days are over, Greyhounds are the couch potatoes of the dog world, they’ve nothing left to prove. It used to be said that they needed two twenty minutes walks per day but these days it’s recognised they’re just as happy with a mooch round the garden. Mind you if you fancy a walk you’ll have a companion happy to join you.

Oh yes! They do make fantastic pets.

Come and see for yourself at our homing centre.

It’s the A140 Norwich to Cromer Road, at Hainford. There is a great sense of community and regular organised events, whether you have a pet greyhound or not.

Trust us when you’ve met some of Yarmouth Greyhound Homefinders available pets, there is usually around eight to pick from, plus those waiting for formalities to be completed before going home, your almost certain to be smitten.

Find our more about Yarmouth Homefinders.