Victory for Dogs! Council Votes to Close Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium
UPDATE: Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium Can Finally Be Shut Down
The unethical dog-racing track will now be turned into a football stadium and new affordable housing.
Merton Council just voted to approve a planning application that will close down Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium and transform it into a sports ground exclusively for willing, human participants. This is great news for greyhounds and for everyone who believes that animals should not be exploited for human entertainment.
The decision comes after years of campaigning by local groups and almost 15,000 PETA supporters signed a petition to the council.
The greyhound-racing industry is notorious for discarding animals like used betting slips once they’re no longer considered “useful”. Many puppies are killed in the name of selective breeding before they even get close to a racetrack. Others endure years of being caged and muzzled by trainers before they, too, are abandoned or killed. Ex-racing dogs have even been found with their ears cut off to remove identifying tattoos.
Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium is one of the oldest dog-racing tracks in the country. Its closure comes after years of dwindling ticket sales and is further evidence that the greyhound-racing industry is truly on its last legs. Numerous other racetracks across the UK have also closed in recent years.
This trend is one that all compassionate people can celebrate. Thank you to everyone who signed the petition: your actions have helped prevent more dogs from suffering for “sport” and relegated this archaic track to the history books.
