The figures were from a confidential document that was tendered to the Special Commission Inquiry into greyhound racing in NSW.

The document came from the Greyhound Australasia board, but the organisation has since claimed the ­figures were not accurate.

“The industry agrees that too many greyhounds are euthanised every year and that we have not done enough to combat the problem of over-­breeding,” GA CEO Scott Parker said.

“These figures do not include ­greyhounds kept by their owners and trainers nor those adopted out through charitable groups.

“Of course, whatever the actual ­figure, it is still too many.”

The NSW Greyhound Breeders, Owners and Trainers’ Association also spoke out against the reported ­figures and said they were not supported by quantifiable data.

“The methodology used was to start with the number of greyhounds bred, less the numbers that raced, less the number that have entered into formal adoption programs,” a statement from the organisation read.

“No consideration was taken into account for the large number of greyhounds adopted outside of the formal programs, or the significant number kept as pets by participants themselves, nor those retained for breeding. 

“The calculation, accordingly, is not accurate.”

The inquiry started on Monday and hearings are scheduled to run all week, with evidence from greyhound ­owners, industry heads, trainers and Greyhound Racing NSW.

CRAIG KERRY

Newcastle Greyhound Club boss Dave Kiernan is not naive enough to believe the Hunter Valley is immune from live-baiting or the euthanising of healthy dogs.

However, Mr Kiernan, who spent 26 years as a steward, believes claims at a special commission of inquiry into the greyhound racing industry that as many as 17,000 unsuitable race dogs are killed annually in Australia and 90 per cent of trainers use live-baiting are flippant and ridiculous.

He also said comments from counsel assisting the inquiry, Stephen Rushton, SC, that he was likely to recommend the industry be shut down were “premature at least and irresponsible at best” given the “unsubstantiated” figures and the fact the commission report is not due until March.

Mr Kiernan believes most people in the industry do the right thing and the sport deserves the chance to implement genuine change, which started with ­animal welfare measures handed down in the wake of the Four Corners live-baiting report in February.

“The line was drawn in the sand then and the industry is addressing it,” Mr Kiernan said.

“It was only a really small percentage of the greyhound racing population doing the wrong thing, and since the line was drawn most of our resources are going to animal welfare and we’ve moved on,” he said.

“People in the industry now realise that unless we get community acceptance, the game won’t survive.

“Closing it down now after the implementation of the different welfare policies and infrastructures since the Four Corners report would be ridiculous.”

Mr Kiernan said the industry was throwing millions of dollars at animal welfare from a 10 per cent levy on prizemoney.

“I see people who in the past you may have thought would have got rid of dogs, they are now putting them through the rehoming program here at the track,” he said. 

“We’ve got to be given a chance to move forward.

“The consensus out in the com­munity is the old bloke with a grey coat and Andy Capp cap on, hiding behind a form guide, represents the sport, but that’s not how the industry is now.”

A former trainer, owner and breeder, Mr Kiernan has kept five-year-old retired racer Shy Dasha (now called Peggy Sue) as a family pet.

He said he was one of many participants who cared for former race dogs.

“I wouldn’t be so naive to say that the Hunter Valley is immune from any of the things that have been going on,” he said.

“But a large cross-section of greyhound people, they are disgusted by live-baiting and they are disgusted by the thought that greyhounds get put down.

“I can take you to 100 properties in the Hunter Valley where they have old, retired greyhounds.

“I get here at the track every Tuesday when we have a vet clinic with Peter Yore and I see trainers here who are ­distraught when they have to put old dogs down,” Mr Kiernan said.

The economic benefit of greyhound racing to the Newcastle and Hunter area has been estimated at $16 million a year, but Mr Kiernan said the potential end of the sport would hurt owners, trainers and breeders much more than just ­financially.

“People are passionate – this is their life,” he said.