Scottish Parliament will today decide whether to finally slam the door shut on greyhound racing for good. Mark Ruskell’s landmark bill could make Scotland the first part of the UK to outlaw the sport entirely.
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What the Bill Actually Does
The Greyhound Racing (Offences) (Scotland) Bill is short and crystal clear.
It makes it a criminal offence to operate a greyhound racetrack or to race greyhounds for sport or profit in Scotland. Anyone caught doing so faces up to five years in prison and an unlimited fine.
If the bill passes all three stages before the Holyrood election in May 2026, Thornton Stadium in Fife, the last remaining track, will close forever.
Thornton: Scotland’s Last Track Keeps Going Despite Everything
Thornton Stadium is the only place in Scotland where greyhounds still chase a fake hare around an oval three times a week.
The track is independent and not regulated by the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB). That means none of the already weak welfare rules that apply in England cover the dogs at Thornton.
Injury figures leaked from the track in 2023 and 2024 show the grim reality:
- 187 dogs injured in just 18 months
- 12 dogs suffered broken legs
- 4 dogs died or were put down because of track injuries
- Countless others vanished from race cards with no explanation
Veterinary experts say the sharp bends and hard surfaces at Thornton cause far higher injury rates than modern regulated tracks.
The Human Cost Everyone Forgets
Mark Ruskell knows the dogs better than most politicians.
He adopted Bert, a retired racer, and watched him blossom from a nervous track dog into a gentle family pet before Bert passed away last year.
“I saw what these dogs are really like when they are not being used for gambling,” Ruskell told reporters outside Parliament yesterday while holding a photo of Bert. “They are soft, loving, couch potatoes. They deserve sofas, not suffering.”
Across the UK, around 4,000 healthy greyhounds are still killed every year because they are too slow or too injured to race profitably. Scotland currently has no way to stop that pipeline reopening here if someone with money decides to build another track.
The World Is Walking Away From This Sport
Only seven countries now allow commercial greyhound racing: England, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, the United States (just two tracks left), Mexico, and Vietnam.
- Wales is voting on its own ban bill this year
- Florida banned it in 2018 and 12 tracks have since closed
- New South Wales in Australia tried to ban it in 2016 (later reversed under industry pressure, but the writing is on the wall)
Scotland has already banned fox hunting, snare traps, and electric shock collars. Greyhound racing is the next obvious step, campaigners say.
Where the Parties Stand Right Now
Scottish Greens: full support (obviously)
SNP: free vote, but most rural MSPs are expected to back the ban
Labour: majority support
Conservatives: split, some will vote against
Lib Dems: expected to back the ban
Animal welfare groups from the League Against Cruel Sports to Blue Cross and Dogs Trust have all thrown their weight behind the bill.
Even the Scottish Government admitted last year that “genuine risks” come with oval track racing, backed by veterinary evidence.
What Happens Next
Today’s vote is only Stage 1, the principle of the bill. If it passes, the Rural Affairs Committee will take evidence and suggest changes. Stage 3, the final vote, must happen before Parliament dissolves for the 2026 election.
One thing is certain: the clock is ticking for Scotland’s last greyhound track.
These beautiful, gentle dogs have been used as gambling chips for far too long. Today, MSPs have the chance to say Scotland chooses compassion over cruelty, homes over harm, paws before profits.
Bert and thousands like him never got to vote. Their humans can do it for them.
Tell us in the comments: should greyhound racing be banned in Scotland? Share your thoughts and tag a friend who needs to see this.
