Bid continues to legalise dog sports

By Sonja Raasch

QUEENSTOWN -- Efforts to legalise greyhound racing and hunting in the province continue, despite condemnation by the National Council of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

In a statement yesterday, the NSPCA said it was opposed to "any form of hunting with dogs, the killing of animals for fun or pleasure and the infliction of pain and suffering on any animal in the name of sport".

In a previous statement in July, the NSPCA stated: "No hunting, no racing, no compromise."

It has also reacted to footage shown on SABC 3's 50/50 nature conservation programme on Sunday which dealt with illegal dog hunting, saying that the manner of death "involved cruelty of a most dreadful nature".

Yesterday the chief executive offier of the United Greyhound Breeders' Association, Shane Brody, of Queenstown, said that the body was following proper channels to get greyhound racing legalised.

He said the association had been trying for four years to persuade the government to legalise greyhound racing. He was also meeting traditional hunters in order to form a body to negotiate with the Eastern Cape government on dog hunting.

Brody said "the situation as depicted on 50/50" could have been prevented, as legalising racing and hunting would mean control over the practices. He said legalisation would allow the control of breeders, sales of dogs and activities.

"If illegal poaching continues as it is, certain species will be wiped out," he said.

He said the body was also "tired of the double standards of the SPCA" which allowed horse racing, but opposed dog racing.