HC Issues A Notice On Greyhound Races In Punjab

The Punjab and Haryana high court on Tuesday issued notice to the Union ministry of environment and forests, Animal Welfare Board of India and the Punjab state animal husbandry department over a plea on to allow Greyhound races in Punjab.

Bhupinder Singh Grewal, a representative of the Grey-Hound Racing Board registered a petition. It has claimed that such dog races organized in the rural areas of Punjab help in bridging social gaps and differences.

The petitioner board has mainly challenged the Punjab animal husbandry department’s November 2013 decision which made obtaining permission from the deputy commissioner or the deputy director (animal husbandry) compulsory before organizing dog races.

However, there is no formal ban on dog racing in Punjab, the procedure for obtaining permission to organize these races is very difficult, leading to an effective ban. Dog races are held in rural areas without permission, but there is no record of the number of races being held annually.

G K Mann, Counsel for the petitioner board  argued that the Punjab government’s order regarding prior permission for organising dog races, has been passed on the grounds of assumed and presumed cruelty to the animal. Such order is without substance and without any consideration towards the relevant facts, attributes and traits of the greyhound dogs.

Greyhound dog race

“The greyhound dog races are organized under total control environment and it is categorically and specifically taken care that only mentally and physically healthy dogs take part in the race,” she argued.

The plea said that greyhound races are being organized from time immemorial in Punjab and bring together the rural people from all the walks of life and such events acts as catalyst for the assimilation of different cultures.

“Greyhound racing is an organized, competitive sport in which greyhound dogs are raced around a track. There are two forms of greyhound racing, track racing (normally around an oval track) and coursing. Track racing uses an artificial lure (now based on a windsock) that travels ahead of the dogs on a rail until the greyhounds cross the finish line. In coursing, the dogs chase an artificial lure hence there is no cruelty on any animal,” the petition explained.

The board submitted before the HC that welfare and health of the greyhound dogs is the primary facet in consideration while organizing such races.

All such races are organized only after providing proper emergency facilities to the dogs in case of any future event. The matter will now come up for hearing on February 28.

Reference: The Times Of India

Want to read more articles like these? Subscribe to our newsletter today!