August 2022

Industry Notice

Road Safety Week: Transporting Greyhounds Safely

Monday, August 22 marked the beginning of the eighth Queensland Road Safety Week. This year's theme is Road Safety Starts with Me.

Road Safety Starts with Me

Whether you travel a little bit or a lot, it's important to be conscious of some key road safety reminders all year round.

Remember to avoid the Fatal Five:

• Speeding
• Drink driving
• Driving tired
• Driving unrestrained
• Distractions (e.g. using mobile phones)

Improve safety by remaining patient and courteous towards other drivers, sharing the road with other users safely and ensuring your vehicle is properly maintained and safe to drive.

We all have a role to play in keeping ourselves and each other safe on or near our roads. For those in the racing industry, that responsibility extends to ensuring the safety of our animals during transportation.

Safe Transportation of Greyhounds

Safe transportation of racing greyhounds to and from the track, between properties and to and from veterinary clinics is the responsibility of trainers and owners, and their staff.

Expectations of the industry are that all animals are transported in a vehicle that would pass a roadworthy inspection.

Participants transporting greyhounds must ensure:

• Trailers and transport vehicles are roadworthy and registered
• Trailers and vehicles must be designed, constructed and maintained to prevent escape and minimise the risk of injury to greyhounds. They must:
  • be clean, weatherproof and have adequate and functioning ventilation
  • have adequate and functioning air-conditioning
  • not contain barriers, compartments, cages with sharp edges or other protrusions or defects that could cause harm or discomfort to the greyhound
  • offer enough space for each greyhound to sit, lie down and turn around and stand in a natural position without making contact with overhead structures
  • contain a surface that is non-slip, weight bearing, and able to be effectively cleaned and disinfected
• Greyhounds must not be transported in the boot of a sedan, or on the open tray of a vehicle or a trailer
• Barking muzzles must not be used on greyhounds at any time during transportation
• The internal temperature of the vehicle or trailer must be maintained at or below 30°C. Ideally, the internal temperature of the vehicle or trailer should be between 16°C and 24°C, especially when transporting greyhounds after trialling or racing
• Greyhounds must be inspected every two-three hours during the journey, and if required provided with the opportunity for exercise, toileting and water/fluid consumption

For a comprehensive guide to welfare standards and guidelines around animal transportation, visit Animal welfare during transport | Business Queensland or Animal welfare and ethics | Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Queensland (daf.qld.gov.au)

We can all take steps to ensure animal welfare during the transportation process. Remember, it's up to all of us to ensure that every road user reaches their destination safely.

For further information about Queensland Road Safety Week, visit StreetSmarts - helping all road users to be safer on Queensland roads (initiatives.qld.gov.au)

Queensland Racing Integrity Commission