Sleek dogs bolt around a track. They wear jackets and muzzles. Their paws kick up clouds of dust. These greyhounds reach speeds of up to 45 miles per hour. (Top human athletes can run at about 25 miles per hour.)

People used to hold greyhound races in many countries. New Zealand is one of the last to allow them. Now government officials say the country will ban greyhound racing. They claim the sport puts dogs at risk.

The dogs sometimes get injured while running. When they do, they often get put down. And what about the dogs that “age out” of racing? Sometimes they find new homes. If they can’t, they might be put down too.

Winston Peters is the racing minister of New Zealand. He oversees racing sports. Greyhound racing officials say they’ve made much progress in animal safety. But Minister Peters says it’s not enough.

“The time has come to make a call in the best interest of the animals,” he says.

The ban hasn’t become law yet. But it’s just a matter of time. All of New Zealand’s political parties support it. Once approved, the shutdown will take 20 months. That is meant to give greyhound race workers time to find new jobs. It should also give racing dogs time to find new homes. 

Greyhound racing continues in the United States, though only two tracks still support it. Australia, Ireland, and the United Kingdom also still participate. It’s legal in Mexico and Vietnam, but in those two nations, races no longer happen. The event has lost popularity. 

The Bible tells people to treat their animals well. Dog racing doesn’t have to be cruel. After all, many dogs love to run! God designed greyhounds to be amazing athletes. But greyhound race workers sometimes push dogs too far. They can put animals at risk for the sake of a game. 

What do you think is best for greyhounds? What do you think is best for the people who work at greyhound races?

Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel. — Proverbs 12:10