by Cam Lucadou-Wells
Animal welfare activists have called for a radical redesign of greyhound racing after a sixth dog in nearly two years died at the Sandown Park track.
On 31 October, one-year-old Alabama Jammer fell and was euthanised after suffering a fractured right humerus, according to a Sandown stewards report.
In response, Coalition for the Protection of Greyhounds called for racing to be transferred from curved circuits such as Sandown to straight tracks.
It stated that its data showed four greyhounds had died at Sandown this year, plus two others in 2023.
A total of 70 died on all Victorian tracks in 2023 and 2024 – the deadliest greyhound-racing toll in Australia, CPG claims.
A great majority (84 percent) were caused by incidents at track turns, where “greyhounds bunch up and the physical stresses of running are greater”, according to the CPG.
“The death of Alabama Jammer, not even two years old, is tragic and unacceptable,” CPG state spokesperson Rebekah Herron said.
“In his short life, Alabama Jammer was treated as a commodity, and in October raced five times, ultimately dying in his fifth (ever) race.
“The race video of the incident is distressing. He deserved better.
“The Coalition for the Protection of Greyhounds continues to call for greyhound racing to be phased out to ensure that these avoidable injuries and deaths do not continue to occur.”
Greyhound Racing Victoria stated the causes of racing fatalities were “multi-faceted and unique to each situation”.
“(They) cannot be solely attributable to the track design, shape or surface,” a spokesperson said.
in Victoria, greyhound racing deaths decreased by more than 47 per cent in the past five years, and racing injuries down 18 per cent.
“With over 110,000 starters in about 15,000 races in Victoria annually, fatalities and serious injuries in racing are rare,” the spokesperson said.
