Tim Bonner: RSPCA calls for greyhound racing ban

Earlier this week the RSPCA, along with its partners Blue Cross and the Dogs Trust, called for a ban on greyhound racing. Their principle objection seems to be that dogs are involved in "entertainment" and it is clear that the campaign is a reaction to extremists within the RSPCA's ranks. There is little justification for any ban on welfare grounds with greyhound racing having made huge strides over recent years. Only a few months ago Animal Welfare Minister, Zac Goldsmith, welcomed the industry's new welfare strategy "and the positive progress the Greyhound Board are continuing to make".

Greyhound racing has adopted clear, credible and robust self regulation and is run with the welfare of dogs at its heart. This has not always made the Greyhound Board popular in its own world, but it has given greyhound racing a layer of armour with which to deflect unjustified and unevidenced attacks from the RSPCA and others. It is noticeable that this call for a ban on greyhound racing has been largely ignored by the media and politicians.

The Greyhound Board's approach is supported by work carried out by World Horse Welfare (WHW) on equestrian sports and 'social licence'. The RSPCA's position might not be justified, but it is a warning that animal rights extremists still have significant sway. Their focus on the use of animals in entertainment is just as applicable to horse racing or show jumping as it is to greyhound racing.

WHW's answer to maintaining 'social licence' for equestrian sports includes: "Positioning equestrianism as a front-runner in the establishment of good practice [which] means more than simply meeting minimum standards and reacting to bad publicity and issues. We need to be proactive in identifying welfare concerns and reforming quickly in the light of new evidence".

This is extremely good advice for any sector involved in the use of domestic animals or the management of wild ones. Public attitudes about animal welfare have changed significantly over recent years and maintaining 'social licence' cannot therefore simply be a matter of upholding the standards of 20 years ago. Whether we are racing a horse or greyhound, shooting a pheasant, hunting a pack of hounds or culling a deer, to maintain 'social licence' we need to heed WHW's advice. We need to do more than simply meeting minimum standards and reacting to bad publicity by constantly pushing ourselves to improve welfare and meet the expectations of the public.

In an ever more uncertain political world one thing remains constant - politicians are very concerned about what the public think. Any activity or industry looking to navigate the choppy political waters ahead would therefore be well advised to start by addressing public attitudes and social licence.