New Zealand's national ban on greyhound racing took effect this weekend after legislation passed in April. At least two charter flights are expected to transfer up to 150 racing greyhounds to Australia, where the sport remains legal in most states; GRNZ says it will pay flight costs. Officials estimate about 1,400 dogs will be retired and rehomed in New Zealand, while critics warn imports may exacerbate rehoming pressures in Australia. Biosecurity screening applies to all incoming dogs, which are classified as companion animals.
Chartered Flights to Australia as New Zealand's Greyhound Racing Ban Takes Effect
New Zealand has outlawed greyhound racing, but neighbouring Australia has not [Phil Walter/Getty Images]
At least two charter flights carrying up to 150 greyhounds are expected to land in Australia's eastern states after New Zealand's nationwide ban on greyhound racing came into force this weekend. Several New Zealand trainers are arranging to move dogs to Australia with the intention of continuing in the sport, Greyhound Racing New Zealand (GRNZ) has told the BBC.
Background
The ban was first announced in December 2024, legislated in April and took effect across New Zealand on Saturday. Officials estimate roughly 1,400 racing greyhounds in New Zealand will retire under the legislation and require rehoming over the next couple of years.
Logistics, Costs and Industry Response
GRNZ has said it will cover the full cost of the charter flights, while owners and trainers are expected to meet other relocation expenses. GRNZ chief executive Edward Rennell told the BBC that between six and 10 trainers had expressed interest in relocating to Australia and that most New Zealand citizens do not require a special visa to live there. He added that final details were expected to be settled in the coming weeks.
"We will be supporting people that are looking to transfer over," Rennell said, while also noting that dogs bred in New Zealand may be less competitive because breeding largely paused after the ban was announced.
Biosecurity And Classification
Australian authorities class greyhounds arriving from New Zealand as companion animals. They will undergo standard biosecurity screening for diseases such as rabies. "Australia's import requirements for dogs are based on biosecurity risk, not the intended use of the animal," the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry told a Senate inquiry.
Scale Of The Industry And Economic Context
Greyhound racing remains legal in most Australian states and is much larger commercially than New Zealand's sector. Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria reported combined industry earnings of almost A$2 billion in 2022–23, compared with New Zealand's NZ$147 million total, according to Greyhounds Australasia.
Owners gathered at Manukau Stadium, Auckland, for one of the final meets in June. [Phil Walter/Getty Images]
Criticism, Welfare Concerns And Rehoming Challenges
New Zealand's decision followed three independent reviews completed in 2013, 2017 and 2021. Officials and the Racing Minister's office say the sport "lost its social licence" because injury and death rates remained unacceptably high; GRNZ disputes that assessment and defends its welfare standards.
Critics in Australia warn that importing dogs could worsen domestic rehoming pressures: advocacy groups report thousands of retired racing greyhounds already awaiting homes domestically, including roughly 4,100 in New South Wales. Senator Mehreen Faruqi (Greens) expressed concern about apparent loopholes that allow continued export of racing dogs between jurisdictions.
Recent Movements And International Context
Dozens of greyhounds were moved to Australia after the ban was first announced. Officials confirmed that 80 greyhounds were exported to Queensland on a charter flight in April 2025. GRNZ has identified kennels across eastern Australia as potential destinations, and the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission said it had been advised of the arrivals and potential relocation of industry participants.
Greyhound racing is already banned in the Australian Capital Territory, and Tasmania has announced plans to phase it out. Similar bans or restrictions have appeared in parts of the UK and the US, reflecting a global trend of increased scrutiny on commercial dog racing.
What’s next: Over the coming months the Greyhound Transition Agency will oversee rehoming and relocation arrangements in New Zealand, while Australian states review any interstate movements and biosecurity procedures.
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