7. How does the Government support the rehoming of dogs? OQ57370

Thank you. Our collaboration with the Animal Welfare Network for Wales led to the publication of a voluntary code of best practice for animal welfare establishments in 2020. Building on this, our animal welfare plan commits to bringing forward regulatory requirements for animal welfare establishments, including rescue and rehoming centres, by 2023.

Diolch, Trefnydd. Before I ask my question, I'd like to thank those Members who joined Luke Fletcher and me on the steps of the Senedd last week to meet and hear from owners of former racing greyhounds, and we met quite a few greyhounds as well, and to listen to their concerns about greyhound racing in Wales.

The greyhound racing track, the Valley, at Ystrad Mynach, has recently been sold with the intention to become a licensed Greyhound Board of Great Britain track. It is anticipated that the increase in the number of races will lead to a fourfold increase in the number of dogs racing and, therefore, needing homes when they are no longer needed by the industry. We know that welfare organisations are struggling at the moment to cope with the 100 or so greyhounds leaving the track each year at present, on top of those dogs that need rehoming. Minister, I wonder if you would consider halting the expansion of the Valley track until you have had a chance to consider our request to ban greyhound racing in Wales. Thank you. Diolch yn fawr iawn.

Thank you, and I'm sorry I was unable to join you on the steps of the Senedd last week, but thank you for arranging that event. As Jane Dodds and other Members know, the Petitions Committee currently has a live call to ban greyhound racing in Wales, and it's currently the intention of the Welsh Government to consider greyhound racing in Wales as part of a future licensing scheme, as set out in our five-year animal welfare plan for Wales. I was aware there was talk of change of ownership in the racetrack that you've just referred to, and obviously any future expansion of the track and its facilities would be subject to planning rules, which obviously I wouldn't be able to bring a halt to. But, in light of what Jane Dodds has just told me, I will certainly look at what we can do in relation to looking at greyhound racing as part of the future licensing scheme while I'm awaiting the Petitions Committee outcome as well.

Could I echo what Jane Dodds has said in thanking Members for their engagement on the issue of greyhound welfare, including the Minister as well on her engagement? It truly has been cross-party. Following on from Jane's question, if plans go ahead at the Valley track in Ystrad Mynach, the intensification of racing will lead to more greyhounds being injured or fatally injured. Whilst I welcome the annual welfare plan, I have also voiced my concerns around how thin on the ground the animal welfare plan is in relation to greyhound welfare. So, in light of the potential intensification—and I welcome what the Minister said just now in terms of the considerations Welsh Government will be taking—what other considerations on top of what the Government's considering at the moment are going to be made in relation to the animal welfare plan if intensification does happen in Wales? And finally, could I extend an invitation to the Minister and to any other Member who's interested to meet with Hope Rescue in the new year? As the Minister has already highlighted, there's currently a petition to ban greyhound racing before the Petitions Committee, and Hope Rescue are responsible for that petition.

Thank you. Yes, I'd be very happy to meet with them, probably after the Petitions Committee has heard and viewed their petition and it's come forward, if it does indeed come forward, to the Welsh Government for consideration. I think it would be more appropriate to meet them after that. You will have heard my answer to Jane Dodds; obviously, I heard further information that I was unaware of, from Jane, and I'd be very happy to look at what we can do.