Statistics from Greyhound Racing Ireland show that in 2025, 344 greyhounds were injured and 197 were killed at races
Eight greyhounds were euthanised by track vets at Newbridge Greyhound Stadium in 2025.
Statistics from Greyhound Racing Ireland show that in 2025, 344 greyhounds were injured and 197 were killed at races.
The 197 deaths are the second highest since records began and just five less than last year’s record high of 202 deaths.
The injury and death data was obtained by Paul Murphy TD following a Dáil Question to the Minister for Agriculture and Kildare South TD, Martin Heydon.
The 191 greyhounds who were killed by vets had suffered injuries including: jugular vein wound, suspected spinal bleed, spinal injury, broken/fractured/dislocated hock, badly torn hamstring, torn tendons, broken calcaneus with bone protruding, broken elbow/wrist/humerus bone, fractured leg/shoulder/wrist/toes/
The eight euthanised in Newbridge suffered injuries including: compound fracture right humerus, fractured right hocks, compound fracture of left hock, and fractured right wrist.
Newbridge Greyhound Stadium was the track with the lowest number of where injuries occurred, however all injuries led to euthanasia.
Hence, Newbridge was the worst out of all greyhound tracks in the country, with 100 per cent of injured dogs killed in 2025.
The latest 2025 figures bring to 4,040 the number of greyhounds injured and 1,593 the number killed in racing at Irish tracks since 2014.
Fourteen greyhounds were recorded as having been injured in trials and sales events, according to Greyhound Racing Ireland.
Four were "euthanised following trials" and three other greyhounds "died on the track or shortly after a trial".
The four trial greyhounds who were euthanised were removed from Newbridge, Galway and Limerick tracks suffering from hock and leg injuries.
They were later euthanised by the owners' vets.
The three other greyhounds who died at trials were recorded as “racing fatality”.
They died at Shelbourne Park (broken neck), Dundalk track (cardiac failure) and Tralee track (acute cardiac failure).
"The deaths at tracks are only the tip of the iceberg. Many more are killed out of sight", said Greyhound Action Ireland.
Reacting to the 2025 figures, Greyhound Action Ireland spokesperson Nuala Donlon stated: "The latest track death and injury figures make a nonsense of the industry's claims that welfare is their primary concern". She described the public funding of the industry as "state-sponsored cruelty to animals" and renewed Greyhound Action lreland's call for "an immediate end to this funding."
At a Dáil Éireann debate in November 2025, Minister Heydon described the greyhound industry, along with the horse industry, as "important part of Ireland’s economy and cultural heritage. Both sectors help promote balanced economic growth across Ireland, as they provide significant economic and social benefit to rural communities. Their importance has been acknowledged by successive Governments, and they are supported through legislation and policy initiatives."
Budget 2026 saw €19.82m go to the greyhound industry, as part of the €79.3 million to Horse Racing Ireland.
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