Bills/Greyhound Racing (Offences) (Scotland) Bill

SP Bill 65

Greyhound Racing (Offences) (Scotland) Bill

Full BillStage 3
Type: Member's
Mark

Scottish Green Party

# Greyhound Racing (Offences) (Scotland) Bill Greyhound racing in Scotland had become the subject of animal welfare concerns, with animal rights campaigners highlighting the injuries, deaths, and poor conditions experienced by racing dogs. Despite a broader trend towards banning or restricting the sport across the UK and internationally, Scotland lacked specific legislation making it an offence to operate greyhound racing activities. This legislative gap meant there were limited legal tools available to prevent or penalise the continuation of greyhound racing operations on Scottish soil. The bill sought to create a series of criminal offences related to greyhound racing, making it illegal to operate a greyhound racing track, permit greyhound racing to take place, or participate in the organisation of such events. The proposals would establish penalties for breaches, thereby providing enforcement mechanisms to effectively prohibit the sport. As a Member's Bill, this represented a private member's attempt to address animal welfare concerns through direct legislative prohibition rather than relying on existing general animal protection laws.

AI-generated summary

Parliamentary Progress

Introduced

23 April 2025

Stage 1

29 January 2026

Stage 2

18 February 2026

Stage 3

18 March 2026

Debate

Register to request a debate.
View on parliament.scot

Data sourced from parliament.scot

Greyhound Racing (Offences) (Scotland) Bill — Scottish Parliament | debate.report