Two prominent veterinary groups have expressed caution about a potential ban on greyhound racing in Wales, despite a consultation indicating significant public support.

Some welfare organisations have also cast doubts about the idea, with one warning the measure would be “premature” without a licensing system being tried first.

But campaigners against the sport have criticised the Welsh Government after it indicated it would not set out plans to address the findings until well into the new year.

More than 1,000 responses were submitted to questions about the sport’s future as part of a broader consultation on animal welfare issues, which opened late last year.

A summary of the findings released on 18 December showed nearly 65% of all respondents were in favour of a phased ban, with a little more than a quarter against.

A substantial portion of the supportive responses were also said to include a response “mirroring” the comment of the League Against Cruel Sports.

Joint submission

But a joint submission from the BVA and BSAVA, quoted in the summary report, raised concerns about the potential for “negative impacts on animal welfare if existing greyhounds are suddenly retired”.

They continued: “Any ban should be accompanied by a robust transition process that ensures the welfare of existing animals.

“In particular, animals must not continue to be disposed to suboptimal conditions, which would further compromise their welfare.”

Meanwhile, The Kennel Club argued it would be “premature” to impose a ban without offering an opportunity for the sport to be regulated and operated to appropriate standards.

Battersea Dogs and Cats Home warned it was “hard for anyone to say with certainty whether a regulatory framework would work”, but noted it was “conventional” for bans to follow the failure of such regimes.

A little more than half (55.5%) of consultation respondents also backed the idea of owners, keepers and trainers of racing dogs needing to be licensed.

But opponents of such a regime include the Cut the Chase coalition of animal charities, which claimed a ban was “the only option” to protect welfare.

‘Measured approach’

The coalition said: “Any delay through exploring intermediary measures to regulate aspects of the industry will prolong the suffering of racing greyhounds in Wales when the most effective action would be to remove the inherent risks of the industry itself.”

It later said it was “disappointed” after a written statement from the deputy first minister, Huw Irranca-Davies, indicated an update on next steps would only be provided in the spring.

But the sport’s governing body, the Greyhound Board of Great Britain, said the process had shown the scale of support for “effective and proportionate” regulation.

Chief executive Mark Bird added: “We are pleased that the Government continues to prioritise a fully comprehensive, evidence-based and measured approach to optimising welfare.”

Meanwhile, the board’s concerns about funding for welfare work, which are the subject on an ongoing campaign, were highlighted in a submission by the Association of Greyhound Track Vets.

The group warned that trainers were under “huge financial pressures” and prize money had not kept pace with increased welfare costs.