5th February 2025
Valley Greyhound Stadium Open Letter: Licensed Greyhound Racing In Wales
We are writing on behalf of Valley Greyhound Stadium in Ystrad Mynach in Caerphilly, representing the community, businesses and families who rely upon the track as a cornerstone of licensed greyhound racing in Wales.
For almost fifty years the track has been providing opportunities for racegoers, local businesses and community groups to come together to celebrate and enjoy greyhound racing. In 2023 we secured a licence from the Greyhound Board of Great Britain, for which we have undertaken considerable and continued improvements both in terms of the facilities on offer and the standards we uphold. These improvements have allowed the Valley to be preserved as a community asset and cultural touchstone, while ensuring the highest standards of greyhound welfare.
The economic and community benefits extend across the local area and beyond, providing vital local employment opportunities, and the Stadium also acts as a strong social hub for local people of all ages. We regularly host family fun day events which see spectators of all ages able to interact with our much-loved greyhounds. We are also keen to progress our plans at the track to create a community hub, which will act as a facility to be used by local residents and groups and are looking forward to working with the local authority and appropriate teams on bringing this local benefit to fruition.
Given the ongoing consideration of the consultation around the licensing of animal activities, we are asking for your support to ensure the Welsh Government opts for regulation of the sport in Wales under the existing GBGB licensing model, as is the case in England and Scotland. This ensures racing greyhounds continue to benefit from far greater protections than the average pet dog. We want to ensure these high welfare standards are maintained and built upon – allowing for our track, and all of the community and economic benefits it delivers, to continue to flourish and remain a key part of Welsh industry and heritage. In the same vein as other activities involving animals, from dog walking to horseracing, we will continue to pursue the highest welfare standards and hope to work with all stakeholders, Government partners and agencies to further strengthen the work that we do.
We would be happy to introduce you to our colleagues, to our community members, and to those that work in and rely on the greyhound industry for their livelihoods, to enable you to have a full picture of the support that greyhound racing has in the South Wales Valleys. With a vocal minority disproportionately campaigning against our historic sport on outdated and inaccurate information, we feel it is of the utmost important that local voices are also given the appropriate recognition by policy makers.
We ask that you support us, and all of those who are involved in greyhound racing, by calling for a secure place for this historic and regulated sport in Wales.
On behalf of Valley Greyhounds Owners, Staff, Greyhound Trainers and Greyhound Owners.
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