Queensland overhauls greyhound racing Published duration 2 June 2015

image copyright Getty Images image caption Greyhounds are treated cruelly or euthanised if they lose too many races

Queensland greyhound racing boards will be abolished and the industry's top executive stood aside, in the wake of a damning report on animal cruelty.

Announcing the overhaul, state Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the report's "shocking detail" could not be ignored.

The report found widespread over-breeding, unnecessary euthanasia and cruelty to the dogs.

It also said it was likely that the use of live animals to bait racing dogs was widespread in Australia.

Ms Palaszczuk told parliament on Tuesday that the government would work immediately to "clean up" the state's greyhound racing industry.

image copyright Getty Images image caption Ms Palaszczuk said she was disturbed by the high "wastage" of greyhound pups and racing dogs

"This industry has dismally failed those animals it relies on for considerable profit," she said.

Among the most concerning information in the report by Alan MacSporran, QC, she said, was that between 2003 and 2013 about 30% of the 24,231 pups bred for racing were not named or registered with Racing Queensland, which implied they had been killed.

Racing Queensland Chief Executive Officer Darren Condon has been stood aside on full pay and given five days to explain why he should not be sacked. Neither Racing Queensland nor Mr Condon have yet responded to the government's overhaul.

Disturbing footage

The MacSporran report also found that many animals were treated cruelly or killed if they lost too many races.

In April, 55 greyhound carcasses were found dumped in a wildflower reserve on the coast of Queensland.

Police and animal authorities investigated the find as part of a joint taskforce established by the state government following an expose by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) in February into the practice of "live baiting" within the racing industry nationwide.

The ABC broadcast contained disturbing footage of greyhounds chasing live pigs, possums and rabbits around tracks.

Three other Australian states - NSW, Victoria and Tasmania - have also launched inquiries into greyhound racing.

'Barbaric' treatment

Announcing his report on Monday, Mr MacSporran said the industry had failed systematically to assess and manage how animals were treated by trainers and racers.

He said the fact trainers had not hidden the "barbaric" treatment of animals "tells its own story".

image copyright Getty Images image caption NSW, Victoria and Tasmania are also investigating allegations for greyhound cruelty

The report said members of the public were reluctant to tell authorities about the animal cruelty they had witnessed, "and as such, very few members of the industry are implicated".

The government has accepted the report's recommendation to establish an Integrity Commission that would, among other things, oversee appropriate treatment of the animals.

A separate entity would manage racing's commercial aspects.

Queensland All Codes Racing Industry Board Chairman Kevin Dixon said on Monday Racing Queensland fully supported that recommendation.