Nearly 350 retiring greyhounds were killed last year because a suitable home could not be found for them, or because the costs of treating them were deemed too high, The Telegraph can reveal.

Retirement figures compiled by greyhound racing’s governing body show that in total more than 1,000 retiring greyhounds either died or were put to sleep last year, with 257 killed trackside on “humane grounds”.

Battersea Dogs and Cats home, which took in 139 greyhounds in 2017, has said it is “concerned” by the number of dogs that have been killed trackside, and called for “immediate, demonstrable action”.

The data has been released for the first time by the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB), which has launched a new commitment to putting animal welfare “at the heart” of the sport.

The move follows recommendations from the government for the sport to be more transparent with figures regarding retirement, injuries and euthanasia.