Macau’s greyhounds face an uncertain future as the city’s only legal dog-racing course shuts down.

Words and photos by Chan Long Hei (陳朗熹)

Translation by Ya-mi Hsieh

This piece originally appeared in the Reporter in Traditional Chinese and is reprinted with permission of the photographer and publisher.

The Macau Canidrome’s 600 greyhounds have spent a lifetime chasing electrified rabbits for the pleasure of humans. As the only legal dog-racing stadium in Asia closes for good this year, what waits for these dogs beyond the finish line is not a life of rest and retirement, but an unpredictable future.

The Yat Yuen Canidrome Company opened in 1931 and was witness to one of the grandest eras in Macau’s gambling industry. But over the years, the number of gamblers and revenue at the Canidrome declined, giving rise to new casinos and a raised awareness about animal protection.