Free the Hounds president Melissa Harrison said three greyhound deaths in eight days was unprecedented in the years she had been following the sport.

“Minister Buti needs to look at what’s going on at these tracks and why it’s occurring. We know there’s upgrades happening, but they haven’t been done properly if Northam is anything to go by.”

The Northam racetrack, which closed in 2019 because of the pandemic and for upgrades and maintenance, had a major incident on the first day of returned racing last Monday when winning dog Zipping Jade had to be euthanised after sustaining considerable injuries from colliding with a catching pen.

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