The NSW government closing of the dog racing industry could be the thin end of the wedge where governments cave in to animal rights activist who have a clear long term agenda to close down all animal based industries such as farming.
Most Australians live in metropolitan areas and have only a cursory interaction with animals. Therefore, they also have a tendency to humanise animals, based on their limited experience which rarely extends beyond their pets. This makes it increasingly difficult for animal-based industries to win the necessary social license they require to operate.
Farmers more than any group in society know animals must be treated with kindness and will not accept any cruelty but the NSW government action on dogs is massive overreach on an industry that had some bad apples that needed pulling into gear.
"Lingchi" is the word given to the Chinese expression “death by a thousand cuts” and is the slow slicing away eventually achieving death.
My concern is if the government is not made reverse this decision it is the dog industry today, horse racing tomorrow, live exports and caged birds next week, running cattle and sheep in months to come.
I know that sounds alarmist but there is unrelenting pressure brought to bear on governments by animal rights activists and if they buckle on dogs that will allow the activists to ramp up the pressure on caged birds, live exports and feedlots.
Dog racing has always been the battlers form of entertainment and because it is relatively inexpensive.
It allowed people of average means to be involved and the industry employs thousands of people throughout NSW.
The industry has been going through a process to weed out the bad eggs and most industry players do not condone cruelty and say people doing so should be punished, but that does not mean closing the industry down.
The Baird government needs to come down out of their Macquarie Street bunker and get out into some regional areas and see this is a bloody stupid decision.
