The Wagga greyhound racing industry is in a state of shock after the NSW Government moved to ban the sport on Thursday.
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Premier Mike Baird announced as of July next year greyhound racing would cease after consideration into an 800-page report tabled by a Special Commission into "widespread cruelty" in the industry.
Wagga racing manager John Patton said the decision was a surprise to all involved.
“We are very upset,” Patton said. "People rely on this industry and we are very upset that this decision has been made.
“We are devastated for the participants, owners and anyone employed within the industry.”
Patton said the club itself employed 17 people on race nights, two in a full-time capacity.
The club was supposed to race on Friday but hours after the announcement Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW) moved to suspend racing for the next seven days, beginning with immediate effect.
The shock decision comes just months after Patton was brought into the role, weeks after more than $200,000 in track upgrades were announced and days after committing a new major sponsor to a three-year deal.
Friday’s meeting was supposed to be Wagga’s last until September, due to the track upgrade, however Patton said everything was now “up in the air”.
“Until we get some clarification from GRNSW, which we haven’t yet, we don’t know what direction we are going to go,” Patton said.
“At this stage we just don’t know.”
