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Two men have been charged in Australia with using kittens as live bait to train greyhounds, following allegations that piglets, rabbits and possums were also used in the sport.

The men, aged 26 and 62, are accused of strapping the animals to mechanical lures that dogs would chase as part of their training regime between August 2014 and May this year.

Greyhounds traditionally chase an artificial hare or rabbit.

Queensland police said the arrests were part of a joint investigation with the Royal Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) into live baiting and other instances of animal cruelty in the state.

"The joint Queensland Police Service and RSPCA task force continues to investigate allegations of live baiting within the greyhound racing industry," police said in a statement after the charges were laid late Tuesday.

"To date, 23 people have been arrested on 65 charges."

The animal cruelty charges follow a television expose in February which showed graphic footage of live piglets, rabbits and possums used as bait to train some of the country's most successful dogs.

It sparked raids across New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland that rocked the country's dog racing industry, which is one of the largest in the world.

Live baiting has been illegal for decades in Australia, where the maximum penalty for animal cruelty is two years in jail and a Aus$30,000 (US$23,000) fine.


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Nimble Wolf

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Did Australia ban hunting scents? We have fox urine in the house to keep rats at bay, but the actual purpose behind them lies in luring female foxes. Live baiting is archaic enough, but they were tightwads as well, apparently. Rabbit piss is just about the same as scent glands and such. I'm glad they were shut down. I don't approve of Dog racing in general, but at least be creative and LEGAL when you're training your money makers.

Snuggly Buddy

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Well, as long as they were not cussing at the kittens and piglets. smile

Yuki_Windira's Husband

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>kittens

Oh... by the time I get done with them, they'll be getting buried in jello molds.

Nyadriel's King

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JamesWN
>kittens

Oh... by the time I get done with them, they'll be getting buried in jello molds.


Jello molds? Don't waste those. (or do you mean something else? )

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