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Film on bid to ban greyhound racing in Scotland wins major animal welfare award
A film about a campaign to ban greyhound racing in Scotland has won an animal welfare award at a ceremony in London.
The Big Syn Film Fest is the largest sustainability film festival in the world and the short animation on racing in Scotland was declared the winner of its category.
The film from the Unbound the Greyhound coalition, which is comprised of nine animal welfare groups, picked up the award at gala awards ceremony at Curzon Soho in London.
A short snippet of the film will be shown on Europe’s biggest screen, London’s Piccadilly Lights, later this week on Thursday, November 14.
The short animation follows the life of Bob the greyhound, who has been rescued from the racing industry and compares it with fictional greyhound Bea, who remains in the racing industry.
Through the narration of Bob, the short film explores the welfare issues of dog racing and highlights the need for a phase out to dog racing.
OneKind collected the award on behalf of the coalition (Image: Handout) Eve Massie Bishop collected the award on behalf of OneKind, who are one of the members of a coalition that also includes All-Party Parliamentary Dog Advisory Welfare Group (APDAWG), Animal Concern, Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, GREY2K USA Worldwide, Hope Rescue, League Against Cruel Sports Scotland, Say No to Greyhound Racing in Scotland, and Scotland Against Greyhound Exploitation (SAGE).
And she said: "We are thrilled to receive this prestigious award for the coalition’s impactful short animation advocating for the end of dog racing in Scotland. Dog racing is on its last legs in Scotland, with only one remaining track and widespread public support for a ban on this cruel ‘sport’.
“Within less than a year of launching the coalition, MSP Mark Ruskell lodged a Bill to phase out greyhound racing in Scotland, that has received strong backing from both the public and MSPs. We look forward to supporting it as it progresses through Parliament."
Earlier this year, a bill was proposed by Green MSP Mark Ruskell to phase it out in Scotland it received the backing of other MSPs.
The Bill aims to make it an offence to permit greyhounds to compete in races at tracks in Scotland.
Data from 2023 showed 109 greyhounds died trackside in the United Kingdom, which was up from 2022 and a further 4,238 were injured last year.
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Speaking at the time, the MSP said: “I am delighted to have received the backing of MSPs from across the political spectrum, and will be pushing ahead with my Member’s Bill.
“I hope that the Scottish Parliament will unite behind my proposed legislation and take the chance to act and to save the lives and limbs of countless greyhounds in future.
“My Bill aims to protect greyhounds from the many risks that come from being forced to race around tracks at high speed.
“With industry figures showing that the death rate is going up across the UK, it’s time to take action.
“Public opinion is on our side, and I am heartened by the support that my Bill has received so far.
“I urge racecourse owners and the wider industry to listen hard and to stand up for Scotland’s greyhounds by putting paws before profit and ending the races for good.
“You can tell a lot about a society from how it treats voiceless animals. I believe that we are a nation of dog lovers, and that is why we need to ensure they are protected.
“The writing is on the wall for greyhound racing in Scotland, it’s time for us to put the wellbeing of these wonderful dogs ahead of gambling company profits.”
The Big Syn International Film Festival reaches more than 50 million people in 120 countries and inspires them to act on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as well as making positive changes for the environment, society and economy
A grand jury comprised of Oscar, Bafta and Emmy award-winners and leaders from sustainability, business, media and policy such selected the winners from over 500 films and more than 300 charity films.
The founders of the festival, Dr Ragini G Roy and Dr Sourav Roy said: "It is humbling to see how the festival has evolved to become a global movement and we as advocates of sustainability, call upon global citizens to be inspired from these films of change and hope, to combat major issues such climate change, inequality, discrimination, poverty and many more, to secure their very own future and those of their loved ones."
The organiser of the festival, Big Syn Institute, is a part of the Centre for Big Synergy, a CSO of the United Nations Department of the Social and Economic Affairs (UN DESA), tasked to create a thriving, capable and responsible future for us and generations to come.
