Greyhound racers are secretly blooding their dogs with live bait as part of systemic and widespread cheating within the country's multimillion-dollar industry, according to explosive evidence uncovered by ABC's Four Corners program.
Animal welfare groups have called for the dismantling of the greyhound industry following the revelations of widespread cheating, illegal live baiting and archaic training methods.
ABC's Four Corners played snippets from hundreds of hours of secret surveillance footage showing live piglets, rabbits and possums being mauled and used as live bait to turn greyhounds into blood-thirsty winners with an illegal and unfair edge.
Some of the industry's most well-known trainers and owners including Reg Kay, Stuart Mills and Deborah Arnold, spoke on camera, saying live baiting was eliminated many years ago and the sport was 100 per cent clean.
However, secret cameras captured them participating in illegal live baiting.
Trainer John Thompson was captured instructing another man on how he should be smashing in a baby possum's head so the live-baiting of its mother could begin.
It is "the most horrific cruelty you would ever come across" said Hayley Cotton, an investigator with Animal Liberation Queensland, who secretly filmed the abuse.
The airing of the footage on Monday night followed Fairfax Media's report on Sunday that a parliamentary inquiry has been set up to scrutinise allegations of industry mismanagement, inappropriate distribution of TAB funds and widespread mistreatment of dogs in the $50 million-a-year greyhound racing industry in NSW.
Last year, Fairfax Media exposed allegations of race-fixing, drug use, money laundering and alleged criminal activity within the greyhound racing industry, despite reforms that had been aimed at cleaning up the sport.
Live baiting was criminalised decades ago because of its extreme cruelty and performance enhancing aspect. Instead, dogs chase a mechanical lure around the track.
Evidence of widespread cheating and illegal live baiting throws into question the validity of thousands of greyhound races and millions of dollars, Four Corners reported.
The program accused the sport's regulators of presenting an entirely different image of the sport; of glitz, glamour and animal welfare.
"I wouldn't believe anything that these people say when it comes to the welfare of their dogs," Ms Cotton said.
Earlier this month, allegations of live baiting prompted simultaneous raids by the RSPCA and police in three states which resulted in 22 people being suspended.
Animal Welfare League Australia has called for the industry to be dismantled.
Adam Wallish, chief executive of Greyhound Racing Victoria, released a statement on Monday night accusing the program of being unbalanced and saying it was a "small minority" involved in illegal practices.
The Victorian government on Monday night announced a "broad investigation" by Chief Veterinary Officer of Victoria Charles Milne into allegations of animal cruelty in the greyhound racing industry.
And Racing Integrity Commissioner Sal Perna will also conduct an investigation into "industry participants" with cooperation from Greyhound Racing Victoria.
The government will fund four additional greyhound welfare compliance and education officers and an extra full-time investigator in Greyhound Racing Victoria's investigations unit.
Racing Minister Martin Pakula said the government would work with Greyhound Racing Victoria and animal welfare groups to stamp out live-baiting.
"Live-baiting is barbaric, abhorrent and illegal – it has absolutely no place in Victoria's racing industry and it must be stopped," he said.
The announcement follows the suspension of registration of the Tooradin Trial Track and 10 people allegedly involved in live-baiting.
The Victorian government has committed $3 million to "beef up the inspectorate" of Greyhound Racing Victoria and their investigation capacity.
Mr Pakula said GRV had announced an end to the use of carcasses in training. He declined to say if he had faith in the integrity of GRV.
"I don't think today is the day for me to be expressing full confidence in GRV," he said. "I've been pleased with the way they have responded."
He said GRV had approached him about being able to carry inspections at any time of the day or night and without the authority of the property owner.
"The government is taking advice about that as we speak," he said.
The greyhound racing industry's annual awards night due to be held on Friday has been cancelled.
