Official data from Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) also shows that across the UK, during the same period, there were 3,153 greyhound deaths and 18,345 recorded injuries.
Animal welfare campaigners have described the statistics as “appalling” and accused greyhound racing’s governing body, GBGB, of failing to keep promises to reduce injuries and deaths. They are calling for greyhound racing to be banned.
The GBGB said that “greyhound racing upholds the very highest standards of welfare”.
The figures were obtained by the Scottish Parliament’s cross-party committee for animal welfare.
Say No to Greyhound Racing in Scotland, said: “Despite GBGB’s promise to drive down injuries within five years, we see an increase in injuries for the last three years and despite Shawfield stadium racing one night a week for most of 2019 and 2020 compared to other tracks racing several times a week, the injuries for those years were higher than the national figure.
“Greyhound racing should be banned in Scotland now to prevent Shawfield from re-opening and so eliminating the prospect of the cruelty of greyhound racing for once and for all,” the campaign group added.
Eve Massie of OneKind, an animal welfare organisation based in Edinburgh, said: “The industry has clearly demonstrated that it has neither the willingness nor ability to self-regulate. The decline of racing in Scotland also demonstrates a lack of public support for this practice. It is time to put an end to this cruel and outdated industry in Scotland.”
Mark Ruskell MSP, Scottish Greens environment spokesperson, said: “The terrible treatment of greyhounds by the racing industry is nothing new, but it is increasingly concerning. I don’t believe there is any justification for continuing to allow greyhound racing in Scotland when the treatment of racing dogs is so consistently awful.”