GBGB has announced today that greyhound owners will be permitted to visit their trainers’ residential kennels from the 26th July 2020.
Any kennel visit must follow the guidelines published by the GBGB today to safeguard the safety of owners, trainers and kennel staff. Any visits must be by appointment only and all social distancing and hygiene protocols adhered to.
A copy of the guidelines will be sent to all licenced trainers via email and it can be viewed online here.
Paul Illingworth, GBGB Senior Stipendiary Steward, said:
“Owners have remained incredibly patient over this period and we know that many are eager to visit greyhounds in person. We are pleased therefore to be able to announce the resumption of kennel visits from the 26th July, on the basis that owners and kennel staff follow the protocols published today.
“These guidelines closely follow those developed by the Canine and Feline Sector Group for pet business handover and will mean, if properly implemented, that visitors to the kennels, as well as kennel staff, can remain safe. These guidelines will be the ‘new normal’ for kennel visits for the time being but will, like all aspects of our COVID response, be under review.
“We know that there may be some kennels that wish to remain closed to visits at this stage if, for example, they have employees in a higher-risk category. For those who do want to welcome owners back, we hope that these guidelines provide a clear structure for doing so safely.”
Mark Burridge, greyhound owner and Greyhound Ambassador, said:
“I am delighted that owners can now come and visit their dogs which will mean so much to owners up and down the country. From my conversations with other owners as well as with the Greyhound Ambassadors over the past months, I know how just how much they have missed these visits and I am very pleased that this announcement by the GBGB today brings us one step closer to normality.”
The latest version of GBGB’s COVID-19 Operational Policy (as of 20th July) can be viewed here.
