Greyhound racing

The greyhound racing industry in the Northern Territory (NT) is regulated by the director of racing and wagering, as the racing control body for greyhound racing.

The director uses the NT Rules of Greyhound Racing PDF (158.0 KB) and the Greyhounds Australasia rules to:

• control, supervise and regulate greyhound racing
• develop policies and standards to protect:
  • animal welfare
  • the integrity of greyhound racing.

Find out how to register as a greyhound owner, trainer or attendant.

You can also read more about greyhound animal welfare, greyhound racing heat policy, fees and other applications.

You must be registered to own a greyhound for racing in the Northern Territory (NT).

If you want to own a greyhound, you can do this individually or as part of a syndicate. A syndicate means 2 or more members.

You don't need any formal training to be a greyhound owner, but you must be familiar with the following:

• Rules of Greyhound Racing
• Australian greyhound rules - go to the Greyhounds Australasia Rules website.

A greyhound owner registration is valid for up to 2 years.

To hold a registration, you may be subject to a fit and proper test. For more information, read the policy.

Fit and proper person test policy PDF (135.7 KB)
Fit and proper person test policy DOCX (78.6 KB)

Greyhound owner responsibilities

As a greyhound owner, you must:

• follow the directions of greyhound club officials and stewards at race meetings
• correctly handle greyhounds in public areas
• ensure anyone training or handling your greyhounds is registered as an owner, trainer or attendant.

Before you apply

When you apply, you must provide the following information:

• greyhound names, kennel address and trainer name
• names of people with an interest in your greyhounds
• previous racing disqualifications or other disciplinary actions
• previous fines or criminal history.

If you want to train your greyhound yourself, you must apply to become a non-public trainer.

How to apply or renew

To apply or renew, follow these steps:

Step 1. Fill in the relevant application:

• register as a greyhound owner:
  • apply to register as a greyhound owner PDF (178.7 KB)
  • apply to register as a greyhound owner DOCX (70.4 KB)
• register a greyhound syndicate:
  • apply to register or renew a greyhound syndicate PDF (156.8 KB)
  • apply to register or renew a greyhound syndicate. DOCX (73.2 KB).

Step 2. Check the application fee.

Step 3. Submit your application and pay the fee at a Territory Business Centre.

Owner registration outside the NT

Your NT greyhound owner licence may be recognised in other Australian states and territories.

If you have an interstate licence, contact Licensing NT to find out if it is recognised in the NT.

You must be registered to train greyhounds and charge a fee for your service in the Northern Territory (NT).

There are 2 types of trainer licences:

• public - for training greyhounds you don't own
• non-public (owner-trainer) - for training your own greyhounds as an individual or part of a syndicate.

Registration is valid for up to 2 years.

To hold a registration, you may be subject to a fit and proper test. For more information, read the fit and proper test policy.

Fit and proper test policy PDF (135.7 KB)
Fit and proper test policy DOCX (78.6 KB)

Before you apply

When you apply, you must:

• provide previous:
  • racing disqualifications or other disciplinary actions
  • fines or criminal history and
• have your kennels open for stewards to inspect them.

Public trainer registration

To apply for a public trainer licence, you must meet and provide the following for your application to be assessed:

• held a non-public trainer licence for 18 months
• sit and pass the written test
• provide a criminal history check
• provide bank statements, proof of employment/income to show financial viability
• provide and have in place appropriate greyhound retirement plans
• any other conditions set by the race control body or stewards.

Written test

If you're upgrading from a non-public trainer to a public trainer licence, you must sit and pass a written test.

The test is an open book test and is usually done at the Licensing NT's office.

To arrange to sit the test, email greyhoundracing@nt.gov.au or call 08 8999 1800.

How to apply or renew

To apply, follow the steps below.

After you apply

If you are issued with a registration, you must:

• follow the directions of greyhound club officials and stewards at race meetings
• correctly handle greyhounds in public areas
• ensure people assisting in greyhound training or handling is registered as an owner, trainer or attendant
• tell authorities the names of greyhounds housed in and removed from your kennels.

Trainer registration outside the NT

Your NT greyhound trainer licence may be recognised in other Australian states and territories.

If you have an interstate licence, contact Licensing NT to find out if it is recognised in the NT.

You must be registered to handle greyhounds during race meetings at greyhound tracks in the Northern Territory (NT).

You're not required to have any formal training to become a greyhound attendant. But you must demonstrate knowledge in the following handling procedures:

• kennel greyhounds at race meetings or trials
• parade greyhounds to starting boxes
• place greyhounds in starting boxes
• catch greyhounds at the end of a race.

A greyhound attendant registration is valid for up to 2 years.

To hold a registration, you may be subject to a fit and proper test. For more information, read the fit and proper test policy.

Fit and proper test policy PDF (135.7 KB)
Fit and proper test policy DOCX (78.6 KB)

Attendant age restrictions

You must be at least:

• 16 years old to handle dogs not owned by a parent or legal guardian
• 14 years old to handle dogs owned by a parent or legal guardian.

If you’re under 18, you must provide permission from your parent or guardian.

Before you apply

When you apply, you must provide previous:

• racing disqualifications or other disciplinary actions
• fines or criminal history.

How to apply or renew

To apply or renew, follow these steps:

Step 1. Fill in the application.

Register or renew as a greyhound attendant PDF (170.1 KB)
Register or renew as a greyhound attendant DOCX (68.9 KB)

Step 2. Check the fee.

Step 3. Submit your application and pay the fee at a Territory Business Centre.

Attendant registration outside the NT

Your NT greyhound attendant licence may be recognised in other Australian states and territories.

If you have an interstate licence, contact Licensing NT to find out if it is recognised in the NT.

The greyhound racing industry, its promoters and regulators are responsible for the welfare of racing greyhounds.

If you're a greyhound owner, you must take responsibility for your greyhound's welfare and make sure trainers and others follow welfare rules.

Greyhounds have the same rights as other animals, including:

• access to food and water
• safe and secure accommodation and living conditions
• prevention and treatment of disease or injury
• control of parasites
• freedom from fear and distress.

How to meet your requirements

To help you meet welfare requirements, the director of racing and wagering has created a policy.

The policy is for new and current greyhound owners, trainers and other people responsible for greyhounds.

It sets guidelines on topics like ownership, housing, training, breeding and retirement.

This policy also:

• specifies minimum requirements for housing, physical and behavioural needs, including those used for:
  • breeding and rearing
  • boarding and training
• helps appointed officials assess each individual and property where greyhounds are kept
• ensures industry participants show their duty of care for greyhounds.

To find out more, read the policy.

Policy for the welfare of racing greyhounds PDF (378.0 KB)
Policy for the welfare of racing greyhounds DOCX (118.0 KB)

Greyhound race meetings in the Northern Territory (NT) are cancelled in extreme weather conditions.

Racing stewards will announce any cancellation or reprogramming at scratching time.

Maximum allowed temperatures

Day and twilight meetings will be cancelled if the estimated daily maximum is over:

• 35 degrees Celsius, unless a vet is in attendance
• 40 degrees Celsius.

Racing stewards and a vet can determine if a night meeting should be cancelled.

Protecting animals

All of the following measures must apply to meetings that proceed in extreme weather conditions:

• kennels to be opened later
• greyhounds to spend minimum time outside
• parade greyhounds directly to starting boxes
• greyhounds to remain in kennel house for at least 30 minutes after their event
• adequate drinking facilities, including ice water for greyhounds.

You can find the following applications on this page:

• change kennels
• add a syndicate member
• remove a syndicate member
• race nomination
• take a greyhound overseas
• transfer a greyhound
• breeding.

Change kennels

If your greyhounds change kennels, you must inform Licensing NT. To do this, follow these steps:

Step 1. Fill in the change of kennels application.

Change of kennels application PDF (149.4 KB)
Change of kennels application DOCX (66.9 KB)

Step 2. Submit your application at a Territory Business Centre.

Add a syndicate member

To add a syndicate member, follow these steps:

Step 1. Fill in the add a greyhound syndicate member form.

Add a syndicate member form PDF (147.6 KB)
Add a syndicate member form DOCX (66.3 KB)

Step 2. Submit your form to greyhoundracing@nt.gov.au.

Remove a syndicate member

If a member ends their membership with your greyhound, you must:

• remove them as a syndicate member
• no longer share or participate in greyhound ownership for that syndicate.

To remove a member from a syndicate, follow these steps:

Step 1. Fill in the deletion of a greyhound syndicate member form.

Deletion of a greyhound syndicate member form  PDF (145.0 KB)
Deletion of a greyhound syndicate member form  DOCX (66.2 KB)

Step 2. Submit your form to greyhoundracing@nt.gov.au.

Race nomination

Before a race meeting, you must nominate each racing greyhound through the OzChase system. You can also email greyhoundracing@nt.gov.au or call 08 8999 1800.

Take a greyhound overseas

If you want to take your greyhound overseas, you must:

• meet Australian quarantine requirements
• apply for a greyhound passport.

To apply for a greyhound passport, go to the Greyhounds Australasia website.

Transfer greyhound ownership

To transfer greyhound ownership, you must follow the relevant process below.

Unnamed greyhounds

If you buy a greyhound before it's named, you must follow these steps:

Step 1. Fill in the form.

Authority to transfer unnamed greyhound PDF (145.2 KB)
Authority to transfer unnamed greyhound DOCX (66.7 KB)

Step 2. Submit your form to greyhoundracing@nt.gov.au.

Named greyhounds

If you buy a named greyhound from an owner, you must follow these steps:

Step 1. Fill in the form.

Authority to transfer named greyhound PDF (150.0 KB)
Authority to transfer named greyhound DOCX (67.7 KB)

Step 2. Submit your form at a Territory Business Centre.

Step 3. Pay the fee.

Breeding

Email greyhoundracing@nt.gov.au or call 08 8999 1800 for information, forms and processes on:

• authority for mating and register services or litters
• register a greyhound as a stud sire
• whelping notices
• register a greyhound litter
• register a greyhound name.

In the Northern Territory, you must pay a fee for greyhound racing relating to:

• applications
• renewals
• registrations
• transfers
• breeding.

You must pay these fees when you submit your forms at your nearest Territory Business Centre.

The below fees are based on NT revenue units.

Attendant registration fees

Owner registration fees

Trainer registration fees

Other fees

If you disagree with a decision handed to you by a greyhound racing steward or club official, you may be able to appeal the decision.

Depending on the nature of the decision, you can make an appeal to either the:

• Racing Appeals Tribunal (RAT)
• Darwin Greyhound Association (DGA).