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Greyhounds ‘shot’ before exposé

The bodies of 55 greyhounds along with bullet casings have been found in Queensland, the RSPCA has reported.

Queensland RSPCA spokesman Michael Beatty said the carcasses appeared to have been decomposing in bushland near Bundaberg for some time.

“It appears as though the bodies was so badly decomposed they would’ve been dumped prior to the Four Corners episode going to air,” Mr Beatty said.

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The episode aired in mid-February sparked widespread outrage after revealing the use of live piglets, possums and other small animals to train competitive race dogs.

In Queensland, it sparked the establishment of a joint police and RSPCA taskforce to investigate the extent of the practice.

A total of 36 trainers have been suspended over the scandal, with six now issued with life bans from dog racing.

The investigation is being conducted as part of the Joint Greyhound Racing Inquiry Task Force.

Meanwhile, investigations are ongoing into how the 55-odd carcasses found on Tuesday came to be there.

“There’s no obvious cause of death at this time,” Mr Beatty said.

He speculated the dogs could have been industry “wastage” and said autopsies still need to be completed.

Queensland Police Minister Jo-Ann Miller said the news was deeply distressing.

“This animal cruelty is totally sickening and I want to make it clear that it won’t be tolerated in Queensland,” she said.

“The police have been working closely with the RSPCA … and we support the police and the RSPCA 100 per cent in their effort.”

Mr Beatty said the incident also highlighted the importance of re-homing competitive greyhounds.

The animals usually have a relaxed, amicable temperament, but the process of rehoming can be thwarted if the dogs have been trained using live bait, making them likely to attack any small, fluffy animals.

– with AAP

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