OXFORD Stadium has defended its safety record after a greyhound had to be put down following a race.

The stadium’s general manager spoke to the Oxford Mail after an animal rights organisation called for the dog track to be closed, following the death of a greyhound two weeks ago.

Three-year-old Kilkeedy Blue suffered a broken hock joint and had to be put down following a collision with another dog at a race meeting on Saturday, January 3.

Manager Maureen Ridley said: “We were all very upset following the death of Kilkeedy Blue, but I want to reiterate it is a very rare occurrence. Like all sports, there is a level of risk involved.

“Incidents like these do not happen very often and when it does it saddens everybody.

“We take the dogs’ safety very seriously. We have a team of people dedicated to ensuring their welfare, including a vet who checks them before they go out to race, and when they return.

“We do everything we can to ensure conditions are as safe as possible.”

Ms Ridley added: “Thousands of people come here and have a great evening.

“These incidents are incredibly saddening for everybody, but do not reflect on the sport as a whole.”

Neither the stadium nor the sports governing body – the Greyhound Board of Great Britain – was able to confirm how many dogs had to be put down last year.

Tony Peters, the coordinator of Greyhound Action, a pressure group which says it wants to end the "inherent cruelty" of greyhound racing, said the death of Kilkeedy Blue was the latest in a string of fatal injuries at the track – a claim denied by Ms Ridley.

He said: “We were contacted by an official who has become increasingly concerned about the welfare of racing greyhounds. He told us that four of the six greyhounds collided with each other on the first bend, causing two of them to fall. Tragically, Kilkeedy Blue, sustained a badly broken hock and a decision was made to put the dog down.

“This horrific incident has caused us to renew our call for an end to greyhound racing at Oxford Stadium.”

Mr Peters claimed greyhound racing posed a number of dangers to dogs.

He said: “Thousands of injuries to greyhounds, many of them serious, occur every year in Britain. The shape of the tracks, with fast straights leading into tight bends, creates a very dangerous environment for dogs to run in.”

Greyhound Board spokes-man James McCreadie said: “There is a continuing downward trend in injuries, which goes hand in hand with the investment in track safety on courses across the country.”

dhearn@oxfordmail.co.uk