OXFORD Stadium’s managing director has hit out after the Welsh Parliament discussed banning greyhound racing in the country.

A petition submitted to the Senedd by dog charity Hope Rescue collected a total of 35,101 signatures prior to being debated on Wednesday.

Some of the comments though irked Oxford Stadium chief Kevin Boothby, who reintroduced greyhound racing to Sandy Lane in September after a near 10-year absence.

He said: “We were appalled by the comments of some Senedd members during Wednesday’s debate.

“To us, the extraordinary allegations, misinformation and outright lies presented to Welsh Parliament clearly demonstrates how out of touch and uneducated some campaigners attempting to ban greyhound racing are with our sport.

“Presenting unjustified claims as facts against greyhound racing must stop now and we will be writing to Senedd members demanding evidence of any kind to be published to validate comments.

READ MORE: Craig Short throws hat into ring for Oxford United job

“We are especially confused by the position of Senedd members against greyhound racing who remain in support of other animal-based sports, including horse racing.

“The greyhound is the most accountable breed of any animal in the world and our sport has never had it better regarding welfare, transparency and rehoming.

“We strongly encourage members of the public who are at all concerned about any aspect of welfare at any stage of a racing greyhound’s life to visit Oxford Stadium where they can see first-hand how greyhound racing operates in its new era.”

Plaid Cymru member Luke Fletcher said during the debate: “As was noted by the committee chair, greyhound racing is not regulated here in Wales, so naturally, for some, this argument should begin and end with the regulation of the sport.

“But we only need to look over the border to see what regulation looks like. Regulation doesn’t resolve the issue that is at the heart of the industry, and we can’t safeguard dogs from the inherent risk of racing.”

Joel James, of the Welsh Conservative Party, added: “What concerns me is that, if there was an outright ban, this doesn’t automatically improve the welfare of greyhounds.

“In fact, there’s an argument that it doesn’t improve greyhound welfare at all. All those owners or breeders who commit animal abuse, or have poor welfare standards for their animals, will simply no longer be visible and will go underground.”