Horrific. The cruel, secret underbelly of the greyhound racing industry has been exposed.

Live piglets, rabbits and possums tied to mechanical lures and doomed to torturous death: This is the horrific reality of the greyhound racing industry to Australia.

A Four Corners report on Monday night aired footage showing live piglets, possums and rabbits being fixed to mechanical lures before being chased and mauled to death by dogs during training sessions.

Live baiting has been banned and criminalised for decades, but trainers and owners across the country have been using the illegal training method in the belief that it will improve a dog’s performance.

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The State Government has appointed the state’s chief veterinary officer to undertake a broad investigation into the industry, while the state’s racing integrity commissioner will carry out an independent probe.

Racing Minister Martin Pakula said the Government would also spend $3 million beefing up Greyhound Racing Victoria’s (GRV) animal welfare and integrity measures.

The RSPCA, in conjunction with police in NSW, Victoria and Queensland raided five properties on Wednesday last week after the Four Corners program, in conjunction with Animals Australia and Animal Liberation Queensland, confidentially handed over the results of its investigation into the sport to the state-based RSPCAs more than a fortnight ago.

“What we’ve seen on that footage [Monday] night is nothing short of disgraceful,” he said.

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Mr Coleman said the illegal practice was viewed in some greyhound circles as a legitimate training tactic.

He said the trainers involved had been suspended and prosecutions were likely, but the illegal activity happened because the industry was not adequately regulated.

“These are innocent, defenceless animals to be used, to be mauled, to be mutilated in effect,” he said.

“It’s a shocking way to die. These animals feel pain.”

He said the greyhound industry’s self-regulation model was part of the problem.

“There is a clear conflict. Let’s be very clear, what we’re talking about here is winning money,” he said.

Hunter Valley greyhound trainer Bob Whitelaw said he feared for the future of the industry, in the wake of the publicity.

“It’s really going to rock the industry right across the whole country, there’s no doubt about that,” Mr Whitelaw said.

“The ramifications could be very costly to a lot of people who’ve been honest and played the game as it should be, are going to lose, that’s for sure.”

Greyhound Racing NSW announce taskforce to investigate

Greyhound Racing New South Wales announced a taskforce to investigate the extent of live baiting.

Chief executive Brent Hogan said he found the images “shocking” and “horrific” but said his organisation needed greater powers to stamp it out.

“What we need to look at is the powers around surveillance and inspection and we need to make sure that those powers are sufficient to allow us to weed out activities of the type that you saw last night,” he said.

“Clearly these people have no place in greyhound racing at all.”

Mr Pakula ordered the cancellation of an awards night in the industry following the revelations.

“I’ve instructed GRV to cancel the greyhound industry award nights this Friday,” Mr Pakula said.

“There is no time for celebration at the moment.

“GRV has to get its house in order because what was seen [Monday] night was absolutely abhorrent and it won’t be tolerated.”

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Greens MP John Kaye said Greyhound Racing NSW either could not or would not stamp out animal cruelty.

“For too long, Greyhound Racing New South Wales has got away with saying there’s no problem in our industry, when indeed they were told by the Upper House inquiry there was,” Mr Kaye said.

“There’s evidence there was and they ignored it.

“That’s simply because they didn’t want to disturb the commercial outcomes in the industry.”

Mr Kaye said Greyhound Racing New South Wales had failed in its responsibilities and called on the New South Wales Government to break it up.

“Now, after they have been exposed by Four Corners, they are finally saying they will do something,” he said.

“I’m sorry, it’s too little too late. Greyhound Racing NSW needs to be cut in two.

“There needs to be a separate regulatory body from the commercial functions.”

Racing Qld working to stamp out ‘abhorrent’ practice

The head of Racing Queensland, Kevin Dixon, said the industry was working with authorities to stamp out the a practice that he also described as “abhorrent”.

“We’ve said we’re going to really beef up the activity that we can with those other organisations,” he said.

“We’re going to put a lot of money into it because investigation, research and surveillance needs money.

“We’re prepared to spend the money and we’re urged to do that by the people in the greyhound industry who want to see us get on top of this problem.”

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Mark Townend from RSPCA Queensland said live baiting was more widespread than a few rogue trainers, and industry standards must be raised.

“I’m concerned that where there is a self-regulation body, where they actually said they were doing their job, well they’re obviously not,” Mr Townend said.

“I can tell you now, they’re on notice because if you’re doing this cruel activity, we’ll be out to catch you.

“We’ll be taking you to court and prosecuting you, because we’re disgusted that this is actually happening at the level that it appears to have happened.”

This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared on ABC and has been republished with full permission.