Thousands of greyhounds are being slaughtered every year because they are not fast enough to race, according to a report by MPs and peers.

Dogs going missing after retiring or failing to make it to the racetracks in the first place number at least 4,700 annually, with most apparently killed out of hand, it claims. About 8,000 others are found new homes.

The report, published this week by the Associate Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare (APGAW) a cross-party group of MPs and peers, states that even that figure could be a “significant underestimation” of the number of dogs killed.

The inquiry into greyhound euthanasia began after The Sunday Times revealed last July that one man had acted as executioner for the industry for years, single-handedly killing an estimated 10,000 dogs.

David Smith, a builders’ merchant from Seaham, Co Durham, was caught on film killing healthy young greyhounds that were no longer performing well enough in races. He buried them in his garden with a mechanical digger.

APGAW, which refers to the article as a “watershed for the sport”, says there “may well be other dog disposal operations in existence that are yet to be uncovered” and recommends a raft of measures to prevent future mass killing.

It says that the government should make it illegal for anyone other than a vet to put down greyhounds and calls for a reorganisation of the sport’s governing bodies so as to incorporate animal welfare groups.

The report also says that there should be fewer races to allow the dogs to rest more often and have a longer racing life. More money needs to be found from bookmakers to pay for the rehoming of dogs after their careers are over, it says.

Ben Bradshaw, the animal welfare minister, who is considering secondary legislation on greyhound welfare on the back of the new Animal Welfare Act, welcomed the report. “I intend to use powers provided in the new act to ensure that there is much better policing of welfare within the industry,” he said.

The RSPCA said: “There is a rising tide of public unease about this issue, and it’s high time the industry sorted it out.”

Lord Lipsey, chairman of the British Greyhound Racing Board, which represents registered racetracks, said that great strides were being made to fund greyhound rehoming and welfare provision. But he said he would oppose attempts to include animal welfare groups in the running of the sport.

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