Plans to install a greyhound statue on Cricketer's Way have sparked debate over whether it should commemorate Westhoughton’s racing history or acknowledge the cruelty many dogs suffered.
The proposed artwork, part of a trio of public sculptures near Sainsbury's celebrating the town’s heritage, would feature a greyhound, a cow and a cricket bat. But some councillors said the greyhound risked glorifying a cruel industry rather than remembering its victims.
Councillor Alison Jackson, who represents Hart Common, where the town's greyhound racing track used to be located, told the meeting: "Personally, I'm concerned that these monuments are supposed to represent the history of Westhoughton. One of them is the greyhound, presumably referencing greyhound racing in Westhoughton. I think there's quite a negative history to that and a lot of cruelty, so I wonder why that’s a positive."
She added: "Going back in history, there’s been a lot of cruelty to animals, but you wouldn’t necessarily depict it as something you’d want to remember."
The three statues are being paid for by the developers of the Sainsbury's supermarket, formerly the cricket club, and the Hewlett Way residential area in Hart Common.