Words Fail Me

[Mark Roberts]

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I know several lads in Ireland who own/breed/race greyhounds and they would be apaulled at such acts of cruelty.

there is no excuse for actions like this and they can't even use the excuse that they can't afford to have them put to sleep as it only cost £5 to have a dog PTS in Ireland (I beleave that they can have it done at most abatiors for £5)

 

[nina]

Nina

Not sure but I think that in Ireland where this attrocity happened that you can get a max of 2 years for cruelty.

Hope they can catch them.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

Me too & i hope they throw away the key.

What gets me is, if this whole thing was done just for the sport because the dogs enjoyed it & the owners loved watching their dogs enjoy themselves & the pure sportmanship of it like with whippet racing where all the owners i have met genuinley care about their dogs & just love seeing them enjoy themselves BUT when their racing days are over they live a happy life as a pet with them and surplus pups born in a litter that aren't going to make good racing material are found good pet homes, i would have no problem with this at all.

BUT this is a whole different kettle of fish, it's mainly NOT about the dogs enjoyment as some are even forced to race with injuries or the delight of the owners watching their dogs race on the whole it is about one thing & one thing only FINANCIAL GAIN.

What i would like to see is a ban on all organised Greyhound Racing where money was involved & betting takes place, for it to be made illegal for money to change hands in anyway, totally wiped out.

Then the genuine people who love their dogs could do as the whippet people do race them purely for fun & the sheer enjoyment of the sport & the dogs.

I know its never gonna happen, but think about it, the other breeds that are raced for fun & enjoyment such as Affies, Saluki's, Lurchers, whippets etc how often do you hear in comparison of any of these breeds of dogs being found dead shot through the head with a bolt gun or their ears hacked off, or throats cuts? Yet the dogs & their owners still enjoy the sport.

Nina

 

[~elizabeth~]

Yet the dogs & their owners still enjoy the sport.

Trouble is, it's not just a sport, it's an industry; where financial gain is a motivating factor you will always attract unscrupulous people.

Poor dog, makes me sick too, words can't express...

 

[Janimal]

:rant: :rant: Ashamed these people are part of our human race..... :rant:

and for the dogs in these links :huggles: :huggles: :huggles: and hope they never loose faith in some of us anyway.

 

[kris]

nina i agree with everything you say,especially about racing with greys not being a hobby like it is with whippys,it is an industry and one that needs far better regulation than it gets at the moment.i too would like to see gereyhound racing for financial gain stopped but tbh i dont think it ever will.i do know this much,if such horror stories carry on like this something will be done to stop it either by this government or someone else who will campaign to stop it.if the grey regulatory body doesnt get their house in order someone else will do it for them.

 

[nina]

nina i agree with everything you say,especially about racing with greys not being a hobby like it is with whippys,it is an industry and one that needs far better regulation than it gets at the moment.i too would like to see gereyhound racing for financial gain stopped but tbh i dont think it ever will.i do know this much,if such horror stories carry on like this something will be done to stop it either by this government or someone else who will campaign to stop it.if the grey regulatory body doesnt get their house in order someone else will do it for them.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

Unfortunately Kris you are spot on its an Industry for financial gain only!

I'm not against anything that dog & owner can both enjoy whether it's racing, coursing, showing whatever BUT the dogs welfare is the main priority.

I dont beleive it is right to make financial gain on an animal whatever the situation albeit racing, puppy farming it is TOTALLY WRONG. These animals can not speak for themselves & have to just put up with whatever these people throw at them

It makes me sick to be honest the way so much of it is swept under the carpet & you see these ads to "come & enjoy a wonderful evening Greyhound racing, it's cheap, exciting, you can have a nice meal"

I wonder how it would go down if posters of this poor mite with his ears hacked off were posted all around these venues so that Joe public sitting having his nice evening out could see what befalls these poor creatures that he is having a whale of a night betting on, after their racing is over??

I'm sure there are those that are in it for the money who obviously really dont care either way BUT a lot of naive people who are totally ignorant to these facts & genuinely beleive these dogs are loved & looked after need to have their eyes opened big time!!

Nina

 

[mazza]

nina i agree with everything you say,especially about racing with greys not being a hobby like it is with whippys,it is an industry and one that needs far better regulation than it gets at the moment.i too would like to see gereyhound racing for financial gain stopped but tbh i dont think it ever will.i do know this much,if such horror stories carry on like this something will be done to stop it either by this government or someone else who will campaign to stop it.if the grey regulatory body doesnt get their house in order someone else will do it for them.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

Unfortunately Kris you are spot on its an Industry for financial gain only!

I'm not against anything that dog & owner can both enjoy whether it's racing, coursing, showing whatever BUT the dogs welfare is the main priority.

I dont beleive it is right to make financial gain on an animal whatever the situation albeit racing, puppy farming it is TOTALLY WRONG. These animals can not speak for themselves & have to just put up with whatever these people throw at them

It makes me sick to be honest the way so much of it is swept under the carpet & you see these ads to "come & enjoy a wonderful evening Greyhound racing, it's cheap, exciting, you can have a nice meal"

I wonder how it would go down if posters of this poor mite with his ears hacked off were posted all around these venues so that Joe public sitting having his nice evening out could see what befalls these poor creatures that he is having a whale of a night betting on, after their racing is over??

I'm sure there are those that are in it for the money who obviously really dont care either way BUT a lot of naive people who are totally ignorant to these facts & genuinely beleive these dogs are loved & looked after need to have their eyes opened big time!!

Nina

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

Your so right,

the general public need to be made aware of the cruelty that goes on within this industry, after all it's them who fund it.

I think most people are completely oblivious to the real world of greyhound racing.

Like you say going to the races and having a few drinks and a meal sounds a good night out and is very popular. Those people who go have no idea that lots of those dogs will suffer abuse.

Brilliant idea to put posters up of that poor grey with hacked off ears, that would really hit home. If people knew the truth about racing then maybe they would have second thoughts about supporting it.

This cruel industry has been abusing greyhounds for long enough, it's about time people knew whats going on. :rant:

 

[kris]

i have been racing a couple of times with my daughter jac (wild whippies)and its so obvious from the dogs i see at the track and the folk who own them that their dogs come first and they are the owners first priority.and you can see that the dogs love racing they really enjoy it!these dogs get the best of everything and they are mostly much loved pets first and racing whippys second.i know from my daughters dogs that they get lots of lovely walks,are fed the best of food,get the best of vetinary treatment and are loved to bits.nothing is too good for them.and then i see pictures like this of this poor greyhound and ill never forget the pics i saw of poor rusty and his awful story that was featured on here a while ago.i still have sleepless nights thinking of that poor dog.whats the difference though?they are both racing breeds but one breed is involved in money and the other is just a hobby.someone must stop this awful trade in dogs or the suffering will continue.maybe youre right about stopping betting but i dont know how they could enforce it.we all know theres good and bad in every sport.but i feel that greys are made to pay the price for mans greed.its such a shame for they are such gentle sweet dogs who deserve better than this treatment.

 

[Paula Roberts]

I think its the same as in everything there are bad people in whippet racing as well as good i know a few who once there dogs have finished racing they just get rid of them i know people in greyhound racing who have taken there dogs home to live with them once they have retired but you dont seem to hear much about good owners only bad ones. Dont get me wrong i would love to get hold of the evil monsters who did this to the poor dog there is just no excuse with all the rescue societies that are there to offer help these days.

 

[nina]

Absolutely right Kris, the whippet folk i have met who enjoy a bit of racing with their dogs do it cos THEY & THEIR DOGS enjoy it BUT they are decent folk & they wouldn't dream of cutting their dogs throats if they didnt win a race!!

Same as Affie folk, i have taken my 2 racing & they go ballistic! They love it & its fantastic to see them haring round the track after the lure thoroughly enjoying themselves.

My older one took to it like a duck to water but the pup bless her isn't the brightest spark in the world & i dont think really got the hang of it at all but just thought Hey my sisters off here so i'll go with her!! But she enjoyed it & thats what counts.

I feel if it were far more highlighted what actually happens to these dogs then the public would be more aware BUT the very odd case ever makes something like the national news & lets be honest this is happening EVERY day to THOUSANDS of poor greyhounds but who ever speaks out about it?? NO ONE.

Yeah okay its in the dog press now & again but if you are not show people how are you ever gonna know about it?

It needs somone & i dont quite know who whether politically inclined or national newspaper to highlight it PRINT the statistics & put it before Parliament to say "Hey this just is NOT acceptable anymore". We have out ruled dog fighting (to an extent) BUT this is equally as bad. Put a stop to organised Greyhound racing for money & make it become a sport & hobby ONLY for those who genuinely enjoy it.

Having said all this, think i probably live in cloud cuckoo land cos with the thousands & thousands of pounds revenue this Industry makes i can NOT EVER see it happening & these poor dogs will continue to suffer.

It just makes me soooo sad.

Nina

 

[Phoenyx]

Sadly, Fionn's case is anything but unique

As a rescue myself I know only too well that the the whole topic of pro- and anti- racing and how the industry is run is a very emotive and controversial one. On other forums (as I'm sure some of you are all too aware) the very mention of racing is met with an incredible amount of emotion and anger (putting it mildly).

Many people within the racing world and the public who support it are simply not aware, or choose not to be aware, of the sheer scale of the the cruelty that does go on - here in England, in Ireland, in Spain and elsewhere.

The greyhound racing industry as it stands now simply is too big to be policed efficiently. Tens of thousands of dogs die each year - failed racers, retired dogs, pups that don't even reach registration - but even if no dogs were killed by the industry itself there would simply not be enough homes for them all anyway. To the 'Industry' as a whole the dogs are simply a commodity, a way to make money the same way that cattle are bred to be slaughtered for McDonalds and the like. It is up to the people who really care about their dogs to change this, and they have the power to do so.

A blanket opinion that all racing people are bastards simply because they are in the industry is a common one to many in the rescue world. It's a stark opinion but I can understand why many would think that way because they see the harsh reality of the likes of Fionn every day.

What we need (and by 'we' I mean rescue and racing folk alike) is to work together. To show racing people and public alike cases like Fionn, to make them realise that his story is not unique and that something has to be done about it - and to show that everyone can make a difference, however small.

Please show everyone you can the pictures of Fionn. I'm sure that the vast majority of the racing world would be only too happy to know who did that to him and would make sure that they were never able to do that to another dog. If the bastards who can do things like that are found and forced out of the industry one by one then perhaps changes will happen. It will take time.

I'm please to hear about the DNA database, but there still needs to be a strict way to keep track of where the dogs go. As someone said earlier, if any of you sees that a dog is missing at a race meet, why not ask where they went. Start to question what happens, make cases like Fionn and Rusty unacceptable.

Am I pro- or anti- racing? It makes no difference to the work I do. I'll try to help a hound wherever I can, and although I can only help a very, very small number each year if everyone who really cares did the same then it would make a huge difference. Making people aware of what really goes on will also make a difference.

Thankfully for Fionn he was found in time. It's not just racing though. Our little lurcher Dylan was from Ireland. He was found at 5 weeks old, dumped in a ditch, riddled with mange and close to death. He was most likely born as a working pup that wasn't considered worth spending the money on for treatment, just thrown away like the rubbish. Dylan was a lucky one too, far many are not.

Anyway, I've rambled on enough. I'm sure most of you know me enough to know that I'm not trying to preach here, I just thought that you may like to hear the opinion of one Rescue. )

Jules

 

[nina]

I agree with everything you say & whatever number of hounds you help god bless you for being there & caring & people like you too.

It is abit like fighting a lost cause tho, for every one you help there are thousands you cant, i know as like you i have been in rescue many years any type of hound whether it be lurchers to pedigree hounds.

At times you just can not beleive that a so called human being has inflicted the kind of cruelty you are looking at on an animal, its beyond beleif.

I think you are absolutely right in saying if those that care worked together maybe just maybe it would make a difference.

It would be interesting to see if there were just a small amount of the racing industry that did give a damn or whether 99% are of the same opinion.......Money. Money, Money.

I dont honestly know what the answer is but i find it totally unbeleivable that 9 out of 10 people on the street today if questioned would say that dog fighting, eating dogs in Japan etc is totally unacceptable in todays society but Greyhound racing they would probably find acceptable or not have an opinion, because again as i said before they are simply NOT aware of what goes on.

I personally for what its worth will post this link to EVERYONE i possibly can in the hope that it does make even one totally naive, ignorant to the facts person sit up & think.

Nina

 

[Paula Roberts]

OK so you take the money out of greyhound racing is this going to make the dogs life easier i think not. For most people greyhound racing is a buisness so if you take the money out buisness stops what would happen to the greyhounds then?

 

[Mark Roberts]

Unlike the rediculess hunting ban on Hare Coursing the Goverment make far too much money from Greyhound racing (Tax's) so thank fully we should never see a ban on Greyhound racing.

I agree that the industry should make owners/trainers more accountable for their dogs once they finish racing but these cases are not as wide spread as some would have people beleave, OK 1 case is 1 to many but greyhound trainers/owners on the whole are responsible.

 

[noo]

I firmly believe that there are responsible owners but there are still far too many irresponsble ones who are consistantly allowed to get away with this barbaric treatment This is enough to stop me going to the dogs and putting money into the industry.

 

[lalena]

i missed this one. the poor thing. it must have been doubly traumatic for him. firstly, having something so painful inflicted. secondly, having it done by the person he trusted...the person who should have loved him whether he was a winner or loser. to whom the sheer joy of running should have been reward enough.

since such lowlifes cannot grasp the emotional and moral WRONGNESS of actions such as these, surely they'd notice the financial backlash? they risk their livelihood by bringing the sport into disrepute. stating things coldly, would giving up a 'useless' runner to the rspca, or like organisation, and retaining their credibility, ensuring that the punters keep coming, not be a preferable alternative to maiming and torturing an innocent being, and in the process alienating all those walking wallets?

at the end of the day, even if its motivated by greed as opposed to compassion, this way of thinking would spare much suffering. in my experience, not much, granted, greyhounds are friendly, loyal, protective of children and are ideal family members. if they arent suited to the track, they at least deserve a loving environment to live out their days without being mutilated first.