This is an issue that has really been bugging me lately, so I guess I'll begin my rant... now.

The greyhound racing industry will always tell you that most of the greyhounds are being adopted, that the dogs love running, that the dogs are treated well... these are all lies.

APPROXIMATELY* 20,000 greyhounds are killed every year because they simply cannot run fast enough to turn in a profit. An estimated* 6,000 are just puppies. Trainers and breeders can tell if the dog will be slow... starting at puppyhood. About 20% don't even make it to the track.

The numbers are estimated by using the NGA's (National Greyhound Association?) official breeding records. These records show how many litters are born, and then later how many dogs register for racing. To be safe... they estimated about 6 puppies per litter instead of 9 (which is not unusual for a greyhound.) They discovered that about 20,000 dogs were not being registered... they just disappeared.

Media reports indicate that greyhounds have been shot to death, left to starve, electrocuted, and sold for medical experimentation. The lucky ones are humanely euthanized...

I mean... jeez, last year they caught this guy who had been shooting greyhounds for ten dollars a dog... and they found about 3000 decomposing bodies. Most greyhounds do not even live to their full racing age... which is only 5 years old.

Just wanted to vent...
(http://www.grey2kusa.org)


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What is 4-d meat~?
While many kennels feed their greyhounds a quality meat and vegetable high-protein diet, the standard industry feed for the racing greyhound is raw 4-D meat. The four D's stand for animals, primarily cattle and horses, that are dead, dying, diseased or down (disabled) at slaughter. Cattle that are sick and near death are pumped full of drugs like penicillin, procaine, and trimethoprim in a desperate attempt to save them. These drugs, as well as the infectious or contagious pathogens that killed the food-source animals, remain in their systems after slaughter. The meat rendered from them can also carry anthrax, botulism, lockjaw, tuberculosis, salmonella, and other diseases. (http://www.greyhounds.org)

Where racing is still legal (and the number of tracks in each state):
Alabama(3) Arizona(3) Arkansas(1) Colorado(3)
Connecticut(2) Florida(16) Iowa(2) Kansas(2) Massachusetts(2) New Hampshire(3) Oregon(1) Rhode Island(1) Texas(3) West Virginia(2) Wisconsin(2)

to tigercats12, about:
"first let me point out that there IS a lot of needless killing in the dog racing industry, that part is very true... also there have been cases like the guy mentioned here killing thousands of dogs, it usually is not thousands but hundreds and the stories numbers grow to bring in more donations.. but "hundreds" is to many as well.."

...to this, the article wasn't for 'donations' it was mentioned in a newletter, also online at the humane society for the united states, and also it appeared in the new york times on May 22, 2002.

i dont know about the whole dogfood thing but i do know there is a local greyhound owner/ racer
who takes very good care of his dogs and my friend has adopted two after their career was over and they still love to run they run and chase each other everytime they go outside

quote:

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no the animals are not put into dog food.. that is a big myth for the most part..

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that one you are wrong on, I am pretty lazy right now or I would dig up a few stories for you. I did the research when I got my dog because he cost me too much to just kill. I only feed him healthy and natural foods such as Innova or Wellness.

Ask anyone with a older dog, most likely their dogs have ulcers, skin growths, blindness or intestinal problems. These things are caused by the dead pets who were put down. The chemicals used to put them down pass right through the whole process and into your pets food.

quote:

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the greyhound problem is nothing compared to so called dog fighters...

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I agree with you on that, it's real big in cities! People will even steal your dog to have their dog kill it(getting used to blood they call it). Rabbits and cats are also stolen by dog fighters and fed to their dogs. It is inhumane and a real big problem in Urban areas.

i hate to be the voice of reason but many things mentioned here are wrong.. hate to tell you that you fell for the sob story myths but you did..

first let me point out that there IS a lot of needless killing in the dog racing industry, that part is very true... also there have been cases like the guy mentioned here killing thousands of dogs, it usually is not thousands but hundreds and the stories numbers grow to bring in more donations.. but "hundreds" is to many as well..

no the animals are not put into dog food.. that is a big myth for the most part..

most greyhounds are feed a great diet, not the BS food mentioned here.. wanna know why that myth doesn't hold water?(besides the fact it ISN"T true)

racing greyhounds are exercised and feed very well because they are the breeder/owner/trainers source of income.. they would not feed crap food to the animal because it would not be in the best condition it could be to race.. make sense?

and yes greyhounds DO LOVE TO RUN AND RACE.. ever been around any? they will run and race each other as well as chase just about any small animal..(unless it has been socialized).
and as far as the missing dogs.. yes some are killed but many are given away or sold unregistered, why you ask? if the dog will not make a good racer, the owner will not register(read: put their kennel name one the dog) because it takes away from the line name.. so many are sold or given away or adopted out these days WITHOUT being registered.. make sense also?

i personally believe there should be more work put in to help adopt these dogs, but to be honest the greyhound problem is nothing compared to so called dog fighters...

eh, i forgot 2 letters in the URL. but that's a shelter too you can look at.
here's the one i actually help at:
www.greyhoundrescuene.org

sorry bout that

-rito

I really think volunteering for greyhound shelters is the best thing you can do until you can vote! i help out with one in mendon, and the dogs are SO sweet!! i had to do a persuassive essay in 5th grade on this, so i've been helping out for about 3 years. The poor dogs ;-; not to mention all the animals they use on the lure (like rabbits and small rodents)! its so inhuman...
this is the shelter i help at:
www.greyhoundrescue.org

-rito

Americus14, you can contact people at (http://www.grey2kusa.org) There are shelters around the country that adopt out greyhounds that are too slow for the tracks, although, sadly, many are killed before adoption, and some because they are not found homes in time.

I didn't read everyone's response, but there are places you can adopt a greyhound who has been retired or isn't fast enough.

Now speaking of cruel, find out where those greyhounds end up, along with your pet dog and your kitty after they die. In pet food!!

GET IN TOUCH WITH NATURE!!!!SAVE THE GREYHOUNDS!

If this is all true then it must be stopped. How do you plan to stop it? You could write letters...tho those don't always work...you could make a huge petition against it. Can i help? I think it's wrong to be so inhuman. I really would like toknow how you would like to stop it. If i can help i will be glad too.

I'm really surprised South Carolina doesn't still race greyhounds...I'm from there and the state is usually backwards on just about everything else. I've noticed a lot of "adopt a greyhound" programs at pet stores in my area. Of course, up until about five years ago, my town didn't have a humane society, instead when stray dogs were found they were taken out into a wooded area and tied/chained to trees. After several dogs accumulated they would be shot. When I was about twelve my mother would take me to the place at night and we'd let the dogs go. Where I live I see a lot of cruelty to all types of dogs...

But, fast horses are treated like kings... fast dogs are killed when they can't race... and yes... greyhound racing will be stopped.

this happens (not as much prob due to it's popularity) with horse racing too. it's terrible, more ppl should look into adopting greyhounds. i think cockfighting and dogfighting is horrible too, and YES it does still go on.