|
At the track |
| The BRGB launched an inquiry into the rates
of injuries suffered by dogs at individual tracks, but refused to disclose
the results. Transparency of this sort of information is essential.
Individual tracks may be ashamed that this information will target their
deficiencies - perhaps to their commercial disadvantage - but the dogs'
suffering should not be concealed. |
Veterinary surgeons who
attend tracks during racing are paid by the track management and can be
dismissed at any time. Their responsibilities are to ensure that the
greyhounds are fit to race and that the racing conditions do not endanger
them. A veterinary surgeon who addressed the World Greyhound Federation
Conference in 1998 disclosed that pressure to allow racing against
professional judgement can be intense - and imperil continued employment. |
|
When the dogs can
no longer race |
|
The true extent of the problem is not known. There
is no national framework for estimating or addressing the needs of the
9,000 dogs that cease to race each year.
Some greyhounds are homed with their owners and some trainers can find
homes or keep the dogs in kennels at the owners' expense. Some
tracks also operate a home-finding service while the owner pays to kennel
the dog. |
No
one knows how many of the 9,000 greyhounds surplus to racing each year
will have a happy life. how many pet dogs are greyhounds? Not thousands
for sure. |
| At
the 1988 World Greyhound Federation Conference one veterinary surgeon said
that he destroyed 9 greyhounds a week which were unwanted for racing -
whether through injury, age or poor performance. Over 450 greyhounds
a year for one vet! |
| The many rescue
organisations for greyhounds that exist across the country know that many
of them suffer abandonment and abuse. These agencies are, for the
most part, voluntary organisations of ordinary citizens who rely on
donations from the public to support them or to give them a collective,
national voice. Greyhound suffering does not reach national
attention. It is not on any national agenda. |
We
monitored a variety of independent voluntary organisations for a year.
The Retired Greyhound Trust and the RSPCA did not contribute any data.
However, a total of 1546 greyhounds, many in an appalling condition, was
reported for the year. |