About Greyhound Racing, Adoption and Fever's Story

The President of the American Greyhound Track Operators Association even said to People Magazine, “The animals must be disposed of. It’s an economic thing.”

Why is it that our greyhound friends have to suffer because of MONEY? Do YOU think its right that someone else dies for the sake of filling your pockets? Please think again! Greyhound racing does not only mean the animals are killed, these poor things have to go through hell before God frees them of their pain.

You might think that retired or injured greyhounds do get adopted, but remember, for every one greyhound adopted, it means another dog loses it's second and probably last chance at life. We aren't saying don't adopt greyhounds, but for the good of greyhounds, we need to get to the root of the problem. As Judy Paulsen, Founder of Greyhound Companions of New Mexico says, "Adoption is not the answer. It is merely a band-aid on a hemmorhaging jugular.".

"Why are there so many "retired" racing greyhounds in need of homes?", you ask. To produce exceptionally fast greyhounds, breeders overbreed and breed in large numbers. This selfish act causes the rest of the slower greyhounds to be abandoned, killed or given away. Some starve to death even before people can rescue them. Do not forget that the greyhounds are UNSTERILIZED and unlike rehomers or rescue groups, the breeders do not screen potential owners! This results in a vicious circle of 'newbies' hoping to break into the industry taking these hounds for overbreeding and then giving them away again.

Remember this, Without the destruction of the greyhound racing industry, no matter how many Greyhounds [the greyhound rescue groups] manage to find homes for, there will always be those who die mutilated in racing accidents; suffocate during transport; lie injured to perish in crates as a result of receiving little or no veterinary attention; and the list goes on and on.

Fever's Story

Fever, when she was rescued

To read Fever's story, please click the link below.

Greyhound Companions of New Mexico, Fever's Story

Did you know?

• Greyhounds were initially thought to be dangerous and unadoptable by majority of the humane societies.
• The number of greyhounds destroyed is nearly impossible to determine. Not every breeder registers their dogs with the NGA and the fate of these unregistered dogs are not trackable.
• Information disseminated by the NGA pertaining to the number of greyhounds destroyed each year and the number placed into adoptive homes is misleading. Using the few surveys they distributed years ago, their statistics regarding the number of dogs being placed by adoption groups is pure speculation and likely overestimated. And for the above reason, they cannot possibly know the massive numbers of greyhounds actually being destroyed. Their claim that the number of greyhounds being bred each year is declining, must be regarded with skepticism.
• Cases of abuse and neglect of greyhounds by trainers and breeders are underreported due to fear of retaliation by industry peers. The relatively small number of cases reported usually come from those who have defected from the industry in abhorrence of industry injustices and grotesque abuses witnessed.
• Because greyhounds are generally docile by nature, they are prime specimens for research and veterinary teaching schools. The number of greyhounds turned over to these institutions has been greatly underestimated as demonstrated by a recent disclosure that over 900 greyhounds had been surrendered by trainers to a Colorado veterinary school in one year. The figures had been previously reported to be in the range of 300 until greyhound rights advocates uncovered the grisly truth. The dean of this veterinary school admits they destroy 500 greyhounds per year that are not even used for any teaching purposes.
• After their association with the racing industry was exposed, the Colorado university agreed to eliminate their practice of destroying the glut of dogs coming off the Colorado race tracks; however, it is interesting to note that the number of dogs now available to adoption programs in that area is nowhere near the large numbers once being turned over to the university — where are those dogs? Are they being shipped off to other areas where they can be disposed of without the media attention and heightened public awareness that now exists in Colorado?
• Slow and injured dogs are loaded onto "kill trucks" to make room for better performers in the kennel. Some are euthanised, others are less fortunate and are shot or bludgeoned to death.
• Greyhounds are transported long distances during the heat of summer in trucks without air conditioning. There have been tragic reports of trucks reaching their destination only to open the compartments and find dead or dying greyhounds as a result of exposure to extreme heat.
• Other species of animals such as rabbits are destroyed as a result of the dog racing industry Methods for training the most successful racers involve the torture and mutilation of animals that are used as "live lure" to heighten the prey instinct of the greyhound in training. Dogs trained by this method are considered ineligible for competing on most tracks; however, track officials often turn their heads to allow these more aggressive, crowd-pleasing dogs to compete.

*Fever's Story, pictures, quotes (in red), the "Did You Know" section and majority of the information are the courtesy of Greyhound Companions of New Mexico. You may visit their website through the sidebar of the blog. They have information on greyhound behavior and health too.