Dog Races

[K9soul]

I'm a bit reluctant to state anymore on how I feel on this issue for a few reasons.

1, I don't want any more nasty conflict, I'm enjoying both boards and I'm enjoying meeting new people from GT.

2, Some folks over at GT have made it clear they consider our thoughts and feelings regarding this issue invalid because we don't own a grey. I still find this one hard to swallow. It's one thing to say someone's AR sentiments are fallacious because they have never researched both sides and spoken with both sides, but to say they are simply because they don't own a hound is pure assumption. What about those who are neutral or pro racing who don't have a hound? I don't see their stances being dismissed . No one really asked "have you researched both sides before you came to your conclusion?" A few just stated "they don't even own a hound." and summarily dismissed us on that reason alone.

I have learned a bit, mostly from the people who are neutral or somewhere in the middle.

[MomoftheFuzzy]

I voted for "Been a time or two," and it's true and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I wanted a chance to express myself so badly that I just felt I had to reply here, after years of never saying anything regarding racing.

Bottom line is, there is no justification for inhumane treatment of animals, whether racing or not. I think we can all agree there. And there is justification for the fact that these dogs LOVE TO RUN. With that said, I do believe every dog deserves a warm, comfy couch and a family of their own (whether 1 person or 10) to love them like no other. That and that alone leads me to have mixed feelings regarding dog racing. I don't actively support it but I don't actively denigrate it either because I am EDUCATED and I seek to become more educated about it with each passing day.

I have gone to a couple of races and I DO SEE how happy the dogs are when they have won and they are paraded around -- they know they won! I do not doubt that the majority of people involved in racing take care of the hounds -- just as there are bad apples within shelters and within pet homes, there are bad (and good) apples here. I adopted my hounds from a wonderful woman who worked at the Sarasota Kennel so she had her allegiances. Yet she managed to have a 100% success rate in getting hounds adopted out after they were retired, whether it be to adoption groups or to individuals like myself.

I think we could all strive to learn a little more before we make snap judgements. It's one thing to form your own opinion -- it's another to force that opinion on others in order to defame or slander them, regardless of what side they or you might be on.

[Denyce]

I don't have a lot to say on this subject as far as racing itself goes. I have an opinion like everyone else does I just don't wish to voice it at this time.

However this comment I felt I wanted to speak to...

2, Some folks over at GT have made it clear they consider our thoughts and feelings regarding this issue invalid because we don't own a grey. I still find this one hard to swallow. It's one thing to say someone's AR sentiments are fallacious because they have never researched both sides and spoken with both sides, but to say they are simply because they don't own a hound is pure assumption. What about those who are neutral or pro racing who don't have a hound? I don't see their stances being dismissed . No one really asked "have you researched both sides before you came to your conclusion?" A few just stated "they don't even own a hound." and summarily dismissed us on that reason alone.

I find this attitude similar to the one young mothers who are being called to task on something they are doing wrong with their children. That if you don't have children then you don't know. That by giving birth you automatically gain the knowledge and understanding you need to raise them properly. WE have all seen examples as to how wrong that is. I feel it is the same with owning a greyhound and having an opinion on racing. To discount one because they don't own that breed of dog just shows the ignorance of the person making that statement.

I feel that those of us that don't have children nor own greyhounds perhaps have clearer insight in some ways. We are not so close to the issues and therefore can take a step back and assess the situation without so many emotions involved.

The bottom line to me seems to be that we all love animals and want the best for them. Whether (not weather ) you are for racing or against we all would want to see all animals treated as humanely as possible right?? We all want to see our dogs and cats as happy as they can be. There will always be abuses when people are dealing with animals because frankly there are many people out there that just don't care. But to help balance that they are many people that do. You have to have the extremes in this world for there to be the happy middle. The ying and the yang. The good and the bad.

So do what you feel is right for you and your pets and the corner of the world that you live in. No one can do more than that.

Denyce

[wolfsoul]

I haven't read through this entire thread, so forgive me if I sound ignorant.

While I do know that there are inhumane races, it is my opinion that there are more humane ones than there are inhumane. If anyone here watches the lure chasing events on Top Dogs, they can see how well taken care of the sighthounds are. They do interviews with the owners and they seem like they generally love their dogs and just compete to have fun. While there are LOTS of inhumane ones, when I think of those, I think of the races on the real tracks with the electric rabbit and the dogs being kept in cages all of the time and looking unhealthy, with lots of them belonging to only one owner, and with people bidding money and the prize being a huge cash prize. When I see the humane races (like on Top Dogs), I see that most of the dogs are owned by individual owners, they are in top condition with good health, they don't run on real tracks but on a grassy field, the prize is usually small, and usually not cash but a trophy, and the owners are always smiling and happy and they laugh when their dog runs of the course to go play.

I think what most people on this thread are talking about are the "real" racing events where people bid on the dogs. I don't like the idea of those types of events at all. But I love to watch the humane sighthound events and see how much fun everyone has.

[GreyhoundGirl]

Wow, a thread like this is an easy way to meet other grey people. Hi greyhound lovers !

Grey Talk, eh ? I'll check it out. ( sounds right up my ally... )

[GreyhoundGirl]

If you had read through this thread, you'd see that site had already been posted about and discussed. You deleted your other greyhound racing threads, why are you bumping up buried ones now? You have obviously not read what the greyhound people have had to say about it here.


you expect me to read through 15 pages? ! ? ! ? !

What do you mean, deleated other racing thread, what happened to that anyways, I was looking for it?
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[Vela]

If you had read through this thread, you'd see that site had already been posted about and discussed. You deleted your other greyhound racing threads, why are you bumping up buried ones now? You have obviously not read what the greyhound people have had to say about it here.


you expect me to read through 15 pages? ! ? ! ? !

What do you mean, deleated other racing thread, what happened to that anyways, I was looking for it?
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If you can't read through 15 pages, why are you pulling up old threads?? If you have no idea what was even said in this thread, why are you pulling it up and putting new posts in it, make a new thread. Since you have already made a new thread about this before, posting other propaganda sites, please don't. Yes crappy things happen, but it's not entirely like that site paints it to be, not at all. It's an exaggeration of some bad cases, but by far NOT the normal in Greyhound racing.

[GreyhoundGirl]

If you can't read through 15 pages, why are you pulling up old threads?? If you have no idea what was even said in this thread, why are you pulling it up and putting new posts in it, make a new thread, but since you have already made a new thread about this, psoting other propaganda sites, please don't. Yes crappy things happen, but it's not entirely like that sites paints it to be, not at all. It's an exxaggeration of some bad cases, but by far NOT the normal in Greyhound racing.

What are you people talking about ? ! ? !

[horse_lover]

Thanks so much luvofallhorses! I was lost! Thanks again!

[luvofallhorses]

Thanks so much luvofallhorses! I was lost! Thanks again!

you are very welcome!

[aly]

Originally posted by zaylagrey
Hey Coach.. I think you scared them. You can be a little intimidating sometimes .

No one is scared. We like to try to remain as civil to each other as possible here. Sometimes that means ignoring certain posts that might spark some heated words. I read some of this individual's comments on your forum and while he likes to shoot off at the mouth, it is neither intimidating nor scary.

I understand why you guys were offended when first reading this thread. I am thrilled to see that so many of you ventured into other parts of the board and made introduction threads. This was just one "bad apple" thread among thousands of kind, warm, compassionate threads. I want to thank those that came and offered their opinions/ideas/beliefs without attacking anyone or calling names. It is much easier to have a discussion and learn new things when it is not clouded with juvenile name calling.

I hate to even think that there are "sides" to this in the first place. I think we all agree that Greyhounds love to run and are glad that they have an outlet for that. I think we all agree that there is good and bad in everything and that we should do what we can to help the poor Greyhounds who are stuck with the bad racing owners.

I am not against racing if the dogs are loved, well-cared for, and happy. I am against racing that entails abuse, neglect, and euthanizing the "losers".

I tried posting on the GT board about this and I was belittled because I don't own a Greyhound. I tried to explain my experience and was ripped apart. It was just by one person directly (although a few others said the same), but it left me feeling very hurt and bitter. Therefore, I couldn't listen to one thing this person said to me, valid points or not. I've been involved in rescue and dog behavior for over 6 years now. No, I am not an expert on Greyhounds, but I do know a lot. Just because I don't have a Greyhound doesn't mean one should assume I know nothing. And just because someone owns a Greyhound, it shouldn't be assumed that the person is an authority on them. I've met many an owner who knows absolutely nothing about the breed they have. I've also met many a person who knows more than me about the breeds I have, even though they don't own one themselves. I'm fully willing to admit when someone knows more than me. What they do or do not own has nothing to do with their knowledge.

Oh yeah, one thing I do have a problem with regarding racing are these "Greyhound farms". Please inform me on these (in a nice way). Since I do shelter work every day, the term farm gets to me. Why do you have to mass-produce these racing pups? Couldn't you adopt young Greyhounds from shelters or rescues to race them? Dogs are dying every single day while these farms are bringing more and more dogs into this world. These pups will need a home someday soon if their racing person doesn't keep them or euthanize them. If they are rehomed, then that means another dog in a shelter won't get a home and will die.

[guster girl]

Originally posted by aly


I tried posting on the GT board about this and I was belittled because I don't own a Greyhound. I tried to explain my experience and was ripped apart. It was just by one person directly (although a few others said the same), but it left me feeling very hurt and bitter. Therefore, I couldn't listen to one thing this person said to me, valid points or not. I've been involved in rescue and dog behavior for over 6 years now. No, I am not an expert on Greyhounds, but I do know a lot. Just because I don't have a Greyhound doesn't mean one should assume I know nothing. And just because someone owns a Greyhound, it shouldn't be assumed that the person is an authority on them. I've met many an owner who knows absolutely nothing about the breed they have. I've also met many a person who knows more than me about the breeds I have, even though they don't own one themselves. I'm fully willing to admit when someone knows more than me. What they do or do not own has nothing to do with their knowledge.

Hey, where did you post in Grey Talk? I want to read where you posted and judge from that point if I want to continue to be a member there. I'm considering exiting the entire pet forum altogether, but, I want to make a more thought out exit if I do.

[aly]

Originally posted by guster girl
Hey, where did you post in Grey Talk? I want to read where you posted and judge from that point if I want to continue to be a member there. I'm considering exiting the entire pet forum altogether, but, I want to make a more thought out exit if I do.

It was in the thread that was deleted. That very first thread about this whole hoopla.

You're not going to leave here too are you? YOU CAN'T!

[Denyce]

Hey guster girl!

I hope you don't plan on leaving PT. I have always enjoyed your posts and look forward to your thoughts and opinions on topics. Besides seeing your pics!

Denyce

[guster girl]

Hey, Aly and Denyce! Aly, I want to send you a private message, but, your mailbox is full! But, mostly, I'm just spending so much time on the internet reading on pet talk, I just think when I get a new job (hopefully soon), I'll need to leave it alone for awhile. Nothing major, I don't think I'd quit cold turkey! Ha ha.