Well, if one of my greyhounds can't run anymore, I find a good home for them.
Hi Kunnigan, and welcome to Unleashed
The above quote is problematic in itself- you are using an animal for profit and then abandoning him/her when they can no longer earn you money. The people on this forum take the psychological and physiological welfare of animals very seriously, and that's where our views may differ. To you maybe they are 'just dogs' who 'love running' like horses who 'love racing'. The similarity lies in the conditions of a race horse and race dog- are they mentally stimulated (off track)? Are they loved? Are they permitted social interaction? Do they have a secure pack?
No.
It's good to see you care enough to come on here and ponder about differing perspectives of an industry you are a part of.
I'd like to quote another Unleashed member from another thread on Greyhound Racing
Hedwig said:
We all know the horror behind horse racing but don't forget about the dogs too.
Greyhounds bred for racing usually don't have a great life to begin with. They are kept with their siblings & mother at birth but once weaned, usually kept next to their siblings in seperate cages to get used to the kennel life. When they're older, greyhounds live in these kennels. Usually taken out twice a day to do their business and then placed back in (unless its training day on the track)
If a greyhound isn't suitable for the track they are killed- just like slow race horses. Though they should be euthanaised humanely, many breeders do not want to waste the money and instead shoot them, beat them over the head or just leave them to starve. Retired racing greyhounds could come to the same end too.
Last year I met a wonderful organisation called "Greyhound as Pets" who are willing to take unwanted greyhounds from breeders at a cheaper price than the price of euthanasia. They are also there to educate the public that greyhounds aren't aggressive animals- though they're trained to chase a rabbit, some are friendly to smaller animals and many are compatible with cats. Greyhounds also don't need to be exercised like on the tracks, usually they're quite happy to sleep and go for a gentle walk just like any other breed of dog.
If you know someone who is looking for a gentle, bigger dog who is loyal and affectionate and doesn't come with the "dog" smell (due to no undercoat) then I suggest you tell them about the lovely greyhound groups there are around Australia. Tell them about the cruelty behind greyhound racing and how greyhounds CAN and SHOULD be pets, not race dogs.
Animal welfare resources are used up all over Australia on rehoming unwanted and 'non-profitable' greyhounds, aswell. This isn't fair on anyone, least of all the abandoned dog.
Just keep in mind that GAP or greyhounds as pets is run by the industry and put down dogs if they are there too long, dont like small dogs stuff like that. Greyhoundrescue.com.au are awesome though
You obviously don't love your dogs if you get rid of them when they are too old. Sorry, but you don't. Dogs should be companions first, hobbies second. I got a puppy from my aunts friend a few months ago (she adopted a dog who turned out to be pregnant). I was planning to rescue a puppy of a high energy breed (not neccessarily herder energy, just enough enery for what I want), and when this little fox terrier cross came a long, well it was perfect!
Because I plan to do agility with her. I'd love to enter in compitions with her. I hope I have a great time doing agility with her. One day she will be to old, and even though I love agility she won't be able to do it any more. I could give her away to a family member or friend, or even shelter. But I love her, so I will keep her. I she turns out to not be so excited about agility and I can't motivate her to do it, then so be it, I will still keep her and love her.
Plenty of people have greyhounds, and do other activities with them that lets them sprint and run around, with out putting them in the gambling industry and keeping them in runs all the time. Maybe I misread, but did you say their only exercise is once a week on the track? Dogs need daily excericise. All breeds. Even racing dogs.
It's easier putting it from a dog's perspective. How would you like to race all day in the hot sun, without water, when you don't want to? And then stuffed inside a cage when you're all done? No real social interaction, no play, just hardcore training?
Also the pure fact that she said "When my dogs can no longer run I find good homes for them" Suggest it is alllll business, no real love of the animal.
HUMANELY EUTHANISED!
I suppose you mean just another poor animal killed?
Please no name calling or nasty words on the forum.
Can't we be a friendly, peaceful, informative group of veg*ns?
Thank you! Yes, name calling and abusive comments are against our house rules. Please be nice. Telling someone they are 'wrong', 'cruel' or a 'moron' is not going to help them understand your point of view. In fact it is more likely to make them want to reject anything constructive you might have to say.
If we want to win people over to a more compassionate way of living, then being angry, insulting and confrontational in our advocacy is never going to work. All that does is create a divide between veg*ns and the rest of the public and makes it easier for people to dismiss veg*ns as angry and unreasonable.
If you have, or are considering calling someone a 'moron', please read this post: http://www.unleashed.org.au/community/forum/topic.php?t=4279 And then, instead of insulting people, why not use this as an opportunity to practice your advocacy skills.
I say thank you too. I think this post has caused a little bit of conflict.
Hey there I just adopted a dog who was from mildura apparently and to slow or lost a race he was taken to animal welfare in SA dob 15/05/2009 black white big well built boy. Just wondering if you could help with any info or even just give me history/ hints etc? Not judging anyone here I used to have horses I know how the business works
Perhaps a bit more patience could be used in discussions such as this, rather than turning it into an attacking debate, as regardless on whether you believe your opinion is the correct one, it should still be about respecting others, even if you feel you are being personally disrespected, treat others the way you want to be treated guys!
In my opinion there is no such thing as "humane" euthanasia, that is just a way of tricking yourself into thinking it's not really murder, because you believe they "didn't suffer", in the end it's still ending a life.
I understand what you mean about rehoming for the love of the animal, my mum breeds pure bred bullmastiffs and bulldogs, sells them desexed microchipped, all the four miles as you might put it. However there are some we keep, in order to show, socialise, teach others about the breed and occasionally breed themselves. However it gets to the point of too many dogs to effectivly socialise with and treat with TLC we desex and rehome them to a good home. We rehome them because we can no longer give them the tender tlc they deserve and because there are literarily hundreds of people out there hankering for a pure bred, and out of those hundreds, there are a select few who truly deserve one, people who can give the dog one-on-one attention, and pure love for preferably the rest of the dog's life.
However breeding an animal souly for the purpose of racing, regardless of what their life might be like at home, I cannot in any form understand or agree with. That's exploitation at it's worst, and disallowing the animal to carry out their true natural behaviours and the ability to socialise with other animals and people, something all animals, ESPECIALLY dogs need psychologically.
p.s, this is in no way an attack at anyone, just my opinion.
Well Well when we have dogs we don't want we look to rehome them was this not what the greyhound owner racer said ???
As for bullmastifs I think there is less of a case for their existence in this country than a greyhound and don't get me wrong I have no interest in the sport at all but got a lot of time for the breed.
Too many people seem to feel it is mean to "make" a greyhound race but it is ok for their pet to compete in agility, obedience, showing etc etc because they will say it loves it oh yea.
So does the greyhound.!
Just don't get too holy those with pets are using animals for their own selfish reasons in some way and breeding bullmastifs is not much different to greyhounds just greyhounds tend not to chew off as many kids faces.
