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March 25, 2009
ALBUQUERQUE — The announcement went out from the Guam Greyhound Park in November 2008—the track had closed and 150 greyhounds were available for free to anyone who wanted them. No applications. No instructions. No waiting.
What resulted was people showing up and taking greyhounds home in twos and threes, to be used as guard dogs, to be bred to make money from them, to be used in dog fighting. In the following weeks and months, greyhounds were running loose in the streets, some found starving in the jungle, or in rapidly declining health, chained to automobiles or boats. One resident complained his greyhound was useless—he didn’t bark or anything.
Guam Animals In Need (GAIN) began organizing rescues of the greyhounds, and shipping them in small batches to greyhound rescues in the United States, in hopes of finding the unwanted dogs permanent, safe homes. Greyhound Companions of New Mexico was one of many stateside rescue groups who responded to the urgent call for help.
Last weekend, eight former residents of the Guam Greyhound Park were delivered to Greyhound Companions members in the Albuquerque area to be made available for adoption. Three dogs have been placed, and five hounds are in foster homes, awaiting permanent adoption.
Greyhound advocates across the U.S. are overjoyed that Guam’s racetrack has closed down. Dog racing is known for treating greyhounds as a commodity whose purpose is to create profits for owners. Among other cruelties, losing a race is frequently a life or death issue for a greyhound. The cruelty in dog racing is not confined just to dogs. Often, live animals, such as rabbits, are used as bait in training race dogs.
Greyhounds in the racing industry commonly endure almost constant confinement in cages just large enough for the majestic creatures to turn around in. When moved from one track to another, they are often shipped in bulk by professional haulers in cramped, unventilated quarters that may take them all the way across the country. Racing dogs suffer a high rate of serious injury in their youth, while they are working. Their delicate legs tend to break while running, and they often die of heart attacks.
If they have survived their career, retired greyhounds become mouths to feed. These gentle-natured dogs do not get to live as family companions while they are race dogs. They have lived their lives in small kennels, being allowed out only when necessary.
It is common for unprofitable greyhounds to be killed. According to GREY2K USA, in 2000, a Wisconsin man sold more than 1,000 former race dogs to a research lab for pacemaker testing before they were killed. GREY2K USA is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection of greyhounds and the banning of dog racing.
Animal Protection of New Mexico (APNM) is against the inhumane practices of the dog racing industry, and joins other advocates in celebrating the closure of the Guam race track. There are 31 dog race tracks operating in the U.S. Two of these tracks, in Massachusetts, are scheduled to close on January 1, 2010.
One of the Guam greyhounds is being fostered by APNM staffer Sherry Mangold, who is also a long-time member of Greyhound Companions.
“To the industry they are disposable commodities,” states Mangold. “To those who really know them, they are quiet, gentle, sensitive creatures who become ideal, loving companions.”
“They’re all very, very sweet dogs. That’s so natural to their temperament,” states Judy Paulsen of Greyhound Companions of New Mexico. The general lack of knowledge of the greyhound breed among most people, Paulsen says, makes it especially difficult to see these dogs suffer or be euthanized when they are injured, or simply not wanted any longer.
Paulsen says it is important for people to know the truth about dog racing, and to raise awareness of the need for homes for former race dogs.
The five Guam greyhounds still available for adoption in the Albuquerque area may be viewed at www.gcnm.org.
Additional resources:
www.gcnm.org
www.guamgreyhounds.org
www.grey2kusa.org
www.greythealth.com |
