NASMTrainer Posted May 4, 2005 Share Posted May 4, 2005 This was sent to me by a friend. I know some of you are dog lovers and maybe you can help, if you can't, maybe you know somebody that can. Jessica Rich Residence Director Lammers Hall Westfield State College (413) 572-5533 500 Dogs to Die! (posted 5/1/05) The greyhound track in Plainfield, CT voted on April 26th that they would discontinue greyhound racing. Unfortunately - and heartbreakingly - they've also decided that rescuers have only two weeks to get the dogs out, and any dogs remaining at the track on May 14th will be euthanized. This is a monumental task because there are at least 500 dogs currently at the track. These are all young, healthy dogs, 2-4 years of age, who would make great family pets. Why is the track doing this? Greyhound racing is a business and because the track is no longer profitable, they're getting out. To us, dogs are cherished companions. To the greyhound racing industry, dogs are expendable commodities to be disposed of in whatever way is least expensive and most convenient when they aren't making money. We've committed to saving as many dogs as we possibly can in the next two weeks. We'll be working with an experienced greyhound rescuer who has been placing retired greyhounds for many years. She will be going to the track and bringing us dogs. As soon as we have more room, we'll do it again. We will repeat as many times as we can before May 14th. After May 14th, there will be no dogs left alive at the track. In order to save as many dogs as we can, we are going to try something we've never done before; sending as many as possible out into foster care by May 14th. Every time we send a dog into an adoptive home or a foster home, we can take another dog off the track. We will take the fostered dogs back into the Dakin Animal Shelter for adoption over the next few months as spaces open up for them - as long as they're off the track by May 14th, they'll be safe. How can you help? * Adopt a greyhound They're wonderful dogs - gentle, quiet, sweet, and graceful. The ones we'll be getting will be good companions with other dogs and with cats. Surprisingly, they're couch potatoes. They do need to be in a fenced area or leash walked; they aren't dogs to let run loose. For information on what it's like to take a greyhound home, visit www.greyhoundgang.com. To find out what greys we have available for adoption, call us at 413-548-9898 or visit our dog adoption page. * Foster a greyhound If we can send greys into foster care and out of our Shelter, we can pull more from the track before May 14. We'll get them back into the Shelter over the next few months. We will provide all their medical care and a crate to make their transition easier. You provide your time & love and together we will give them a new life! For information on what it's like to take a greyhound home, visit www.greyhoundgang.com. If you can help, or are interested in more information, contact us at 413-548-9898. *Donate money. We are going to need extra funds to help these dogs. We'll be buying crates and other supplies as well as paying all their medical bills. You can send a check to: Dakin Animal Shelter, 163 Montague Road, Leverett MA 01054 or donate online. Please mark your donation "Save the Greys". * Donate a large dog crate. We need these to send with the dogs going into foster care. * Spread the word! The more people who know about this tragedy, the more help the dogs will get. Many of you have seen greyhounds in the community - they're lovely, gentle dogs. When we started working with greyhounds, we discovered that there are a lot of misconceptions about them. * Greys are not hyper - they're actually couch potatoes! * They love to run - for about 5 minutes - in a safe, fenced area. * Greys spend most of their day snoozing and adore soft sleeping places and all the comforts in life. * They are actually very good dogs for apartments or small homes because of their low activity level. * They are very clean dogs, and in some ways are very catlike in their cleanliness and love of comfort. * Most greyhounds - including all the ones we'll be getting - can live with other dogs and cats, once they've been introduced, and actually love living with other animals. * They rarely bark and shed little. * In their life on the track, they live in crates for 22 hours per day, so most things in the 'real world' are a surprise to them. * They've never seen simple things such as: slippery floors (wood, tile); stairs; television; windows; cats; dogs who are not greyhounds! * They generally housebreak very easily because they're completely crate trained (they aren't housebroken because they've never been in a house, so they have to learn what a house is!). * They walk very, very politely on leash - they learn that at the track. * Greyhounds are very good companions for homes with gentle children because of their own gentle nature. This is a tragedy of enormous proportions, and we've decided to throw everything we've got into doing as much as we can. It's easy to get overwhelmed thinking about the scope of the problem - and do nothing. If we instead work together as a community, we CAN make a difference. The Dakin Animal Shelter has always relied upon our community for our support, and we're counting on you now. With your help, we WILL make a difference. Please Help If You Can. And Send This To As Many People As Possible Before It Is To Late For These Animals. Thank You All. Questions about the animals or the shelter? Please direct all inquiries to < info@dakinshelter.org> or call (413) 548-9898 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pez Posted May 4, 2005 Share Posted May 4, 2005 Huly said she will email the dog rescue organizations she is associated with in regards to this... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NASMTrainer Posted May 4, 2005 Author Share Posted May 4, 2005 Originally posted by pez Huly said she will email the dog rescue organizations she is associated with in regards to this... I figured you guys could help. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pez Posted May 4, 2005 Share Posted May 4, 2005 Originally posted by Skin-N-NY I figured you guys could help. Thanks She is calling around now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsNut73 Posted May 4, 2005 Share Posted May 4, 2005 Not sure if this is totally accurate? Or perhaps even one of those "hoax" type e-mails?? Seems like it would have made our local news (I live in CT). Only reason I'm suspicious is it mentions that greyhound racing would be discontinued at the track. Greyhound racing is going to continue at the track. Developers are in the process of buying more land to put a race track (automobiles) in, but they will keep the dog track. http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=1896414 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huly Posted May 4, 2005 Share Posted May 4, 2005 I sent it to a few Rescues there. No harm in checking it out. Better safe than sorry! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pez Posted May 4, 2005 Share Posted May 4, 2005 I would rather be a dupe of a hoax than have 500 dogs killed needlessly... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsNut73 Posted May 4, 2005 Share Posted May 4, 2005 Absolutely. Sorry, in re-reading my post I could have worded it a little better. I was just stunned we wouldn't have heard more about this locally. But it's definitely worth checking out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huly Posted May 4, 2005 Share Posted May 4, 2005 From a rescue in CT that I contacted: Hi Christina-this has been circulating a lot! Actually all of the dogs will be saved and going into rescue. I actually heard from the pres of greyhound rescue and from the faciliy itself today adn all of these dogs will be spoken for-so none will eb euthanized! Lets hope it actually takes place! Cyndi Director-Paws4Rescue As you can see this is not a hoax! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsNut73 Posted May 4, 2005 Share Posted May 4, 2005 Originally posted by Huly From a rescue in CT that I contacted: Hi Christina-this has been circulating a lot! Actually all of the dogs will be saved and going into rescue. I actually heard from the pres of greyhound rescue and from the faciliy itself today adn all of these dogs will be spoken for-so none will eb euthanized! Lets hope it actually takes place! Cyndi Director-Paws4Rescue As you can see this is not a hoax! Thanks for checking that out. I was actually speaking with someone at my son's Tee-Ball game about this tonight. She owns a "pet spa" in town and was interested in saving a few dogs and finding them homes here if needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redman Posted May 4, 2005 Share Posted May 4, 2005 Just wanted to say that Greyhounds are indeed awesome family dogs. Never owned one, but they're extremely loving and docile, which is surprising if your only understanding of them is that they're speed demons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsNut73 Posted May 10, 2005 Share Posted May 10, 2005 Just an update for those who were interested...heard on the radio on the way into work this morning that 450 out of the 500 greyhounds have been adopted - most by other racetracks around the country, and a lot of them also went to people in Canada. They expect the other 50 or so dogs to be placed before the end of this week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huly Posted May 10, 2005 Share Posted May 10, 2005 According to the Rescue groups in CT they are taking in any and all Grey Hounds that need to be placed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyansRangers Posted May 11, 2005 Share Posted May 11, 2005 Originally posted by SkinsNut73 Just an update for those who were interested...heard on the radio on the way into work this morning that 450 out of the 500 greyhounds have been adopted - most by other racetracks around the country, and a lot of them also went to people in Canada. They expect the other 50 or so dogs to be placed before the end of this week. Yea I heard it on connecticut 1080 this morning too that almost all dogs have been spoken for... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huly Posted May 16, 2005 Share Posted May 16, 2005 http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/4493370/detail.html?subid=22100410&qs=1;bp=t Lawmakers Propose Greyhound Racing Ban Groups Hope Dog Deaths Spur Public Support For Bill POSTED: 12:06 pm EDT May 16, 2005 UPDATED: 12:24 pm EDT May 16, 2005 BOSTON -- A group of lawmakers and animal protection advocates want greyhound racing in Massachusetts to be a thing of the past. Video Kelley Tuthill Reports On Racing NewsCenter 5's Kelley Tuthill reported that a House bill filed Monday calls for the phasing out of greyhound racing in the state over the next two years. The bill proposes taking subsidies given to the greyhound racing industry and putting them into fund to retraining displaced workers. The bill is supported by a group that calls itself "Gray 2K" which sponsored a failed ballot initiative in 2000 that attempted to ban greyhound racing. They believe that recent stories about 18 greyhounds at Wonderland Park in Revere, Mass., will spur public support for racing ban. "Greyhounds live in warehouse-style kennels. They're cooped up in stacked cages for 18 to 22 hours a day. What this does is it creates a contagious enviroment. The contagious environment of racing kennels provides a veritable breeding ground for the mystery illnesses now killing our dogs in Massachusetts," Christine Dorchak of Grey 2K said. The bill's sponsors said they are concerned about the greyhounds' care, about injuries and the animals' future after they are done with racing. Gary Temple, the manager of the Raynham-Taunton greyhound track, said there's no basis for closing the tracks. He said his track and the Wonderland track bring in between $5 million and $7 million in revenue to the state and if they were closed more than 1,000 jobs would be lost. He said he considers the filing of the bill to be political grandstanding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.