Friday, April 07, 2006

Friday Hound Blogging

A couple weeks ago we told you about Mississippi gambling mogul Marlin Torguson who bought the The Lakes Region Greyhound Park for $4.1 million. "I didn't make my fortune by being stupid," Mr. Torguson told reporters. "I made it by expecting the worst out of people."

"Even though the track I bought was closed down because of illegal activity, and even though it won't be able to simulcast races from other parts of the country, and even though no one was coming here anyway, I think the abuse of greyhounds so unskilled owners and breeders won't further depress employment statistics is an important public service and I'm proud to squander my fortune doing it."

You go, Mr. Torguson! Who knows, maybe your 4.1 million will be the amount that brings animal cruelty back into vogue. Maybe you'll start a movement. Maybe bear baiting will come back in style. Yeah. That can be the entertainment between races. What a great idea! You could franchise it. Spread it out to the other greyhound tracks that are flourishing around the country.

Oops. Wait a minute.

Greyhound racing in Connecticut may be coming to an end. Rick Pullman, president of Autotote Enterprises, the company that controls off-track betting in the state would not comment on the future of greyhound racing at Shoreline Star, but sources close to the situation say Autotote has little interest in conducting live racing at the facility. "We have not reached a final determination on the return of greyhound racing," Pullman said, adding that "there's a good chance the dogs will not return."

Dang! At this rate all the tracks will be closed down before Torguson runs out of money...er...gets his franchise idea off the ground.

Greyhound racing has been slated to resume at Shoreline Star on May 12. Pullman said racing, if it returns, would not begin on that date. If greyhound racing does not continue in Bridgeport, it would end the Connecticut's two-decade-long association with the sport. Plainfield Greyhound Park, which opened in 1976, closed last May.

People People People! What about (soon to be) poor Mr. Torguson? He came all the way up here to waste...er...to invest his fortune and this is how you treat him?

What do you think about that Fandango? Are you as upset by this as we are? Didn't think so.


Fandango is sweet, very intelligent, obedient, mature, happy, affectionate but not needy. He is easy going. He likes to be petted and his tail wags in big loopy circles when he is happy. Fandango needs a home with someone home more often (about every 3-6 hours during the day) because he has a medical condition. He needs to be in a quiet home with older children, 8 and up. He is good with other dogs and would probably be fine as an only dog. Fandango may have diabetes insipidus or another condition, which is being currently evaluated. For more information about this dog, and other rescued racing greyhounds looking for homes, go here. If you don't know about the plight of racing greyhounds go here.

1 comment:

Ann ODyne said...

If I had a home, I would certainly share it with the dear doggie.

Oscar-winning actress Glenda Jackson who then became a member of paliament in England, runs a greyhound rescue oeganisation.
What a woman.
Good Luck.