Friday Hound Blogging

Regular readers of this blog probably need a life...er...we mean will probably be familiar with our descriptions of the high degree of care given to the units by the overlords. Those wishing a refresher can go here. The units are elite athletes after all, trained to a high degree of performance by people with third grade educations.

Anyway the point is, the units represent quite an investment on the part of the overlords. Well, at least until they lose a race, then they're dropped like a hot rock and another unit takes their place. While they're helping the overlords make their trailer payments though, they are cared for and the conditions in which they live race are carefully monitored for safety.

Except when they're not.

The greyhounds that race at The Lodge at Belmont get the best of care, say track officials, who also say a legislative effort to eliminate what is claimed to be the dogs' inhumane treatment is based on misinformation. "I don't know what gave you the impression that all those injured dogs were injured and all those dead dogs were dead," said Bill Magee, who is The Lodge at Belmont's general manager. "Somebody just doesn't have the facts."

Magee stressed that The Lodge at Belmont is a responsible and important corporate citizen. "When is the last time someone got arrested out there huh? It's been weeks," he said.

With 86 full-time and 60 seasonal, part-time workers, the track is Belmont's largest private employer, he said, as well as its biggest taxpayer. When asked how many of those positions were minimum wage, no benefits jobs Magee said he wasn't aware there was a minimum wage. "You mean I could be making more that $1.50 an hour?"

Magee said he was "very proud of our record being a 100 percent no-kill facility" and for adopting out greyhounds who no longer raced. When asked how many Belmont dogs are shipped to other less competitive tracks to finish their careers and what their fates were, Magee said he couldn't be sure. "Do you worry about what happens to your old car when you trade it in for a new one?"

Magee was unhappy that GREY2KUSA in its public pronouncements brought up alleged misdeeds at the dog tracks from more than 20 years ago. A section in a report that was sent to all 424 New Hampshire lawmakers claimed that 160 greyhounds suffered "career-ending injuries, died or were euthanized" in 2005 and 2006.

When informed that 2005 ans 2006 weren't "twenty" years ago, Magee apologized and said the 20 in the date "threw me off. I never was very good in math."

We'd bet math wasn't the only subject he had trouble in, right Bridget?

Bridget is friendly, playful and outgoing. She loves attention and likes to play. She is a Second Chance at Life Dog from the Coldwater Prison Program. Bridget would be good in a working family home with well-mannered children, 10 and up. She is good with other dogs, but likes to keep her food and toys to herself. She would probably be fine as an only dog. 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.

Bongo Update: Bongo has become a regular part of his foster family's routine. He's a very happy boy who looks forward to walks and likes to play with toys.