Friday Hound Blogging

Man. It's got to be tough being an overlord. There's the continual buzzing in your head, the confusion over which shoe goes on which foot (well, for those who have shoes that is) and constantly forgetting which side of the door is the one that opens.

And if that's not bad enough, those pesky animal rights whackos just won't leave you alone.

The battle over greyhound racing is being joined again in Massachusetts, as a proposed ban makes its way toward a November ballot vote - a redux of 2000. "Well, I don't know anything about red dux," said George Carney, owner of Raynham Park. "But Greyhounds are born to run, and the race dogs are treated better than most house pets."

Yeah. People often tell us they kill their pets when they get tired of them.

Once again, Raynham Park is ground zero in the battle.The park, a sprawling racing and entertainment complex on Route 138 about a mile from Interstate 495, is the state's busiest and most successful racetrack.

Umm...there are only two tracks in Massachusetts.

The state's other dog track, Wonderland Park in Revere, operates only half the year.

The principal complaints against the local tracks are injuries to dogs during races and confinement of the dogs in kennels for long periods. At Raynham Park in 2006, there were 79 reported injuries, most commonly broken bones. Dogs sometimes collide with each other or hit the wall when going around the quarter-mile oval.

Supporters of dog racing point out that injuries are a part of every sport. And Carney emphasizes that at his track, "every dog is taken care of. Erm...that didn't come out right."

Raynham Selectman Donald L. MacKinnon said he disagrees with arguments of the dog racing opponents but thinks their odds of winning probably are improving. "If you put a thing on the ballot enough, it's going to happen," MacKinnon said. "Especially if it's the right thing to do."

Carney has vowed to fight the dog racing petition and is lobbying on Beacon Hill for slot machines. He also said he plans to submit a proposal for a casino. "Look, if I can't make money off of people who don't mind exploiting animals, I need to have a shot at those people who think they're one quarter slot machine away from being millionaires."

Carney said he probably will sue to try to keep it off the ballot. "The last thing greyhound racing needs is to be put to a vote," he said.

He's right about that. Too bad dogs can't vote, huh Dinky?

Dinky is adorable and will do full body wags when she greets people. When really happy, she will run and jump into your arms. She likes to bring all the stuffies into her crate to nuzzle. She gets very excited when she plays with her toys and will be a good dog for kids over 6. She loves to spend time in the yard exploring and hunting squirrels. She will pull herself into your lap for affection; she really wants to get right on your lap. Dinky would do best in a home with children over age 6, as she tends to be a bit bouncy. She would be fine as an only dog or with other large breed dogs. 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.

Mr Shortpants update: Mr. Short Pants AKA Tyler is really relaxed. He’s very good with the stairs now and he is a little more playful. Being a Second Chance dog, he worked toward his Second Chance Obedience Training certificate and received getting regular obedience training.

And if you 'd like to know more about the good work the Second Chance for Life program is doing for the dogs, and the prisoners, go here.