Friday, June 27, 2008

Friday Hound Blogging

Ruh Ro. Seems like all the bad news of the past...um...several years or so is beginning to make the overlords a bit testy.*

Karyn Zoldan would like to see Tucson Greyhound Park boarded up and greyhound racing ended. It's not much of a secret. For several years, Zoldan has been an outspoken critic of the track and of greyhound racing, speaking out about how the dogs are treated and the problems that arise when they are retired and no one wants them. And by "problems" we mean killing perfectly healthy dogs simply because they can't make a buck for their overlords anymore.

Zoldan now finds herself the target of a defamation lawsuit in Pima County Superior Court. Those statements, Tucson Greyhound Park claims, have damaged the track's reputation. "You can imagine how one would feel reading that tens of thousands of dogs had died at your track," said John Munger, an attorney representing the track. "That just isn't true. We take them away from the track and kill them."

Because of the small purses it offers, Tucson Greyhound Park is widely regarded as an "end of the line" destination where greyhounds finish their racing careers. That distinction has led to a glut of retired racers and incidents of greyhound abandonment and disappearance. Two years ago, more than 140 dogs disappeared after they were supposed to have been taken to adoption groups. A number of other incidents also have made headlines. "Yeah, but most of our customers can't afford a subscription to the newspaper," Munger said. "She puts her stuff on the internet though and we're afraid some of the rubes might stumble across it while they're searching for porn."

That's a point Counselor, but it may already be too late. Check out this comment from one of the rubes:

I will point this out. I am a dog racing fan. I do not support TGP and also wish they closed their doors and went under. The track itself is ran (sic) poorly and has so many issues that has ran(sic) me off from supporting it. Very evident the state is keeping TGP alive by the tax measures it has passed to alleviate the loss in handle and revenue starting in the early 90's.
One problem is that the handlers and trainers need to be tested for drug use. Always hear stories of trainers getting busted for meth, cocaine, and heroin abuse. That and booze as well. The kennel compound is not that great but considering the weather here it could be much worse. TGP does house dogs who no longer race and take care of them so they can be adopted but it is too big a number and these dogs can not go to Caliente, MX to race.
What Karyn does miss most of all is the over breeding that occurs in this industry. In hopes of running at major tracks like Derby Lane, Wheeling, or Twin Rivers for major purses. (sic) If the NGA forced breeders to cut down the breedings the problem would help and alleviate tracks like Tucson, Mobile, or Wonderland that are struggling. Dog tracks that are supported buy casino money, like Wheeling, need that cut off and the breedings will also stop. She is correct that dog racing is a dying sport and eventually only a handful of tracks will have it. More due to more casinos opening in Florida and closing ballot initiaves (sic) in Mass.

Well, we never said the rubes were literary geniuses, but you get the point, huh Taz?

Dirty Dare AKA Taz is a very sweet, happy, mellow boy. He is affectionate and sometimes shadows his foster family around the house. He is playful play and run in circles. He greets his family with enthusiasm when they get home. Taz would do well in a working family home with older, well-mannered children, 9 and up. He is good as an only dog, and is good with other medium to larger size 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.

* if you have to sign in, try this: bitemenow@mailinator.com password: kissmine

And while you're searching for porn, why not stop by Karyn's blog and show her some love.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

The first few paragraphs of your posting about Tucson Greyhound Park plagarize Josh Brodeskey's story in the Arizona Daily Star.

Ironicus Maximus said...

Plagarize!!?!! Oh Noes!!!1!
That's almost as bad a plagiarize!!
We are shocked we tell you shocked! Readers of this blog have come to expect the finest quality writing and highest ethical standards in the blogosphere.

Oh wait, that's Kos. We usually blog drunk.

Never mind, continue with what you were doing.

Anonymous said...

So stating that you usually blog drunk is your excuse for false, plagiarized, made up, misquoted and/or inaccurate information? Wonder if that excuse would hold up in a court of law?

Ironicus Maximus said...

Whoa. Feeling a little bit...umm..."testy" there pal?

Cheer up. Sooner or later people were bound to figure out that exploiting innocent animals for profit, then killing them was not the trip to Disneyland the industry said it was.

Anonymous said...

Well, apparently there are two "anonymouses" (anonymi?).

Anyway, you lose your credibility by posting somebody else's words as if they were your own. Either you're lazy, unethical, or simply incapable of putting your own sentences together. Wonder how many other blogs on this site are actually things copied from other people.

Ironicus Maximus said...

Umm...all of them? What do you think you're reading anyway, Newsweek?