Friday, July 17, 2009

Friday Hound Blogging

Oh bummer. Looks like another bad week for the overlords.
The decision by two New Hampshire racetracks to suspend their greyhound races leaves just one track in the state to watch live races. The move by The Lodge at Belmont and Seabrook Greyhound Park to abandon live dog racing this year doesn't necessarily spell the end of greyhound contests in New Hampshire. (The state's only other racetrack, at Rockingham Park in Salem, hosts harness racing and does not run dog races.) But it is a reflection of the waning popularity of live racing in New Hampshire and New England.
OK, so greyhound racing isn't over, but the only track where it could happen isn't doing it. Now, we don't want to jump to any conclusions here, but that just can't be good. So what's the problem?
Track owners say they decided to drop their live racing dates because the costs of hosting those races aren't offset by the wagering activity they attract. Bets on live races accounted for $3.1 million of the $181.5 million wagered at the state's racetracks last year. One of those tracks, the Hinsdale Greyhound Park, closed and declared bankruptcy in December.
Well, bankruptcy does have a way of cutting into your profits. Looks like that's a wrap then, huh? We mean, where you going to find anyone stupid enough to back a business with such bleak prospects?
Greyhound tracks are folding across the country, but in cash-strapped Rhode Island - where the unemployment rate is among the nation's worst - lawmakers are betting on the dogs to save jobs. Lawmakers have moved to force a bankrupt, state-licensed slot parlor to run 200 days of live racing at its greyhound track even though current law only requires 125.
OK, now we're not econometrical professionals or anything, but if no one is coming to the track in 125 days and you make them stay open 75 more days when no one comes, won't that increase their costs, and reduce profits even further, resulting in, oh we don't know...layoffs? Just asking.
The move bucks a national trend away from greyhound racing. In the last year alone, Massachusetts voters passed a ballot question banning greyhound racing. New Hampshire's two remaining greyhound tracks won state permission last month to end live racing after waning interest from bettors. About 30 tracks remain nationwide, down from a peak of about 55 in the early 1990s, said Gary Guccione, executive director of the Kansas-based National Greyhound Association.
Ouch. Come on now, there has to be a bright spot somewhere. After all, everybody can't get accepted to Walmart Greeter School. Isn't there even a slight glimmer of hope?
After being closed for about a year and a half, what was once known as the Corpus Christi Greyhound Racetrack opened its doors again. A grand opening was held Friday for the Gulf Coast Race Track.
Hooray! Finally some good news. Man, just in time too. We've said it be fore and we'll say it again, it's hard out here for an overlord. Whew! So, fill us in, what are the particulars?
Efforts are currently underway to bring live dog races back as well.
We're sorry. What did you say?
"We don't have any live dogs as of yet, that's hopefully in the future. Sometime next year, we'll look into a live racing schedule," Gulf Coast Racing's Ricardo Pimentel said.
Yeah. Ah, so you've opened a Greyhound Racetrack...except without the greyhounds. What are we missing here Bo?

Bo is relaxed and reserved. He wants pets, and will stand up close until you notice him. Bo would do well in a working family home with well-mannered children, 10 and up. He is good with other dogs and would probably be good 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.

6 comments:

greygarious said...

On one of the GH online groups, pro-racing members decried the dropping of live racing in NH by feigning concern that a glut of out-of-work dogs would be put down for lack of adopters, and dredged up their traditional jabs against Grey2KUSA because its focus is on lobbying, not raising funds for adoption . When it came out that races are not currently held in NH, with only a few dozen dogs left at track kennels while awaiting adoption kennel space, they shifted their concern to the people who'd be put out of work. AGAIN: there are already no race-related jobs at the NH GH tracks.
This left the pro-racers to apply the paddles to the stupidest reason to continue this odious sport: "If there were no dog racing I wouldn't have been able to adopt my furbaby, Speedy".
They maintain that the demand for pet greyhounds would mean they'd be raised in puppy mills (as though that's not what a GH farm IS!). Guess they've never heard about the rescued hounds in Europe in need of more homes than that continent can provide, or of responsible, caring AKC breeders, who'd be well-qualified to fill whatever minimal demand there would be.

Anonymous said...

it's more than pathetic.
Americans used to love to make fun of Canadians, and sometimes for good reason. However, times are a changin'.
Rhode Island wants to keep the dogs in their misery and casts not to mention peril, by continuing the races and keeping people at "work"? This is what Canadians did with the seal hunt despite millions denouncing this cruel hunt, and universal banning of Canadian products because of this barbaric "business".
What does it take to get just a little "with it"?
Probably a whole bunch of education and forced, until the age of 18. Then guess what occurs?
Reinvention.

greygarious said...

Maybe it should be clarified that what happened in NH is that the legislature voted to drop the requirement that a track has to hold live races in order to have simulcasting rights. As soon as that decision was made, Seabrook and Lakes Region announced that they'd stop the live races. There's still an effort in NH to ban dog racing outright, because as things now stand, live racing COULD be reinstated if anyone were foolish enough to think it would be prudent and profitable. Since there's no shortage of fools.....
Many of us who supported the MA ban would not object if MA passed a law enabling the tracks to simulcast once live racing is abolished. Although we would prefer a worldwide end to dog racing, we realize that problem gamblers will find always find something to bet on. If Raynham and Wonderland can remain viable businesses without live racing, we won't interfere.

Anonymous said...

That is interesting. Greygarious, can you tell us which GH online groups are least influenced by the pro-racing people. I might belong to one if there aren't too many idiots pushing their wares.
Thanks.
Jane

greygarious said...

Jane, if there are online groups without a pro-racing faction, I'm unaware of them. For an idea about the GH situation in Europe, sign up at galgonews.com. Greyhound Protection League and Greyhound Network News are good sources for USA info.

Anonymous said...

AOK! Thanks so much!
xoxo