Friday Hound Blogging

OK it's pretty obvious democracy is in terrible danger in this country. We mean, look at the facts: We're ruled by a Kenyan president who is also a fascist Muslim with socialist tendencies. He's trying to kill your grandmother and force you to marry a gay after getting a sex change operation, and as if that's not bad enough, his wife parades around the country with naked arms.

But all is not lost. There is a group of patriots who are willing to stand up for free enterprise, free market, and free balloons for the kids on Saturday.

We're talking about the overlords, of course. Allow us to explain. Back in November most of the people in Massachusetts voted to end greyhound racing. Ha! you think a little thing like majority rule is going to stand in the way of them sucking a free meal ticket off the suffering of the dogs...er...we mean engaging in their constitutional right to life liberty and the pursuit of trailer payments?

No way. Now the power of their movement has overwhelmed the fat cats and socialist puppy huggers in the capital. Bow before the awesomeness of the minority timorous officials, merely elected by more than half of the populace! What say you now that we stand before you in our full formidable glory?

Greyhound racing supporters trying to overturn a statewide ban on dog races have been dealt a legal setback by the state attorney general. Attorney General Martha Coakley advised Lynn District Court to throw out an election fraud complaint filed a pro-dog racing group trying to overturn the ban.

Ha! We thought so. You're not so big when faced...wait, what?

Coakley wrote that "no person could be properly charged ... based on the statements upon which the complaint is premised."

But...but...how can you kill a thriving industry like this? How can you ignore the millions of people who want to see unit exploitation...er...greyhound racing?

These are changing times for the parimutuel industry and also for the Jacksonville Kennel Club.The venerable greyhound racing track, which first opened its doors in 1935, is now closed. "There are some things in the works," Matthew Kroetz, CEO of Jacksonville Greyhound Racing, said without being specific, though it would not likely involve greyhound racing.

Well, OK the millions of people except for Florida. Wait. Don't go. What if we had more crashes? People go to the car races to see crashes. What if we had more greyhound crashes?

GREY2K USA recently reported on racing injuries at tracks in Arizona. Two tracks in the state reported a total of 555 injuries in 2008, including 451 at Phoenix Greyhound Park. Thirty-seven of the events proved to be fatal. On June 21, the Arizona Republic published a story about declining attendance numbers for racing, competition from casinos and pressure from animal-advocacy groups.

Well, sure it sounds bad when you say it like that, but all of the injured greyhounds get the finest in medical care.

The dog, Atomic Clock, which has won eight times from 46 starts, fractured her tail in a collision during the running of race nine at Adelaide's Angle Park track on January 26.

Greyhound Racing SA vet Dr Christopher Doyle told the Sunday Mail he heard "a dog making a screaming noise like it was in pain" in the kennel house after the race.

"I saw Burgess hosing down the dog's tail, it was bleeding and obviously there was a piece of it missing," Dr Doyle said.

"I saw the bloody scissors and asked Burgess what happened and he told me up front, his attitude was it was no big deal."

Hey, come on. That's just one bad apple. Besides, he got in trouble big time.

Paul John Burgess, of Broken Hill, was originally banned from the sport for 10 years by Greyhound Racing SA after the incident in January, but that was reduced to just 12 months by the sport's racing appeals tribunal earlier this month.

Yeah, but did you read the part about no TV and he has to come straight home after the races?

No TV? Whoa. Those dudes are serious about your welfare, huh Allie?

Allie makes the cutest expressions with her ears—one up and one down, or both stuck out in different directions. Allie is very outgoing and loves attention; she will come up to you for pets and will stay there as long as you are petting her. She loves toys and has her favorites, one being a stuffed bunny that she will carry around the house. She has one ear that will fold up that is so cute; she loves to lie on her back in the “cockroach” position. She will rub against you to get your attention away from the other dogs. In the morning she loves to rub against the bed. Allie will sometimes give kisses. When she gets really excited, she likes to nip at your hand in a playful way. Allie would do fine in a working family home with well-mannered children ages 5 and up. She is fine with the other dogs and 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.