Friday Hound Blogging

Now, usually when we read a letter to the editor that starts out "I am deeply saddened by the action of the New Hampshire Legislature and our governor in banning greyhound racing from the state..." we expect it to end "because now I'm going to have to go out and get a job and what kind of a market is there for a third grade dropout with personality disorders?"

Not so with the missive penned by overlord Karen Keelan though. No sirree. She knows she's part of something bigger, something special.

As someone whose family has been involved in this sport in New Hampshire and Massachusetts for many years, I took great pride in our race tracks when we managed to get through a card without having to stop for injured dogs. I was proud that our family-run businesses were contributing hundreds of low wage no benefit jobs, millions of dollars in payroll and tax revenues sucked off social security rubes two dollars at a time, and great entertainment for people who loved watching greyhounds run. Well, more specifically loved betting on greyhounds running. Hey if you just love watching them stay home. I got bills, you know?

I also took great pride in our greyhound adoption programs, which were among the most successful in the industry. Working with dozens of dedicated volunteers, we made sure that every retired greyhound found a loving adoptive home.Well, except for the ones who were shipped off to other tracks when they quit winning here, were injured and euthanized, or sold for medical research, but no system is perfect, right?

But best of all, I had a chance to work with the most amazing dogs in the world and then dump them when they couldn't turn a profit. Even when our track was losing money, which was most of the time, I loved my job because, well it wasn't really my job since the greyhounds did most of the work and took all of the risk. I was raised to appreciate, respect and care for them as long as they were earning money, and I always will miss sucking my trailer payments off their innocent backs.

Greyhound racing in New Hampshire is history now, but state residents should not be deceived about the reasons. It wasn't about greyhound injuries, which occur in fewer than one-half of one percent of all racing starts. It wasn't about greyhound care at the track, which must be first-rate in order for greyhounds to race at their best. It was about the fact that the industry treated innocent living creatures like disposable lighters for years and then lied about it, tried to cover it up, change the subject or blame the victims and attack those foolish enough to try and bring the public's attention  to this institutionalized animal cruelty that was the heart of greyhound racing.


Or it could have been about economics. In recent years, gambling competition has greatly increased. Greyhound racing has found it difficult to keep up with the explosion in high-tech casino gaming and online wagering. This made us easy targets for animal rights extremists looking to ban greyhound racing completely. Also the fact that slot machines aren't sold for medical research when they can't perform anymorelike greyhounds are  might have had something to do with it.


Animal rights groups won't stop there, however. New Hampshire dairy, egg and meat producers will be next on their hit list. So all you farmers out there keeping your cows in three by five crates for up to 22 hours a day, all you poultry people making your chickens race on unsafe tracks, and all you cattle people feeding your stock 4D meat, you better watch out.

Crap Red, she's figured us out. Now our plan to turn the whole world into Vegans, starting with the greyhound racing industry will have to be rethought.

Red Light is a little shy but very affectionate. She likes to shadow her foster mom around the house. She is playful and puppy-like. She has comical ears that stand in different ways. She wants to nuzzle and touch her foster mom with her nose all the time. Red Light would do best with a family with someone home more often. She is good with other dogs and she would probably be fine as an only dog. She would do best around children 10 and up. 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.