Friday, October 08, 2010

Friday Hound Blogging

Whoa! Oh, hi there. Caught us a little off guard. Getting ready for the big game and all. Say, you wouldn't happen to have any ice would you? Our freezer's full of Stoli. No? OK, well here's a few bucks would you mind running down to the...oh. You're here for Friday Hound Blogging. Well, no problem, no problem, we'll just take a peek at the toobz and see what the overlords have been up to. You sure you don't have any ice?

Now...um...let's see...overlords expect people with souls to clean up their mess...ah..old news...industry being killed by over regulation...same-o same-o...upstanding character of overlords besmirched in politically motivated smear campaign...slings and arrows, slings and arrows. Wait a minute, what's this?
There may not be greyhound racing in Massachusetts anymore, but there are still a lot of greyhounds.
Guess what? That's going to happen when you...you know...stop killing them and stuff.
In Massachusetts, a statewide ballot question in 2008 passed by a large margin and ended dog racing here forever. Locally, tracks like Wonderland were pretty much put out of business. Others, like the Taunton track, were also put out of business.
"Others?" Er...Mr. Reporter sir? There are no "others." And, when the state outlawed dog racing what did you expect would happen to dog racing tracks? See, the whole idea of making something illegal is to stop people from doing it. No need to thank us for clearing that up for you. We're glad we could help.
So why is it that the dogs are now being ignored by so many?
Yeah, OK we don't mean to be rude or anything, but when you have to have illegal explained to you we're just going to have to ask how many is "so many" and who, exactly are these people ignoring greyhounds. Last time we checked people like Christine Dorchak hadn't moved to Belize or anything.
While that ballot question ended the long-standing dog racing industry in the state a few years ago, racing dogs are still coming back to Massachusetts from out-of-state in huge quantities and adoption agencies here are trying to figure out what to do with them.
 Hmm...well certainly "some people" think "huge quantities" are flooding into Massachusetts, but then, some people think the earth is flat so, Mr. Reporter sir, no offense but, do you, like, actually talk to people before you write your stories or is it just, you know, voices in your head and whatnot?
It’s an example of just how a ballot question – so emotionally driven – can have such unforeseen consequences. It brings up the larger question as to whether or not such sweeping changes to government should be determined by a simple vote of the people.
 Well, if by "unforeseen consequences" you mean greyhounds get to live longer, you know that wasn't all that "unforeseen." In fact it was sort of the point. And as for "simple vote of the people" that's that there whatderyacallit? Democracy? You know, Declaration of Independence? Baseball? Apple pie? Is any of this getting through?
Basically, after racing ended here, many trainers and kennel owners took their dogs to Florida. There are 13 tracks in Florida still in existence and dogs from Wonderland simply made the trip south. They weren’t set free to frolic in the fields and play all day long. They just went somewhere else to race.
 Right. You do understand that the law just referred to racing in Massachusetts don't you? There is still exploitation racing going on in other states.
Now, however, those dogs are retiring and they’re coming back to Massachusetts in droves. “We used to get four or five dogs and now often they want to bring a lot of dogs all at once,” said Louise Coleman – director of Greyhound Friends. “They don’t want to bring a few of these dogs all the way up here from Florida.”
True dat. This is called cleaning up after the overlords. See "people with souls" above.
Another worry is if greyhound racing disintegrates in other places. Just who will take care of all of those dogs? It’s a worry in the adoption industry that they call the potential “Greyhound Tsunami.”
Surely you are overly concerned Ms. Coleman. The overlords have explained to us, using irrefutable geometric logic that the dogs they so lovingly sucked their trailer payments off of all those years  will not be abandoned. Why, not a day goes by that some overlord somewhere doesn't explain how much the the industry cares for these "athletes." They're part of the family.

OK, writing that gave us a headache.
Finally, there’s also the worry about the overall survival of the greyhound breed. Without greyhound racing, greyhound trainers, and upstanding kennels, adoption agency directors wonder who would actually breed greyhounds.
Yipes, we hadn't thought of that. Why, greyhounds could suffer the same fate as horses did when people stopped breeding them after cars were invented. Jeez Ozzie, who'd a thought you were better off racing for a couple of years then being killed, huh?



Ozzie is very confident, curious and silly. His family says he is a big goof ball. He likes affection, but does not always seek it out. He will stay by you when you pet him. He looks at everything like he is seeing it for the first time. He is always investigating things. In the beginning, he kept running up to the full length mirror to see the “other dog”. He likes to stick his nose in things to “see” what it is – like your glass. Ozzie would do well in a working family home with well-mannered children, 5 and up. He is good with 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.

6 comments:

greygarious said...

Hmmm, just spent an hour composing a thorough rebuttal to the Rever Journal piece, only to find their website stalling when I try to post a comment. Will try again.
Louise Coleman is good at cultivating publicity for her kennel, but her current tack is hypocritical, IMO, especially since she also re-homes greyhounds from Ireland and Spain, where there is a constant surplus and no effective effort to control breeding or end racing.

Anonymous said...

Have you seen it? Unbelievable. A 67 year old JUDGE (Federal - also known as "The Pearl",) finds hisself in a "peculiar position"?(And so now, do a LOT of the Hob-"Nobbing" crowds!) Well, so says a lotta articles 'bout JUDGE JACK T. CAMP.
Guess when you're caught at a strip joint and some gal is "lap dancing on your Honda", newspapers gonna call "it in".
(Maybe the Gang-"Crows"?
Hell. Maybe even the ARK...called "GOATS"?
(Them "Billies" be "sowin'" all them "fields"!)
And by the way," Moulin Rouge" be "the Channel" and THEY be in EXPLOSIVES! And o' course, that be GAY PARIS!
Can ya imagine? This boy into prostitution! He also into gun totin' , East to WEST. and for his extra attention to "de-tail" , he goin' "down" for drug deals! For cocaine! And a lotta prescription pills!(Not to mention greasing all them strip poles!)
Seems Senior Federal JUDGE JACK T. CAMP into "Jack Ass" too!
Know WHY?
Cause he been appointed by Ronald Reagan and built his "reputation" on handing out "stiff" sentences
He now doin' the royal "Bosanova" for guns and drugs hisself! He also headin' to "the pen"! He goin' for "not guilty" tho' , like everybody, but ain't gonna work. No sireee.
Know WHY?
Cause his "gal pal" ho be turnin' for the FBI!!!!
AND WE TOLD YA AND WE TOLD YA AND WE TOLD YA but some of ya just too damn stupid to LISTEN!
Lucky for her she did the "lap dance of a lifetime" with them FBI caause now she "free to go"!
So, lesson learned here..."GOLDRUSH" and "SHOWBAR" ain't all what it made out to be.
There be MOLES in 'em and they tellin' EVERYTHIN'!!!!!
Long story short, them two went shoppin' to a "house" in Marietta GEORGIA for MORE drugs and the Judge be carryin' a semi-automatic? For her?
He also was gonna "explain" to a employer that she really was a good ol' fashioned gal and he told his ho to tell that S.O.B. exactly that, or else! Cause he still be carryin' that semi automatic and "for her"!
And in conclusion, cause we got just "a ton" o' ammo vs the JUDGES, LAWYERS. SHERIFFS, you name it, they ALL went shoppin'- AGAIN! And by this time it be the "REAL McCOY"!
PUBLIX!!!!!!
Oh ya. "Parking Lot Specials"!
And JUDGE JACK T. CAMP be REALLY "Jacked" with not only his semi automatic pistol, he also carryin' his "BIG GUN" and he "gonna take care of any problems that come up"! (Lord have mercy!)
Well, lo and behold, the Arch Angel did appear with drugs for $160.00 and the ho bought them for JUDGE JACK T. CAMP and the "deliverer" be such a "saint" he throw in an extra TWO PILLS! And the Judge was pleased.
Hold on. Gonna take a leak.

Anonymous said...

Have you seen it? Unbelievable. A 67 year old JUDGE (Federal - also known as "The Pearl",) finds hisself in a "peculiar position"?(And so now, do a LOT of the Hob-"Nobbing" crowds!) Well, so says a lotta articles 'bout JUDGE JACK T. CAMP.
Guess when you're caught at a strip joint and some gal is "lap dancing on your Honda", newspapers gonna call "it in".
(Maybe the Gang-"Crows"?
Hell. Maybe even the ARK...called "GOATS"?
(Them "Billies" be "sowin'" all them "fields"!)
And by the way," Moulin Rouge" be "the Channel" and THEY be in EXPLOSIVES! And o' course, that be GAY PARIS!
(via SCOOTER!)
MERCI "DUBOIS"!
And MERCI to "the FLOWER"...(India style)
Cause it all for them fireworks in ISRAEL!(All compliments of the QUEEN & DUKE and CORDITE!)
Cause them ROYALS just ITCHIN' for all that SILVER!(And MAFIA in ROME, & LAKE COMO, too!)LOTS and LOTS of SILVER!
(It be Armani????)
Oh JESUS. If it be SILVER....it be IRELAND, TOO!And then, you GOTTA talk SCOTLAND!
Oh Christ. It be WALES, with all the REST of 'em! Ah hell..throw in RUSSIA . Why not? They doin' it ALL!
WATER EXTRAORNINAIRE! (High Seas included! And to evade all the officials...CARIBBEAN, BABY!!!!!
But RIO...BIG PROBLEMO! Them "Hills" gettin' CRUCIFIED!Everyone know 'bout them ROUTES and STREETS! And PEDDLERS!And them GI's are BLEEDIN'!(Presbyterians?)And the CUBANS? Forgetabboutit.Everyone be FIGHTIN"!Head DICK be MAD!And them POCKETS and them DENS and them SCUBA DIVES, oh LORDY...them LEASES! But the WORST, THEM PRIESTS & BISHOPS...all DIDDLIN' and PORKIN' CHILDREN! THEM "FEAST DAYS"!!! OH..MEN OF HELL!!!!!ECCLIASTICAL SHAME!!!!!!! USED LIKE DOGS! "MERCHANTS OF DEATH"! "GENTLEMEN of FINER THINGS"! THOU SHALT NOT SIN FURTHER!!!!!!!!THY SHELLS BE SMASHED OPENED & AND HUGE STONES BE CAST!!!YE SHALL BE PUNISHED BY GOD!!AND SATAN SHALL TAKE THY SOULS!!!ALL THY BLOODY LOOTIN'!!ALL BEELZEBUB'S WRATH!!!INTO THE FIRES YE ALL SHALL BE THROWN!!!!
But I gettin' carried away here. That "Cat WAY outta that BAG"! And all them "ARIZONA COPPERS" all LOOSE .(Not to mention, ALUMINUM.!) THE ANGELS ARE CRYING! ON HIGH!!!!!!!!
Can ya imagine? This boy into prostitution! He also into gun totin' , East to WEST. and for his extra attention to "de-tail" , he goin' "down" for drug deals! For cocaine! And a lotta prescription pills!(Not to mention greasing all them strip poles!)
Seems Senior Federal JUDGE JACK T. CAMP into "Jack Ass" too!
Know WHY?
Cause he been appointed by Ronald Reagan and built his "reputation" on handing out "stiff" sentences
He now doin' the royal "Bosanova" for guns and drugs hisself! He also headin' to "the pen"! He goin' for "not guilty" tho' , like everybody, but ain't gonna work. No sireee.
Know WHY?
Cause his "gal pal" ho be turnin' for the FBI!!!!
AND WE TOLD YA AND WE TOLD YA AND WE TOLD YA but some of ya just too damn stupid to LISTEN!
Lucky for her she did the "lap dance of a lifetime" with them FBI cause now she "free to go"!
So, lesson learned here..."GOLDRUSH" and "SHOWBAR" ain't all what it made out to be.People losin'
EVERYTHIN'!INFO! SEARCHES! SEIZURES! PARKED! PRISON! STRAWMEN ,TOO!(FOREIGN!) All wasted & tumblin' down like a AVALANCHE!
(Goin' to bed. Continue in a.m.)

Tom Grady said...

I read this story on Thursday in disbelief. It seems to posted as a straight news story, but the writer seems to be very much against the vote to end greyhound racing there.

The primary argument in the piece suggests it is terrible that greyhound racing has ended because the dogs are having a hard time finding homes.
It's the same argument used against anti-puppy mill legislation. - What will happen to the dogs that are rescued from the mills.

So greyhound racing insiders and puppy mill operators think nothing of the millions that have died to date as a result of their industries. And they think nothing of the millions that will die in the future.
Suddenly, they are so concerned (fake) with the dogs' welfare?

And there's this from the comments section - " Our dogs are not safe in Florida. There are no laws to protect them from elective euthanasia ..."
Laws to protect them from "elective euthanasia?" Where are there laws against elective euthanasia? What is this person talking about?
And do they consider the thousands each year that die in racing nationwide?

greygarious said...

@Tom Grady - I am not sure about other states, but the Wisconsin legislature passed rules governing greyhound racing which included a stipulation that no adoptable greyhounds could be euthanized. This was good in theory but not enough to protect the dogs from the likes of Daniel Shonka, who was registered as operator of an adoption organization but who in fact sold the retired racers to a company that developed and manufactured cardiac devices such as pacemakers. For 5 yrs prior to 2000, he sold a total of over 1000 dogs, only 108 of which survived when the crime was discovered and the company, which had no idea that Shonka was not operating legally, released what dogs they had at the time. Also, the WI law allowed for dogs to be returned to their breeders, who were then free to kill them if they chose to.

I agree with you that the Revere Journal "news" story is an editorial - their website will still not take my comment, nor is there any other link to enable an e-mail to their offices.

Vic said...

The overlords argument that if Greyhound racing ends then there would be be no more Greyhounds, and that would be a pity.

That would be a great pity, as they are fantastic animals, but I would like to pose a question to them. Why not just breed less of them , and promote the breed instead of exploiting them for their pocket books as racing surely is doing?