Friday Hound Blogging

Oh you think March Madness is about basketball? Reader Please. Well, maybe in some places like here in Spartanville (65 - 54 IN YOUR FACE VALPO!!) but in Texas march madness is what the overlords are experiencing because those daggum latte sippin', tree huggin', Birkenstock wearin', animal rights wackos have come to town and just upset the apple cart.

• As many as 700 dogs are kept at Gulf Greyhound Park, in small cages that are barely large enough for the dogs to stand up or turn around.

• Between 2008 and 2011, a total of 1,507 greyhound injuries were reported at Gulf Greyhound Park. The most commonly reported injury was a broken leg, and other reported injuries include puncture wounds, lacerations, paralysis and a fractured skull.

• Like other states, dog racing is dying in Texas. The total amount gambled on greyhound racing has declined by 61% since 2007, while dog track attendance has fallen by 52%.

• In recent years Texas greyhound trainers have been cited for animal neglect, cruel live lure training, and dog race drug positives.

• Greyhounds are fed raw "4-D" meat from diseased animals that has been deemed unfit for human consumption as a way to reduce costs.

• Six greyhounds died in 2012 at Gulf Greyhound Park from an apparent outbreak of the dog flu.

And they're Yankees to boot!

Now, to add insult to reality, the local newspaper picked up on the story (subscription required, but don't bother, we'll use our mad inter toob skillzz to bring you the naughty parts:

Racing dogs spend most of their lives, as much as 22 hours a day, warehoused in stacked cages measuring 3 feet tall, 3 feet wide and 4 feet deep, according to the report.

The groups also take issue with the practice of feeding racing dogs “4-D” meat. The name comes from a U.S. Department of Agriculture designation of meat from cattle that were “dead, dying, disabled or diseased” when they reached the slaughterhouse.
“The meat from these carcasses is boned, and the meat is packaged or frozen without heat processing,” according to the USDA’s website.

Even cast in the best light, greyhound racing is an inherently cruel form of entertainment, the groups argue.
The report notes that between January 2008 and December 2011, dogs suffered 1,507 injuries at Gulf Greyhound Park. The most common injury was broken legs at 19 percent, followed by other fractures at 12 percent, torn muscles and ligaments at 15 percent and pulled muscles at 15 percent.
During the same period, 56 dogs either died from or were put down because of injury, according to the report.

Perhaps the bottom line for the animal welfare groups is a general decline in attendance and amounts gambled at Texas dog tracks.
Attendance at Texas dog tracks has fallen 45 percent, from more than 450,000 visitors a year in 2007 to slightly more than 250,000 in 2011, according to the report.

Industry leaders have testified that the future “looks very bleak” for Texas dog racing without slot machines at dog tracks, according to testimony quoted in the report.

Did we mention they were Yankees?

Well, as you might imagine this put a burr under the saddle of Gulf Greyhound Park General Manager Sally Briggs who got her Word-A-Day calender out, sharpened her best pencil (and not the eraser end either like last time) and fired off a missive to the local paper. If you're wondering why none of the other managers at greyhound tracks in Texas joined her crusade, it's because there are no other tracks in Texas. Apparently, everything is bigger in Texas, except greyhound racing.

Now, as near as we can tell, the letter hasn't been published, but because of our mad investigative skillzz, we have obtained a copy which we will now share with you as an example of the intellectual acumen, rhetorical expertise, and logical prowess inherent in the heartless exploitation of innocent animals for profit industry...um...we mean greyhound racing.

The March 17 story on Texas greyhound racing shows how animal rights activists present their propaganda claims as fact, even when those claims defy logic and common sense.

Gotcha right there animal rights wackos. If there's anyone who knows about defying logic and common sense, it's an overlord. We mean, these are people who've watched tracks close all over the country, greyhound racing get outlawed in several states, and abandoned by state governments in others, yet they can say, "The world of Greyhound racing is alive, well and growing."

Racing greyhounds must be well cared for in order to perform at their best.

OK, that could be true, except what usually happens is a dog is brought in, raced until it doesn't make money, they booted and another dog takes its place. So we have to remember that when overlords talk about their industry, it's the fantasy version they are describing, not the one where dogs die every day.

Similarly, greyhounds are turned out for exercise 4-5 times daily in order to ensure that they remain in top condition. When they’re not racing or exercising, they prefer to rest...

Ha! What do you say to that animal rights wackos? The overlords have such a bond with the units...erm...dogs that they know what they are thinking! Hey, what if we asked to them to find how how the dogs feel about risking life and limb every day so the overlords can stay out of the workforce. What do you think they would say?

 Yeah. That's what we thought.

Good nutrition is another key to the health of racing greyhounds. The meat they consume is the same highly nutritious meat used in the commercial pet foods most of us give our pets every day.

And by "most of us" they mean people who don't like their pets very much. 

Skin diseases, allergies, immune deficiencies, liver and kidney disease and cancer are some of the chronic health issues facing pet owners today. Mounting research suggests unhealthy ingredients common in many brands of commercial food may cause these chronic diseases. A growing number of veterinarians have reported that diets rich in fresh, whole, healthy foods have made a remarkable difference in treating chronic disease, and in helping to prevent disease in healthy pets.

On the bright side, the overlords usually don't keep a dog around long enough to see the results of 4D food, so no harm no foul, right?

Veterinary records show that injuries occur in fewer than one-quarter of one percent per 1,000 racing starts. The vast majority of those injuries are relatively minor, allowing the dogs to return to racing after a week or two.

Whoa, math! Can't argue with numbers, but here's our question: The overlords can tell us right down to the second decimal place how many dogs are injured, but when it comes to telling us how many of those injuries are serious, the best they can do is say the "vast majority" aren't. Break your calculator there, Ms.  Briggs?

When a return to racing is not possible, the greyhounds transition successfully to life in an adoptive home.

Right. Well, except for those who don't. Bet you're glad you were in the lucky category, huh  Dino?

Dino is a very friendly and playful boy who loves kids of all ages. He follows his foster mom all over the house.He doesn't  mind the crate once he's in there. Dino gets along well with large dogs and cats but hasn't had a chance to meet any small dogs yet, but since he likes the kitty that’s in his foster home, he probably would do well with small dogs too. 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.