Senate Strikes Amendment That Could Have Ended Greyhound Racing

• STACKS2, YOU HAVE GOT TO BE THEE MOST UNINTELLIGENT, MORONIC PERSON ON THIS PLANET!!!! I HAVE been to a Greyhound racing kennel. I HAVE seen the standards in which they are kept. I HAVE seen the sizes of their tiny cage. You are either simply a liar, OR, just plain stupid. I haven't seen you respond to the killing of Greyhounds (as many people have mentioned to you) either when they hurt themselves on the track or are merely not fast enough to win this ridiculous race for money. They are shot in the head, cut into pieces and thrown away, or drowned. Don't bother reading up on this, because IT HAPPENS! You're a heartless piece of ! God help you!

• Anonymous, while in my room, I did a little research. Here's what I found: Anti-Racing groups frequently point to the fact that racing greyhounds are fed meat from, �dead, diseased, dying or disabled� cattle as evidence of abuse because it causes so-called �Alabama Rot� that kills many greyhounds. The truth is that when meat is purchased from a reliable packing facility and handled correctly, the possibility of occurrence of E. Coli infection is extremely small and incidences of Alabama Rot are rare. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has strict rules that regulate the source of meat approved for human consumption. Animals that do not meet those restrictions are designated 4D whether or not any of the above adjectives describe the reason for being considered unfit for humans. 4D meat is the primary ingredient in most pet foods, even premium brands. Pet food is cooked which kills the E. Coli bacteria, but also alters its nutritional composition. All attempts to replicate the diets of racing dogs with cooked food have resulted in failure. Racing greyhounds simply do not perform as well on a commercial diet as on one partially composed of raw meat. Many pet owners of a variety of breeds have converted to a B.A.R.F. (Bones and Raw Food) diet similar to typical racing greyhound fare. When handled in a safe manner, from the packing plant to the feed bowl, raw meat has proven safe and effective. Qual-Pet, the largest supplier of meat to greyhound farms and kennels, has more than 40 years� experience in the preparation and distribution of meat. The meat is frozen immediately upon grinding and delivered frozen to its outlets. The meat is stored in freezers by farmers and trainers until it is needed and then thawed before it is mixed with other forms of feed and supplements. The E. Coli bacteria is not uncommon nor necessarily dangerous in small amounts. Indeed, the strain of E. Coli that causes Alabama Rot is found naturally in a variety of foods ranging from apples to alfalfa sprouts. Only when mishandled and allowed to multiply in meat that has not been refrigerated for a long period of time does it begin to pose a danger. In a similar example of fear mongering, one group even attempted to mislead the public by proclaiming that greyhounds were in danger of exposure to Mad Cow Disease via 4D meat. The truth, of course, is different. All cattle raised in America, regardless of whether their meat is destined for human or pet consumption, are tracked by the USDA and after they are slaughtered samples are collected and tested for Mad Cow. Greyhounds in the U.S. have no more chance of contracting Mad Cow Disease than do humans. Greyhounds Are Given Performance Enhancing Drugs Greyhound racing is strictly regulated by the states where it exists. There is a state-approved vet and a state judge on premises, in addition to the track judge and other officials. Prior to weigh in, the greyhounds must pass before the judges and the vet on hand, all of whom have the option to examine and/or scratch any dog whom they feel is unfit to race for any reason. After the race, urine samples are collected from the winner and/or the second place and last place finishers, with an additional random sample taken, depending upon the custom in the locality. Their urine is tested in independent, contracted laboratories, by means of ultra sensitive gas-chromatography. If any illegal substances are found to be present in the urine of the greyhound, the trainer is suspended and fined, and the kennel can be suspended, depending upon the decision of the judges at the hearing, which the offending parties must attend. A second offense can lead to the trainer's permanent suspension, and/or the revocation of the kennel's right to compete. Incidentally, there has never been a successfully prosecuted criminal case involving a licensed greyhound professional and the use of illegal, performance enhancing or performance inhibiting drugs, in the entire history of greyhound racing in the USA

• Stacks, anyone who's ever owned a greyhound knows the crates are NOT big enough for them to stretch. Greyhounds like to step out of the crate and stretch their muscular legs. Go to your room.

• The definition of �athlete� according to Merriam Webster is as follows: �a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina�. Greyhounds aren�t people. Greyhounds are athletic, but they are not �athletes�. They do not have a choice about being used to make money for their owners in racing. They do not have a choice to participate in or avoid this so-called �sport� that results in thousands of them being injured or killed every year. They do not have a say in the matter when someone elects to kill them when they stop earning money.

• There is no propaganda about 4-D meat - it's fact that it's ground meat mixed with charcoal to prevent it from getting into the human food chain. It's fed raw to racing greyhounds. One of the top greyhound vets in the country has done extensive research on the high levels of E Coli in retired racers' systems, and he points to the feeding of raw 4-D meat as one of the reasons.

• Uh, no 'Stacks2', they ARE kept in cages. Well ventilated? Well, cages generally are. However, in my experience visiting a racing kennel (multiple times), the stench of dog urine was overpowering, and the kennel room in which the cages were stacked had no windows - just doors out to the 'turn out' areas that are basically giant sandboxes in which the dogs are given access to 4 times daily to relieve themselves.

• Let's be clear: a dog is not kept in a cage. They are kept in a well ventilated, spacious crate where there is plenty of room to stretch and be comfortable. I know: I've seen first hand how they live while the tracks were open in Wisconsin. Have any of you actually been in a kennel compound and seen all of the rules & regulations that are involved? In Wisconsin, there were fines for the smallest of violations. As far as the the 4D meat goes, that's all propaganda spewed out on the internet. Again, I've seen what they eat and it's the freshest & healthiest product to make them run faster. Greyhounds are athletes. They love to run. Go to the track sometimes and you'll see happy, well conditioned athletes who enjoy life & are playful, energetic creatures.

• Racing greyhounds are given "better care than most human beings." ???? What??? Are most human being kept confined in cages 20-plus hours a day? Are most humans fed 4D meat? Are most humans killed when they reach a point where they don't make money for their "owners?" Are most humans at risk of being killed by their bosses after being injured on the job?

• "If everybody was taken care of like a racing greyhound, there wouldn't be a health care debate going on right now in this country." Stack, you must be new to this site. Look up Mooney's story of Jailamony. If you really believe what you said, I sincerely hope someone breaks your leg in several places, then refuses to treat you or even put the leg in a cast and you have to spend the rest of your short life in a lot of pain. You are an ignorant person.

• This industry is disgusting! Dog tracks are trashy!

• I guess the industry is dying if all these greyhound industry supporters have all this time to spend writing on blogs. Don't you have dogs you need to treat like your kids? Um, Hello DCF??? Walmart's always hiring. At least there you won't have blood on your hands. Good work Grey2K!!

• 'BW' - In Massachusetts, the workers displaced by the closing of the dog track at Raynham Park rejected the federal funding available through the Governor's Rapid Response Program. They also refused to support a bill to create a second, state-funded retraining program under House Bill 1856. They had 14 months notice of the track's closing - ample time to transfer out of the dying business of dog racing. Dog tracks will continue to close on their own due to their financial failure, or GREY2K USA will help pass laws to close them. The writing is on the wall for dog racing - it has been for years. It's well past time to end this cruel 'sport' and spare thousands of greyhounds an existence based on inhumanity and greed. For more information about dog racing and to support the work of GREY2K USA in protecting greyhounds nationwide, please visit www.GREY2KUSA.org

• Christine Dorchak, tell us exactly what Grey2 KUSA did for the approximately 500 people in Massachusetts who lost their jobs because of Grey2K USA? I will take an educated guess: NOTHING! Grey2K USA is not about cruelty to greyhounds. Grey2K USA is cruelty to human beings.

• I look forward to many more years of greyhound handicapping. The truth is that the dogs are given better care than most human beings. If everybody was taken care of like a racing greyhound, there wouldn't be a health care debate going on right now in this country. It's now time for the tracks to start marketing this great sport to our younger gamblers. Once the youngsters see past the lies & propaganda from the extremists, they'll realize that greyhound racing is the best bet in town. It's up to the tracks to make it happen.

• This fucking industry needs to shut down. In a just market they would have shut down long ago. Greyhound racing is losing money!! LOSING MONEY!!! At least let track owners have the option to not torture dogs anymore.

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