Just wanted to ask the people concerned with animals what they think about the dog track. The woman from the rescue group told me they put down 30 dogs a week. Why isn't anyone outraged over that? Do we need to add those to the number of euthanized animals in Mobile county? It would definitely make the numbers jump.
I used to love to go to the dog track. I'd always stand downstairs and between the races hang out at the window where all the dogs for the next race would be lined up with their handlers. And what beautiful dogs they were, shiny and healthy and strong.
Then I started learning about the dark underbelly of dog racing and I was horrified.
Just like most everything where dogs are used to make humans money, the animals are nothing more than a disposable commodity. And as such for every one that doesn’t work out or do their "job" well or that gets injured or sick, the cheapest way to get back on track is to kill the bad and get a new replacement from the ever-growing greyhound puppy mill that exists for no other reason that to keep this disgusting sport going.
People who work in the greyhound business don't want spectators and funloving participants to know what the dogs go through when they're not in the public eye. If animals lovers actually saw the way these poor dogs are treated when they're no longer able to be money-makers they'd never take another trip to the racetrack again.
I have never been to the dog track, but I have heard some pretty bad things too. Didn't a story come out recently about an investigation being done because the dogs were given steroids or something? I'm not sure if that was here or somewhere else. I do know someone who adopted a greyhound (retired) and it had multiple health problems like seizures and kidney problems to name a few. I would think those numbers would need to be counted.
I understand that greyhounds make excellent animal companions. Though they're large, they're perfectly content to be indoor dogs, even apartment dogs if they're exercised frequently. I'm no expert on them - though I do know because of their minimal body fat if ever anesthesia is needed it may be very dangerous.
But often at our PetsMart adoptions the greyhound folks will be there and I've found them to be very sociable, affectionate dogs. The trouble is, just like dogs of all breeds, there aren't enough families available for all the unwanted greyhounds. When the breeders are breeding them as fast as they can to have a larger pool of dogs that might bring in the big bucks, it doesn't take a mathmetician to figure out there's gonna be a lot of dogs at the bottom who nobody wants. And just like all dogs that nobody wants there's only one thing to do with them.
Just one more shameful thing that people do to animals.
I exchanged emails at one time with the park about the adoption process and it seemed like a good one. You have to fill out an application with references and such. I too am saddened at the number of these dogs that aren't adopted out. I did hear as well that they make great companions and are quite content to lounge around all day like a cat! Of course, they need their exercise though! We are planning to adopt one in the future when our daughter gets a bit older.
