This November Floridians get to vote on whether to ban betting on dogs. The ban would only cover the betting, not dog racing itself. Florida has had dog tracks since the 1920s and legal betting on dogs since 1931.
Below is a link to an amazing bit of copy in support of greyhound racing. Trigger warning if you're strongly opposed to greyhound racing.
http://www.gra-america.org/the_sport/history.html
I myself have never visited a dog track (I confess to enjoying horse races). Anyone have experiences in the greyhound racing world? It seems perhaps better regulated in the UK, but I don't know.
― Josefa, Monday, 9 July 2018 00:29 (seven years ago)
dud, obviously
― flappy bird, Monday, 9 July 2018 00:40 (seven years ago)
here's an accurate-looking link for the other side: https://www.grey2kusa.org/pdf/GREY2K_USA_National_Fact_Sheet.pdf
― the bhagwanadook (symsymsym), Monday, 9 July 2018 03:41 (seven years ago)
my greyhound raced in Florida, and I've watched videos of his races. they are wonderful and lovely dogs. my sense is that while the dogs are actively racing, they are generally well-treated (which is not to discount the documented individual cases of abuse in the link above), and also that the industry has made real efforts to clean itself up in this century. but it is hard to ethically justify breeding thousands of animals for human amusement and then euthanizing them at tender ages when they can no longer compete in races.
― the bhagwanadook (symsymsym), Monday, 9 July 2018 03:47 (seven years ago)
it's impossible
― flappy bird, Monday, 9 July 2018 04:02 (seven years ago)
so...Florida betting is banned. I've heard 8,000 greys will need homes if anyone is looking for the best giant lazy pets in the world.
― Freda VanFleet (symsymsym), Wednesday, 7 November 2018 23:30 (six years ago)
I can't comment on Florida, but when I used to be betting shop manager in the 90's I can remember a multitude of grisly stories popping up in the Racing post/Sporting Life about unscrupulous trainers dumping the poor dogs that don't make the grade into shallow mass graves on various sand banks or dumping their mutilated corpses at the side of motorways near the Perry Barr track.
― calzino, Wednesday, 7 November 2018 23:44 (six years ago)
the conditions of the kennels they are kept in when they are making the grade is usually bloody horrible too.
really fancy getting a rescue greyhound, unfortunately afaik they tend to have quite the prey instinct generally and i have a cat
― ( ͡☉ ͜ʖ ͡☉) (jim in vancouver), Wednesday, 7 November 2018 23:45 (six years ago)
in the uk, from what i've heard
― ( ͡☉ ͜ʖ ͡☉) (jim in vancouver), Wednesday, 7 November 2018 23:46 (six years ago)
yeah that is fucking horrifying
― Freda VanFleet (symsymsym), Wednesday, 7 November 2018 23:49 (six years ago)
do it jim! I have two cats and my dog shows zero interest in them. a majority of the greyhounds do have the prey drive, but the agencies cat-test them when they are fostered and can tell you which ones won't chase cats at all.
― Freda VanFleet (symsymsym), Wednesday, 7 November 2018 23:52 (six years ago)
best pets
― ||||||||, Thursday, 8 November 2018 00:03 (six years ago)
they really are angels
― ||||||||, Thursday, 8 November 2018 00:04 (six years ago)
I've been around some before, gentle wee sweethearts so they are
― ( ͡☉ ͜ʖ ͡☉) (jim in vancouver), Thursday, 8 November 2018 00:07 (six years ago)
I've never met an aggressive one in my life and there are about 4 regulars I pass on a daily basis, beautiful dogs.
― calzino, Thursday, 8 November 2018 00:13 (six years ago)
https://www.guernicamag.com/until-the-last-dog-is-hung/
― Freda VanFleet (symsymsym), Thursday, 8 November 2018 19:15 (six years ago)