The Greyhound Racing Industry

They’re beautiful and gentle dogs why should they be raced? This is a question that is asked multiple times and no one is ever given an answer. In this piece I will be providing you with all the information you need to learn more about the greyhound racing industry.

Greyhounds born into racing

Generally, if these greyhounds who are new to racing don't win or place in their first six races, they're sentenced to an early death. In result of that, an estimated 18,000 greyhounds are killed every year in Australia, simply because they aren't deemed fast enough to win races. Eight thousand of those killed are puppies who would normally have the chance to live happily. Dogs who do make it to and stay on the racetrack are at significant risk of sustaining serious injuries, such as head trauma or broken hocks or legs. These injuries caused by intensive training and racing. The intensity of the racing also means that dogs can suffer from seizures (from a lack of oxygen) and cardiac arrest. The whole reason for these dog races are for profit. They are forced for long hours each day to do something their body is telling them to stop doing. In result of the profit they make off these dogs, greyhounds are treated as possessions rather than the sensitive, loving animals they truly are.

Conditions

They're often confined to tiny, barren pens and kennels, completely deprived of human companionship and stimulation. Dogs are kept in warehouse-style kennels in rows and rows of stacked, tiny metal cages.They're left in these sad conditions for up to 23 hours a day. They’re either left in these poor places or overworked completely. These dogs endure lives of confinement, are subject to practices that are cruel and suffer extreme injuries and even death. In these cages they have very minimal room and they are barely large enough for them to stand up and turn around. They're so called “bedding” is shredded paper or carpet remnants. These places can be left uncleaned and uncontrolled for days at a time. The racing industry exacerbates an overproduction of dogs, which simply displaces other homeless animals and diverts resources needed to address other help-needed animals.

Drugging

Just like many other sports or racing industries, drugs may be involved. Greyhounds are given anabolic steroids to enhance performance. According to Dr. Richard Sams of the University of Florida Racing Laboratory, anabolic steroids such as Stanozolol would be "excellent" for enhancing performance. Other drugs like cocaine are potentially fatal for dogs and can lead to seizures, strokes and heart attacks. Drugging dogs in this business is completely illegal, just as much as any other sport.

Live Baiting

Live baiting refers to the practice of using live animals for the purpose of training greyhounds. This practice is illegal in all states and territories in Australia. During training, many owners/breeders bait their dogs with guinea pigs, possums, piglets and any small animals. ‘Bait’ animals are tied by rope to the mechanical lure and are hurled at high speeds around the track while greyhounds are released to pursue, catch and maul them. Live baiting may also involve pulling animals on leads/ropes and inciting dogs to attack them. The animals involved experience pain, fear, injury and distress and will eventually die. The same animals may be used repeatedly, suffering a very long and painful death.

Retirement

Once a greyhound used for racing is not fast enough to win races, their ‘career' comes to an end. Whilst a greyhound's natural lifespan would be 12 to 14 years, many dogs have their lives cut short once they can no longer race and gain a profit for their owners. Some retired racing dogs go into breeding programs but still might be killed at only 5-6 years old. After healthy ones have been retired, some are sent off to rescue programs which eventually re-home them. Other unlucky healthy dogs (early retired dogs) are handed over to a university veterinary faculties where they may be experimented on. These ongoing experiments going on cause extreme pain and even death. For each experiment, they potentially kill 5-15 greyhounds.

Some include:

• A cardiovascular system study

• Greyhounds are given dental implants then killed

• Used to test dielectric properties in dog brain tissue

• Rotary blood pumps surgically implanted into their hearts

• Drug-screenings which include putting three harmful drugs into their system

• Greyhounds were being tested for their urine and then got killed because of kidney injuries

• Deliberately suffocated, hearts removed, transplanted and killed (trying to experiment with resuscitated hearts)

• Electrodes placed into perfectly healthy greyhound's brains.

Rescue Programs

The term rescued is true to its definition in this sense. Retired racing greyhounds ARE rescued as they have grown up in a world where love isn’t shown. When people adopt greyhounds they are giving them the life they deserve. There are many rescue websites/shelters that care for rescued greyhound right up until they are ready to go to their new home. Sites/places like GAP (Greyhound Adoption Program) dedicate all their time into rescuing and rehoming greyhounds to homes they feel will be best for that particular greyhound. This is to reduce the risk of homes that do not work which could lead to mistreatment or not complete comfortableness for them.

Concluding...

Due to their gentle nature, Greyhounds make excellent companions for the whole family. Retired racers adapt well and thrive in a home environment. They're Sweet, gentle, loving, clean, quiet, and smart – making them excellent family pets. greyhound is a couch potato that also likes to cuddle. Apart from keeping them warm, greyhounds use cuddling as a way of bonding with their owners. Experts say that there is a rise in Oxytocin, a love hormone, associated with trust and social bonding. Another perk of having a greyhound is when they stare at you. Though it might be a bit scary… A Greyhound Staring at you is the their way of starting a connection, bonding with you and maintaining that connection with you over their lifetime.

These beautiful creatures deserve so much more in this world. Greyhounds aren’t made for us as humans to race them. The industry is inhumane and disgusting.

If you would like to learn more (Content warning: some contain very upsetting clips):

live baiting report: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9w6F2yaoNw

Greyhound racing/breeding: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7poxop-segM

Drugging & Cruelty: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqu9U4OOgtg

GAP (Greyhound Adoption Program): http://gap.grv.org.au/

Animals Australia Article: https://www.animalsaustralia.org/issues/greyhound-racing.php#:~:text='Retirement'&text=Some%20ex%2Dracers%20go%20into,use%20in%20teaching%20and%20training.