[bernard]

Loss of revenue feared to be harming greyhounds
By Kimberly Matas
ARIZONA DAILY STAR

Attendance at greyhound race tracks has plummeted as Indian gaming has risen, and some racing experts fear the drop in wagering equates to a diminished concern for the well-being of the dogs.

Both attendance and wagering at Tucson Greyhound Park have dropped by 60 percent in the last 15 years, according to annual reports from the Arizona Department of Racing. Park officials declined interview requests from the Arizona Daily Star this week.

Less money coming in means fewer dollars may be spent caring for dogs. With an average of 34,000 greyhounds a year bred in the United States, it is cheaper and quicker to replace a racing dog than to give it time to recuperate from an injury, said Susan Netboy, president of the California-based Greyhound Protection League, an anti-racing organization.

[DeepBlue]

Old news, though I'm afraid to say that it's in no better situation now. Greyhound racing in general is a diminishing sport - some areas are doing fine, races are still well attended, track revenue is booming, but other areas are being taken over by more popular gambling means and sports.

Just the way it is, though I guess not everyone considers the welfare of the dogs themselves - I know that when I read the title I wasn't entirely sure how the connection was made but it's fairly obvious once you think about it.

Over here, there is a big deal about animal welfare, though I know not all places around the world are quite as stringant.

[louis]

I doubt it has gotten that much better. There are as many animal welfare groups as there are tracks, so it's always going to be hard to make everyone stand up and take notice.

It's cruel and I dearly wish that any animals being used for sport were looked after better than they are. Don't get me wrong, some owners take really good care of their animals, but others... well. That's why there are news articles like this, I suppose.

[DeepBlue]

True enough, there are a lot of cases here. In general, animal welfare isn't too bad, though there are situations when a lot of press coverage is attracted, such as a horse being put down in front of a crowd and so forth.

They try to do it out of sight, but it's not always practical should a horse fall and break it's leg. I'm no vet, I don't know if it's always appropriate to put the animal down, but a lot say it isn't and they shouldn't be racing in the first place.