Drove past Owlerton this evening about 6pm, was pleased to see a small group of people trying to raise awareness of the darker side of Greyhound racing and what happens to many (most) dogs once their racing life is over

If anyone who was there reads this, just like to say well done :thumbsup:

this isnt a protest, these people are there every week, they are members of the RGT which is funded by the racing industry to rehome some of the dogs which trainers pay to go into the scheme, and are there to collect donations to help rehome the dogs they get from the track. They sell things like racing tips to raise the money. Probably not what you were hoping for i expect. As far as i know there hasnt been any demonstartions at that track recently. annax

Ah...

A couple of them looked scruffy like I used to when I used to hang around places with posters and leaflets so I assumed the message was more hard-hitting.

Still, I am not going to criticise the RGT though I would rather see the welfare of the Greyhounds being paramount (which realistically would take the profit out of racing) rather than an "afterthought charity" to help some luckier retirees

They sell things like racing tips to raise the money

Am I being a bit thick here? Do you mean the RGT do this outside on a race night?

yes on a race night a few meet up and fundraise, the RGT is part of the racing industry. annax

So...this is like a PR exercise more than anything?

It's got my interest now....

I do know 2 rescue greys, both are beautiful (and lazy!) dogs, one is so, so timid - unnaturally so, scared almost of her own shadow.

Perhaps the myth that greyhounds need nigh-impossible amounts of exercise is a problem to re-homing. It's an understandable misconception, yet there are so many "normal" pet dogs that demand much, much more long (endurance) exercise than greyhounds

So...this is like a PR exercise more than anything?

Sounds like conscience salving to me. Selling tips on a race night is actively encouraging it and dopey me thought that the RGT was a charity that had the dogs' welfare in mind. My head is spinning with questions now.

Do trainers/owners individually contribute to the Trust to safeguard their dogs' future?

trainers pay for places for there dogs at the RGT after they have finished racing, but not all trainers use them. I dont think alot of people realise that the RGT is part of the industry. im not going to say any more as i have mixed feeling about this sport having volunteered for a rescue which take the not so lucky ones that get dumped. annax

That's not in the spirit of educating the rest of us though is it Anna?

So, if I've got this right, there are some trainers who donate money to the Retired Greyhound Trust so that they can pass their dogs on to them when they are of no value anymore?

Then there are others who don't and their dogs are the ones that have nowhere to go? Which is where other rescues get involved.

What if it were compulsory for all trainers to contribute towards their dogs' pensions, would that make it a less lucrative industry to be in? Would the RGT be equipped to cope with the volume of dogs? Or would it mean an increase in greyhounds being disposed of by illegal means? I remember the news reports of a mind blowing number of dogs being despatched by dubious methods by one man. If I weren't so tired, I'd be scouring the BBC news archives now!

im not going to say any more as i have mixed feeling about this sport having volunteered for a rescue which take the not so lucky ones that get dumped. annax

No, please do be honest as I am genuinely interested.

I've heard some horror stores (at school I knew a girl whose father was well known in greyhound circles - and still is as a quick google search of his name shows - she was vegetarian and very disapproving of her father's business)

On a brief scour, the RGT seems like a nod of appeasement, as searches for news on greyhounds bring up stories of starved dumped dogs with ears hacked off to remove racing numbers (ID and traceability) from people who obviously do not pay into this scheme....

i am off to bed now but will answer what i can tomorrow, there is always two sides to every story and sadly greyhound racing has the bits they want us to see and the bits they certainly dont, things are often done to make us believe things are improving but often is just a way of taking our attention away from them. From where i stand things are not improving, rescues are crammed to the hilt with dumped and unwanted greyhounds. Its not so much the registered tracks we need to worry about its the flapping tracks and ones which go on illegally, these are the ones that we cant trace dogs too so owners can dump them and not be worried that they will be caught.
Greyhound racing is a massive debate, take a look at http://www.greyhoundaction.co.uk/ . annax

On a brief scour, the RGT seems like a nod of appeasement, as searches for news on greyhounds bring up stories of starved dumped dogs with ears hacked off to remove racing numbers (ID and traceability) from people who obviously do not pay into this scheme....

I met a greyhound with no ears Squiggs. She was helping to raise awareness at Crufts and she was the most affectionate thing, I will never forget her, I cried buckets publicly.

That was a few years ago and I've often referred to her story, it was pretty graphic what happened to her, but I always gave the credit for her rehabilitation to the RGT but it was probably nothing at all to do with them after all.

i know which little girl you mean and i think if im not right she was at the GRWE stall which is not part of the RGT, its a independant homing charity like greyhound gap. annax

I was horrified when i learnt about the huge numbers of dogs the get shipped abroad when they don't make the grade here or never race here just get shipped over as young dogs. They end up in Spain and some in asia. If we think things are bad here then you don't want to even think about what happens to them over there.

I find it appalling that so many people have no idea about what happens to greys and that think racing is a great sport and that no harm ever comes to the animals.

I know we have animal cruelty all over the world but there are certainly some places/countries where i refuse to go to or ever return to.

I remember the news reports of a mind blowing number of dogs being despatched by dubious methods by one man. If I weren't so tired, I'd be scouring the BBC news archives now!

If its the one I'm thinking of, he was a farmer in the north east, and was actually prosecuted under offences relating to landfill as illegally burying thousands of dead greyhounds attracted a bigger penalty under environmental offences than under any animal cruelty offences........luckily the publicity meant his personal details were freely available and I understand life was made somewhat difficult for him afterwards.

Basically, there will never be enough homes for retired or "failed" racers because the sheer numbers that are bred are so much higher than the numbers of people wanting to adopt one afterwards (not everyone wants to sit on the floor to watch telly because a lazy hound has taken up all the sofa :)) Until racing is banned, perfectly healthy dogs will continue to be killed at very young ages

this isnt a protest, these people are there every week, they are members of the RGT which is funded by the racing industry to rehome some of the dogs which trainers pay to go into the scheme, and are there to collect donations to help rehome the dogs they get from the track. They sell things like racing tips to raise the money. Probably not what you were hoping for i expect. As far as i know there hasnt been any demonstartions at that track recently. annax

In actual fact there was a protest staged outside the stadium on Tuesday evening - I drove past on my way to college. The protesters carried banners saying "Dead Cert". Sheffield Retired Greyhound Trust station themselves just inside the stadium, and fund-raise as people come through the turnstiles.

blimey, thats news to me, well i take it back, wonder who it was. annax

Sheffield Retired Greyhound Trust station themselves just inside the stadium, and fund-raise as people come through the turnstiles.

Yes, they have a caravan which sells a few bits and pieces just as you walk thru the main gates. They also have fund-raising stalls at summer fetes etc. The owners dont have to pay into the fund, but the ones that do will have homes found for their retired dogs. The ones who don't pay into the scheme will either keep them as pets when they retire, (quite a few do) find new homes for the dog themselves, or dispose of them by other means.

Yes, there was indeed a demo outside the stadium on Tuesday evening. The demo was organised by Sheffield Animal Friends, please look on www.myspace.com/sheffieldaf or www. sheffieldaf.org.uk to find details of past actions of the group or to make contact.

If anyone would like to join in demonstrating against the greyhound racing industry, please email sheffieldanimalfriends@gmail.com. We would like to eventually create a distinct group in Sheffield, solely to campaign against the dog racing industry. Anyone who is against the pointless cruelty inherent in this 'sport' is welcome to join in, regardless of your views on the rest of the issues SAF campaign about. SAF have had a few demos outside Owlerton before and have done some stalls about greyhound racing on Fargate in the past, but it is now the intention to increase the amount of actions that occur.

The next demo will be on Saturday 4th April at 6pm, please email to say if you intend on coming, though anyone would be welcome to just join in if you turn up on the day.

Thanks.

, or dispose of them by other means.

and thats what happens to the vast majority of them, so anyone going to the races is supporting an industry that breeds thousands of dogs in the knowledge that most of them will be killed (humanely or inhumanely) at the age of about 4

and thats what happens to the vast majority of them, so anyone going to the races is supporting an industry that breeds thousands of dogs in the knowledge that most of them will be killed (humanely or inhumanely) at the age of about 4

It's so sad such lovely dogs and 4 is no age is it? not when they have the potential to reach 12-16 years, it's a disgrace.

A lot of them don't even reach 4. Some of them are obviously never going to make the grade on the track and therefore are very young. Some of them get to run a few races and don't do well enough so they may only be a year old when they need new homes, although I'd imagine the younger ones are rehomed easier.