[amjamwe]

My Trip To The Greyhound Race Track

by F.J. aged 11.


My Mum, sister and I went to Northern Ireland for the weekend. My Mum finds out things about greyhound racing and what happens so she can try and stop it. Mum hates greyhound racing because of all the dogs that suffer and die. We live with lots of greyhounds at home and I like them although they take up the couch and don't behave sometimes. Mum says this is because of how they are treated when they race. I know that there are too many greyhounds and not enough homes like ours for them which means that some of them die. That makes me sad.


Mum said we were going to one of the greyhound tracks in Northern Ireland called Ballyskeagh near Belfast. We went and pretended that we liked it and bet on it but we didn't. I felt a bit scared because I didn't know what would happen.


We got to the parking lot and Mum stopped the car. Mum gave the man 20p so we could park. The man taking the money was tall and thin and he had a yellow jacket on. He looked a bit strange let us go through and there were lots of cars. The building was tall with graffiti on the outside wall and we got out the car and walked to the entrance.


There were two men who were waiting and we paid them £5 for Mum and they let me and my sister go in free. We walked through the entry bit and walked out into the stadium. I looked around and there was lots of people. I started to become really sad as I hated being there. There were lots of men shouting and swearing. Especially at the men taking bets. Who would be silly enough to bet on a living dog?


I sat down on a dirty blue chair. The stadium was big and dirty and quite scary. There was a football pitch in the middle. Mum said that it was a greyhound racing track as well as a football pitch.


Mum asked me to go to the barrier and look at the sand. I did and I could see the concrete underneath it. Mum said that the man who owned the track had fallen out with some people and couldn't get anyone to sell him sand. She also told me that one of our dogs at home had broken her leg at this track and that made me very sad.


I heard a horn of some kind being called and the shouting with the men and the bets stopped. The dogs looked terrible. They were thin and you could see their bones. Not like my own dogs. I stood over beside the cages that they put them in at the start and some of the men were quite rough pushing them in and closing the door. The dogs looked sad. I started to worry about them.


When they were in the hatches the rabbit came zooming round and the hatch opened and out came the dogs. I knew what went on after this. The dogs ran round the track and people started shouting. It was minging. The people were shouting and swearing at the dogs. It was terrible. We stayed for seven races.


I was scared about one of the dogs who came last but quite a bit behind the other dogs. I also heard one of them scream after being knocked over by another dog while they were running.


My sister who is 6 nearly gave us away by getting quite upset and saying loudly that she thought it was cruel. We went to the toilets and stuck some stickers on the doors. Mum said that it was wrong but this time she wouldn't ground me!


We went out to the car and drove off. I hated it. I am scared that some of these dogs will die now. Mum said that in Northern Ireland greyhounds die every day. I know they die here too but more of them die over there when they can no longer run. When I got home I cuddled my greyhounds hard.


http://www.greyhound...scotland.org.uk
greyhoundactionscotland@btopenworld.com

[mcchell]

polly7, on Jul 10 2009, 02:22 PM, said:

Unless I am reading this incorrectly she seems to be saying that she doesn't give a damn as it's legal in this country and they need the money.
What do you think.

That's the impression I get from it to, it sounds like she has been influenced from the other side into believing that the dogs welfare is priority but really doesn't know what goes on behind the scenes (or chooses to ignore). Even if only 'specially selected wonderful happy tracks' are used it is still showing support to all other greyhound racing :throb: :yikes:

[glynis]

I mailed her too, Polly - detailing my total disgust - haven't had a reply yet but I presume mine will be the same! What a c*w! And the MacMillan organization have lost my support - I shall continue to support my local hospice; who don't try and raise funds on the misery of poor dogs! I'm amazed that bitch-woman just doesn't appear to be bothered by any of the things she read, watched (if she even bothered).... 'It's legal'... yeah.... so are a lot of things but when they harm any creatures, we don't support them! Kory McCloud will be getting an e-mail too...

[glynis]

I'll send one too Polly, if I get the courtesy of a reply, although I shall have trouble making it as polite as the first one.... Just reading you despcriptions above make me feel sick and want to cry - what sort of woman (and organization) is this.... as you say.... ten-pin bowling would be more enjoyable and probably more proifitable. Perhaps we could sponsor Amanda for a parachute jump - without the parachute!!!

[Mad Dog]

What a depressing response from MacMillan, what a terrible shame. The fact that it is "legal" does not make it ok to support them. After all, many things are legal that are morally appalling... like commercial imports of endangered species for luxury goods and fashion.... would they support that too? Well done for writing to them Pauline, somewhere and somehow it will all make a difference one day. Off to draft my email to her now...

[Brenda]

I emailed, but haven't got a reply yet. I feel quite sickened.

On a separate subject. I belong to another forum, which is a local RGT greyhound rescue kennels. There is someone on there who is a greyhound trainer and races his dogs. He obviously cares for them, but seems oblivious to the cruelty that goes on and feels that the media sensationalises it and that it is in the minority. Obviously I disagreed with him and told him so, politely. What has upset me is that very few people seemed to agree with me, or if they did they didn't say so. I posted the link to the greyt exploitations video and one person said she wouldn't believe anything they say! :throb: and he says he has has had several pm's from people not waiting to go 'public'. These are people I meet on a monthly greyhound walk and I feel very disillusioned. :yikes: So the posts here have made me realise that I'm not the only one to feel this way.

[Brenda]

polly7, on Jul 10 2009, 07:53 PM, said:

there are always the odd trainer who does care, not to the extent we do, but certainly they care enough to want their retired greys in a good home. Sadly they are few & far between. The problem with those forums is that everyone seems to pussyfoot around afraid to speak the truth in case they upset someone. Many of them are in denial as if they believed what they can read with their own eyes they would need to address it and they either can't or won't do that.
Do these people really think others are so sick they would make up the photographs and stories of these poor dogs :throb: what would that gain anyone? They need to open their eyes .
It is so very frustrating but until people stand up for themselves and the greys it will carry on & on.
I shall write to MacMillan complaints and also the the chairperson/treasurers/patrons and anyone else I can find. I find it disgraceful that MacMillan will raise funds on the backs of suffering.
How about we all take up glynis idea and sponsor amanda for a parachuteless parachute jump. I'm sure at the moment this would raise thousands :throb: :yay:

Thanks Pauline :yikes:

[Millie-milou]

What is her email address Pauline?
We have a few choice words to say to her too.