Brindlebabe Posted August 15, 2006 Report Share Posted August 15, 2006 Special report: Fate of our racing dogs DAVID POWLES 15 August 2006 09:51 Gemma had infected sores and a piece of her tail missing when she was rescued. Dozens of dogs are being neglected, starved, mistreated and deprived of medical treatment because some greyhound trainers do not care for them once they stop racing. A special Evening News investigation revealed several appalling cases, where retired racing dogs were being sold or given away to unscrupulous owners or people incapable of looking after them properly. Although the claims were denied by Norfolk's trainers, who said the majority care about the dogs throughout their lifetimes and not just when they can race, the RSPCA and Norwich-based anti-greyhound racing group Action for Greyhounds (AFG) raised serious concerns. Anne Boddey, founder of AFG, which, as well as being a campaign group, rescues greyhounds, give them veterinary treatment and rehomes them, said: “We have very grave concerns about what is happening to greyhounds once some trainers realise they can no longer make money out of them through racing. We have seen some real horror stories and have had to rescue dozens of dogs in Norfolk in recent years which have been given away by trainers who are not concerned about their well-being once they declare them to be too old. “The dogs are being handed out without any vetting procedures and often they end up in the wrong hands. This is where we have had to step in on numerous occasions and help find them homes where they can receive the care and attention they need.†Greyhounds are normally only raced until they are three or four years old. There are currently around 100 trainers in the county, the majority of which race regularly at Yarmouth Greyhound Stadium. The RSPCA and the AFG both said trainers were handing over greyhounds to members of the public without carrying out any of the checks conducted by official rescue centres to determine the new owners' suitability. Imp underweight and riddled with tumours. They were concerned with the use of free-ad newspapers, which trainers used to advertise dogs and get rid of them for free. They said often the dogs were also being handed on without having been neutered. AFG said it had encountered numerous instances where dogs have had to be rescued after being advertised in such a way and subsequently mistreated in their new homes. This includes dogs being found dangerously under-weight, covered in fleas and sores and depressed. The claims come a month after the treatment of retired greyhounds was thrust into the limelight when a trainer in County Durham was caught killing and disposing of ex-racing dogs at £10 a time. He had used a bolt gun to kill an estimated 10,000 dogs, before burying them near his home. The RSPCA said it shared AFG's concerns about the treatment of retired greyhounds and had even written to various free ad newspapers about the issue. Sophie Wilkinson, the charity's spokeswoman, said: “It is imperative that the greyhound racing industry finally admits there is a problem with what happens to retired greyhounds and works with welfare organisations to look at ways of tackling this as a matter of urgency. “It is suggested that as many as 12,000 greyhounds in Britain could be killed or discarded annually after their racing career is over. “Greyhounds are raced until only three or four years of age. We are asking the racing industry to consider races for older dogs, so that their working lives can at least be extended. In terms of buying greyhounds or any animal through small ads we'd say that anyone considering getting a pet should go to a reputable breeder or rescue centre where there are always plenty of dogs needing new homes. “Small ads often contain advertisements which advertise several different breeds and/or have mobile numbers for people to ring. These are often disguised 'puppy farming' operations and we would strongly urge people not to buy pets in this way.†Stephen Franklin, managing director at Yarmouth Stadium is also chairman of Yarmouth Homefinders, based in Aylsham, where around 150 retired dogs are rehomed every year, using vetting procedures. He said: “Trainers do care greatly for the well-being of their dogs and it is very sad that people have brought about this myth that they do not. We have the Homefinders organisation in which we spend a lot of time ensuring that the prospective home is right for that dog. “We always ensure we match a greyhound with the right person and the process can take up to three weeks. However, we would also advise owners not to use the free ads independently to rehome their greyhounds and would encourage them to use organisations like ours.†John Haynes, chairman of the greyhound trainer's association, said: “Nationally we have the Retired Greyhound Trust which rehomes 3,000 dogs a year. “Trainers have to take this issue very seriously because we have the National Greyhound Racing Club and they have a rule that you must look after a greyhound after retirement. If this is breached people are given a fine and we have had four or five cases recently where that has happened. “Obviously, as with every walk of life, there are bad apples but most take this issue seriously. “You just need to go down to Yarmouth and watch the way the trainers are with the dogs to realise how much they care about them. “As soon as we find out that someone is ill-treating dogs in any way, we drive them out.†Case studies: Gemma Bred in Ireland, Gemma was raced in Great Yarmouth but once she was deemed to be of no more use to her owner she was sold through Ad Trader. A few months later, her new owners decided they did not want Gemma and she was again advertised for free in the Ad Trader. Despite the fact that it stated in the advert that Gemma did not like cats, she was rehomed in a flat in Norwich where there were 11 of them. During the next 11 months she was deprived of care, love, attention and food. The organisation heard of her plight through a concerned member of the public and saved her just in time. When she was found she weighed 2st 10lb, had infected pressure sores and a piece of her tail missing. Her owner was subsequently prosecuted, given a five-year ban from owning dogs and a £100 fine. Zena After being raced at Great Yarmouth, Zena was advertised in the Ad Trader and rehomed in Norwich. AFG learned of her plight after some neighbours reported she lived in an upstairs flat, with no access to a garden. She was sometimes left there from 8pm until midday the next day and that they had heard her being beaten by her owners, for defecating and urinating in the flat. The organisation immediately adopted Zena and vets found that she had epilepsy and had probably had suffered numerous fits in the flat, with no one there to help. After Zena was rescued she had two bad fits, the final one resulting in her death. Imp After being raced in the area, Imp was advertised through Ad Trader. However, her owner decided she could no longer cope with Imp and took her to the organisation when it had one of its regular stalls in Norwich city centre. Underweight, depressed and riddled with untreated mammary tumours the organisations vet could not spay her until she put on weight. After a few weeks she went down with cystitis, a uterus infection, her tumours blew up, her nipples were bleeding, and the vet had no choice but to take her in, spay her and remove all the tumours. Luckily she pulled through, and the tumours didn't return. Rehomed, Imp is now nearly 14, and still lively, happy, and in good health apart from going deaf. For more case studies log on to www.actionforgreyhounds.org.uk Do you have a story about a greyhound or other animal being treated cruelly? If so contact David Powles on 01603 772447 or e-mail [email protected]. http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/content/new...3A21%3A59%3A590 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts