Superb Post - Crossposted With Permission

[ClazUK]

Rebecca W did her Uni dissertation on the racing industry and gives this as her background:

 

My university dissertation was on the greyhound racing industry. I tracked my eldest dog's path from being bred in Limerick, Ireland, through to being tied to a lamppost in Castleford, Yorkshire. I tried to find out what happened to her in-between, and through this built up my dissertation.

 

I did a lot of research, spoke to trainers, breeders, owners, the large outfits to the small backyard trainers. I spoke to representatives from the BGRB and Bord Na Gnon (Irish racing board), I spoke to DEFRA, Dept for Culture Media and Sport, Anne Finch (GIN), Deb Rothery (Tia) and various other RGT folk. I had meetings with the RSPCA, LACS plus many many others.

 

I met some lovely people and some awful people, inside and outside the racing industry. But at the end of it all, not one person could give me a good reason why 'Her Lovely Jewel' ended up tied to a lamppost in Castleford.

 

This was posted by Rebecca W on the White Lodge forum a couple of days ago, in a response to the David Smith court case. It is such a good post that I asked for permission to cross post, which she happily gave, as I felt it was wasted on our humble little board with a handful of members. She has been invited to write an article for our local paper.

 

The industry has found a scape goat. There would be no need for men like Smith, no need for dogs to be destroyed in this way, if:

 

1. There were less dogs bred

2. The industry did more to help/care for/re-home the retirees

3. The government tightened up the rules etc etc etc

 

Let's face it people, we're preaching to the converted here, maybe I WILL do that (Leicester) Mercury piece.

 

I'll tell the Mercury how so many people are fooled into thinking the 'sport' puts oodles of cash back into rescue and re-homing. It's all a big con.

 

The BGRB and the GRC have something called the British Greyhound Racing Fund. This is a fund that the bookies contribute cash to. In 2005 it was about £10m

 

"Wooooow!" I hear the uneducated masses say, that's a lot into a 'fund' for greyhounds (the 'fund' makes it sound all charitable doesn't it?). However, when you look at their annual report and accounts you'll see that half a million goes into 'racecourse integrity' (whatever the hell that is) nearly a million goes into 'welfare support' (that's paying for vets trackside) Nearly £800k goes into 'drugs testing' (which lets face it, can't be that strict seeing as most are on 'go faster juice' as i heard one trainer call it) £3 MILLION of the fund goes into prize money (this 'fund' is a very loose term don't you think?)

 

So what about the re-homing? Well chaps, you'll be pleased to know that out of the £10million that goes into the BGRF a whopping, huge, massive ......wait for it ...... £1.3m goes to the RGT. Whoopy day.

 

Oh and £1.4 million goes into racecourse improvements. Do you know who owns most of the BGRB official tracks? Bookmakers. No word of a lie, a huge proportion of registered tracks in this country are owned by Mr Ladbrokes, Mr William Hill, Mr Coral, et al. So the bookmakers donate £10m to the fund, and then use this money to improve the racecourses they own (and this is things like air con in the restaurant people, nothing to do with the bloody dogs), pay the vets that work at their tracks, give prizes for races at their tracks.... oh i could go on and on and on. It's just one huge bent merry-go-round of money.

 

Seriously, the next time anyone says they're off for a night at the dogs, send them to http://www.bgrf.org.uk/expenditure.asp and then get them to do a bit of digging into what 'research project' means and you'll soon find out how bent this bloody industry is. Oh and the Board of Trustees who make the decisions on this 'fund'? Every single last sodding one of them is either from the BGRB, or a bookies. All of them. Not one from greyhound welfare.

 

AND, and, and, the BGRB, the GRC and the BGRF are ONLY for the registered tracks. The flapping tracks can do what the hell they like.

 

Phew. I'm ever so worn out now. I'm sorry people, I've had a glass of wine and am feeling a little passionate. But the more you dig into this industry (as I did for my degree as some of you may know from a previous post) the more it's corruptness blows your mind.

 

But I know you all know this. We're the good people, we're trying to make a difference. We've just got to keep hammering away I suppose.

 

I'm thinking of becoming an MP, I'm getting so used to this soap box

 

Oh that reminds me. Did you know there's an "All Party Parliamentary Group for Greyhound Racing"? 'Excellent' I hear the uneducated masses say again 'someone with a concern for greyhound welfare in the Houses of Parliament, right at the top, where the decisions are made' ..... hardly. The APPGGR, as they are catchily known to their friends, have a dog, called 'Party Whip', that races at Walthamstow. We've got no hope.

[Happylittlegreensquirrel]

Thanks for that Claz, its well written and very catchy

 

I hope she gets more interest from larger papers as well

[reds]

Would be interested to learn more about this All Parliamentary Group. I can only guess that lighter rules apply but for Committees or Boards there would have to be a declaration of any conflicts of interest. I think owning a racing greyhound just about comes into that????

 

 

Well done Rebecca W for gaining such extensive access.

[greyhound pal]

Thats fab Claire! I love it! I'm 'in talks' with a journalist at the moment - can I maybe redirect him here pelase?

 

Would be interested to learn more about this All Parliamentary Group.

 

They have their own webpage - saw it a few months back and thought at first 'fab' until I saw what it entailed - couldn't bloody believe it! Will see if I can find it and will post link

[ClazUK]

I can put you in touch with the writer if you want, Amanda. She's very passionate about the whole situation.

[kats n greys]

Fantastic article.

 

You'll have to get Rebecca on here

 

Is it worth cross-posting to DP, etc etc.

[Abby]

The APPGG website:

 

All Party Parliamentary Greyhound Group

 

I quote:

 

"It was launched in 1988 when a group of greyhound enthusiasts at Westminster came together. Since then it has worked wherever there is a case to be made on behalf of the sport.

 

There are APPGG meetings throughout the year at Westminster - usually followed by dinner and racing at a London Stadium."

 

Nice. Where's the APPG that actually looks honestly at the sport?

Edited February 21, 2007 by Abby

[Nettie]

The APPGG website:

 

All Party Parliamentary Greyhound Group

 

I quote:

 

"It was launched in 1988 when a group of greyhound enthusiasts at Westminster came together. Since then it has worked wherever there is a case to be made on behalf of the sport.

 

 

The above says it all really doesn't it?

 

Brilliant post from Rebecca.

Edited February 21, 2007 by Nettie

[JulesB]

Great post, great points she makes, and well put too. I'm going to save it somewhere so I've got something to refer to when I'm trying to spread the word about greyhounds

 

Going to email the APPGG and its members too - what's its remit exactly? And who pays for its little jaunts and dinners etc? Us, and ultimately the dogs, I expect

[Abby]

Great post, great points she makes, and well put too. I'm going to save it somewhere so I've got something to refer to when I'm trying to spread the word about greyhounds

 

Going to email the APPGG and its members too - what's its remit exactly? And who pays for its little jaunts and dinners etc? Us, and ultimately the dogs, I expect

 

The Parliamentary Register of All Party Groups says that the purpose of the APPGG is:

 

"To raise parliamentary awareness of issues relating to the greyhound industry and promote the sport. "

 

See the register form HERE

 

The form also says that:

 

"British Greyhound Racing Board provides administrative support and also funds twice yearly race nights, including a meal, for Members. "

 

It is common for All Party Parlimentary Groups to have admin support from organisations associated with the subject at hand. The Register form also gives members and contact details.

 

You can learn more about how these groups function by reading their RULES

[supafrisk]

The Parliamentary Register of All Party Groups says that the purpose of the APPGG is:

 

"To raise parliamentary awareness of issues relating to the greyhound industry and promote the sport. "

 

See the register form HERE

 

The form also says that:

 

"British Greyhound Racing Board provides administrative support and also funds twice yearly race nights, including a meal, for Members. "

 

It is common for All Party Parlimentary Groups to have admin support from organisations associated with the subject at hand. The Register form also gives members and contact details.

 

You can learn more about how these groups function by reading their RULES

 

 

Maybe a Number 10 petition might be in order against the APPGG??

[greyhound pal]

I can put you in touch with the writer if you want, Amanda. She's very passionate about the whole situation.

 

Ooo yes please Claire. Give her whatever to get in touch!

[Abigailj]

Ooh I'm a bit jealous cos I've wanted to do a dissertation/report about it for ages. (Doesn't fit in with my field/employement really)

 

Well kudos to Rebecca and hope the article goes well

[Guest Rebecca W]

Hello All,

 

Thanks for your feedback. And thanks also for reminding me that the APPGG get their funding from the BGRB. I'd forgotten that little snippet of corruptness!

 

Could you imagine the uproar if Manchester United were sponsored by Ladbrokes, or if Gordon Brown owned BP or Shell or Total? Yet it's absolutely fine for there to be no independence in dog racing.

 

Every phone call, every page of research, every minute of every conversation of my dissertation blew me away. I thought I was going to be writing a dossier on some tin-pot trainer who couldn't care less, with an element of animal cruelty and lack of funding for rescue.

 

But every layer I peeled away of the big fat stinking onion that is the Greyhound Racing industry revealed more stench, more bitterness and more tears. I could not believe that any of this was legal. I could not believe something with such a legitimate corporate 'face' could be so dirty.

 

All I want is the world to know. If the people of Britain learn this, understand it, and are okay with it then fair enough, at least I tried. I have my circle of needlenose-loving friends, we'll just stick together, adopt more dogs, whatever. But I really truly believe that if more people knew the truth then more people would be appalled and something would have to change. Hunting with dogs got banned. Heck, women got the vote! All it needs is a greater national understanding then perhaps the sport would be forced to tighten up and the government would be forced to regulate it more closely.

 

Sure, it would put some people out of business, they'd be forced to give up training/racing/owning their dogs. But quite frankly I don't give a sh*t about them.

[greys mum]

That's brilliant. Wish I was half as eloquent.

 

Would the guy from The Times be interested do you think?